Deadline: 14 March 2020
Communication Catalyst, began as a pilot Behavior Change Communication competition in Mumbai in 2016, by Glenmark Foundation and Idobro Impact Solutions during the round table on Malnutrition with the release of the White Paper on “Malnutrition on Urban Slums” at the RISE Summit 2016.
The aim of the initiative was to bring about a change in the complex issue of malnutrition in low-income households by using innovative strategies to communicate to relevant stakeholders. It was an endeavor to influence the behavior of society as a whole to make it inclined towards healthier practices in various social aspects, especially extending support to the underprivileged sections of society.
The concept was to bring the creativity and enthusiasm of students, to NGOs that have been working with communities on the ground, to change the situation of malnutrition.
Four seasons of Communication Catalyst have reached out to over 1200 students from colleges across India through specially curated design thinking workshops. The competition has seen participation from over 461 student teams from over 92 colleges from states. Where they created behavior change campaigns for NGO’s working in the space of malnutrition. The students were required to understand the existing campaign that the NGO were using. Ten campaigns were short listed each year and five of these further selected and mentored to make final presentations to the jury. With 40 campaigns shortlisted across the four years it is time now to use the best ones to create the required impact.
Strategics for Grants
- Technology: The strategy suggests the use of available technology to provide assistance with regards to nutritional intake and communication.
- Branding, Repackaging and Marketing: The strategy focuses on how consumption of nutritional supplements can be enhanced by improving on the packaging of the material to make it more appealing and buyer friendly as well as to make it in form which can be directly consuming instead of the need to prepare/cook it.
- Edutainment and Gamification: The strategy uses entertainment and games to educate community, it makes use of games, films, storytelling, street plays and other activities to sensitize the community with regards to nutritional value of food and healthy eating leading to a behaviour change.
- Influencers & Peer Educators: The strategy focused on using existing resources from the community which have a greater influence towards sensitizing the locals compared to utilizing external resources. It also looks at how locals can be projected as role models for the community to follow.
- Inter-Linkages of Issues: The strategy involves understanding inter-linkages of multiple social factors which may indirectly impact malnutrition such as open defecation, access to clean drinking water and so on. If these issues are dealt with it would inevitably also reduce malnutrition within the community.
Funding Information
NGO’s can now apply for a grant of three lakhs by using any of the five strategies in their programs specifically targeting health and malnutrition.
Eligibility Criteria
- Any NGO working for Mother & child Health in urban or rural setting which are small, medium or large can apply.
- The grant can be used to support an existing or a new program focusing on malnutrition.
- A maximum of two strategies from the list can be used for the program; one being the primary and the other secondary.
- NGO winners of previous years can apply provided they do not use the same strategy which they have used earlier.
For more information, visit https://glenmarkvolunteers.com/comcat