Objective:

Scaling Up Nutrition Learning and Evaluation (SUN LE), a USAID-funded Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) project, forms part of an integrated strategy to reduce childhood stunting – impaired growth and development of children due to poor nutrition, health, and care – in Zambia. Khulisa serves as the prime contractor for SUN LE in partnership with the Government of the Republic of Zambia and three institutional partners: Indaba Agricultural Policy Research Institute (IAPRI), ICF Macro, Inc. (ICF), and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). 

SUN LE directly supports the Zambian government’s Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN 2.0)/First 1000 Most Critical Days Program (MCDP) II with survey, research, evaluation, and dissemination services to facilitate learning, adaptive management, and improved accountability for achieving the goal of reducing childhood stunting.

Approach:

SUN LE supports the building of an evidence base SUN / MCDP program and policy decisions through conducting high-quality:

• Baseline, midline, and end-line population surveys of Zambian households,  
• Demand-driven focused studies on a number of relevant topics, and
• Biennial SUN 2.0 performance audits. 

Each of these use measurement methods and designs that comply with international standards.   

SUN LE also encourages a culture of learning and adaptive management among Zambian stakeholders by supporting them to use SUN LE generated data and information. Khulisa convenes national nutrition conferences and annual district-level dissemination and data use workshops, and produces communication products, such as policy briefs, summary reports, and journal articles.

Impact:

SUN LE household surveys, focused studies, and performance assessments have contributed to an expanded evidence-base for both national and subnational SUN/MCDP program planning.

Through close collaboration with and support for the National Food and Nutrition Commission (NFNC) – Zambia’s coordinating body for SUN/MCDP II – SUN LE has helped strengthen its capacity to use and disseminate nutrition data for improved program implementation at all levels.  

Key Staff:

Mr. Mathews Onyango, Chief of Party;

Ms. Patricia Sakala, Strategic Information Expert;

Mr. John Manda, Learning and Dissemination Advisor,

Ms. Edna Berhane, Quality Improvement Advisor,

Ms. Mary Pat Selvaggio, Project Director

Conducting Performance Audits for the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Program in Zambia – Khulisa