MOMENTUM

Dates: 2017-2020

Role: Prime Recipient

Donors: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

MOMENTUM builds on the demonstrated effectiveness of using nursing students for community-level service delivery in the province of Kinshasa. Nursing students from the D6, the directorate responsible for nursing education in the DRC, visit

OBJECTIVES

  • Improve care seeking for maternal and child health (MCH) and related household practices;
  • Increase postpartum contraceptive use; and
  • Influence gender norms among the male partners for first-time mothers (FTM) 15 to 24 years old.

first-time mothers aged 15-24 from six months of pregnancy, through the peri natal period and for 12 months after birth, counseling them in nutrition, healthy practices for the baby, postpartum contraceptive use, and related topics. Community education components reinforce the main messages to bring about more gender-equitable norms related to childbirth and care of the infant.

Tulane has implemented MOMENTUM in collaboration with multiple in-country partners: the National Program for Reproductive Health (PNSR), the National Program for Adolescent Health (PNSA), the Center for Communication Programs CCP/ Johns Hopkins, Action Santé et Développement (ASD), Conduite de la Fécondité D6, and D10 (responsible for reproductive health/family planning).

Multiple types of research have informed the design and implementation of the project: focus groups among FTM, their partners, and influencers (mothers and mothers-in-law); and human-center design for the development of educational materials.

A rigorous quasi-experimental design (consisting of baseline and endline surveys in intervention and comparison areas) is being used to evaluate

the impact of this model on pregnancy and neo-natal practices, post-partum contraceptive use and changes on the part of the male partner. Results will inform the plan for institutionalizing this type of training within the nursing school curriculum.

Reports on the MOMENTUM project can be found HERE.