The C.H.I.L.D. (Community and Home Initiatives for Longterm Development: Nutrition and Early Childhood Development) Project was initiated by the World Bank and the Ministry of Health to promote the health and development of children. A larger goal was to improve the quality of life of 2.4 million children in 25 districts in West and Central Africa. Within families and communities, the C.H.I.L.D. project was designed to:

• Create awareness of the needs and rights of their children;
• Build on their knowledge and skills and help them provide appropriate care, diet, stimulation, and protection for their child;
• Help to generate additional resources and manage their money efficiently in order to provide adequate childcare.

Main Communication Strategies
The project's communication strategy involved increasing knowledge, fostering positive attitudes, and promoting specific behaviours in the following areas:

1. Complementary feeding practices and food security
2. Hygiene and sanitation practices
3. Early Childhood development and positive parental interaction (PPI)

The project began with Formative Communication Research to identify the beliefs and perceptions of the target audiences, guide the communications strategy process, and develop 'client-oriented' messages.