World Bank Grant Competition Awards $840,000 to Grassroots Initiatives to Address Undernutrition in South Asia

Contacts:
In Dhaka: Mehrin Mahbub (880-2) 8159001-28  Ext. 4251
mmahbub@worldbank.org
In Washington: Benjamin Crow (202) 473 5105
bcrow@worldbank.org

Dhaka, August 5, 2009 ─ Twenty-one civil society organizations from across South Asia won grants today from an $840,000 award pool funded by the South Asia Region Development Marketplace (DM). The winners received up to $40,000 each to implement innovative ideas on how to improve nutrition in their respective countries.

“Undernutrition is one of the most challenging issues facing South Asia,” said Isabel Guerrero, World Bank’s Vice President, South Asia Region, at the opening ceremony today in Dhaka. “Poor nutrition robs a child of a chance to succeed and live a healthy, productive life. And yet, an investment in nutrition is one of the social policy interventions that has the highest impact for each dollar spent, in improving this child’s future.”
 
Innovative ideas, such as a proposal from Care of Afghan Families to improve the nutrition status of young children through focus not just on their mothers, but also on other family members was one of the winners. One of the winning projects from Bangladesh focused on promoting better infant and child feeding practice in the slums through performance-based payments. With the funds awarded today, the winners will have up to 18 months to carry out and implement their innovative projects.

India was the most represented country among winners, with nine out of the 21 winning proposals. Bangladesh and Nepal tied in second place with four winners each.  Pakistan followed with two winners. Sri Lanka and Afghanistan had one winning proposal each.

Titled “Family and Community Approaches to Improve Infant and Young Child Nutrition,” the competition was designed to identify some of the most innovative ideas to improve nutrition, focusing especially on children under two years of age and pregnant women. It drew nearly 1,000 applications from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, and through a vigorous assessment process by international development experts, the applicants were narrowed down to 60 finalists who showcased their ideas today in Dhaka.

“All of the finalists gathered here today are winners,” said Ms. Guerrero, during her opening remarks, emphasizing that the greatest outcome of the Development Marketplace is precisely the learning that comes from the exchange of ideas and experiences between all the participants. Dr. A. F. M. Ruhal Haque, Bangladesh’s Minister for Health and Family Welfare, inaugurated the opening ceremony extending a warm welcome to all participants and praising the initiative. Mr. Abul Maal Muhit, Bangladesh’s Minister for Finance handed over the certificates to winners during the closing ceremony.
 
A Bangladeshi proposal to promote nutritional status of malnourished children of commercial sex workers and families of people living with HIV/AIDS won the People’s Choice Award, following popular voting by visitors who attended the Development Marketplace today in Dhaka.

The South Asia Regional Development Marketplace was sponsored by UNICEF, World Food Programme, PepsiCo, the Micronutrient Initiative (MI), GTZ (Germany), and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). 

For more information about the South Asia development Marketplace, please visit: http://www.worldbank.org/nutritiondm2009

For more information about the World Bank’s work in South Asia, please visit: http://www.worldbank.org/sar

Table of Winners