Bolivia

Background: MNI is providing technical support in Bolivia to the “Zero Malnutrition” (ZM) Program. Zero Malnutrition is the President proclaimed large scale centrally driven action for nutrition. MNI working intensively in the “illustrative municipality” of Betanzoz, in the Department of Potosi, helps the ZM (Zero Malnutrition) program to achieve clarity on the current structure and function/processes for identifying community needs, information flow, decision-making, resource flow, technical support, and accountability in the context of nutrition actions and issues for informing the policy. In the process stakeholder’s view, commitment, capacity, technical and operational concerns were assessed and discussed with the policy people.
 
Achievement:
 

National advocacy: MNI is being considered as a key player at the highest level advocacy.MNI’s inclusion in the 6 member international team for conducting external evaluation of the ZM bears testimony of the importance given by the MOH. 1,000 copies of a two-page brief on MNI's findings were distributed to national, departmental and municipal ZM actors, mayors of the municipals, international agencies (UN agencies, the World Bank-Bolivia office, other donors and NGOs). The Vice-Ministry of Decentralization also published the brief in their regular on-line newsletter. Summary of MNI’s work and reports in English and Spanish versions are available in, http://mainstreamingnutrition.org/bolivia.aspx  
 
Capacity building: The MNI assisted the Departmental stakeholders (CODAN) in developing a multisectoral ZM operational plan, which included liaison with the national funding opportunities. To further strengthen the Potosi department’s capacity for planning and monitoring, creation of a full time post for the coordinator at the Governor’s office is underway. The MNI effort was able to monitor ZM progress at the municipal level in Potosi’s 16 priority municipalities.