Lactawawitas: Promotion of Breastfeeding Practices Among Peruvians & Venezuelans

Breastfeeding is one of the most economical and effective health strategies to ensure that young children receive the necessary nutrients for optimal growth and development, prevent infant mortality, and reduce risk of disease. We know that when a newborn is breastfed within the first hour of birth, it protects them from infection, reduces mortality, and facilitates the emotional bond between mother and baby. Despite its importance, Peru has seen a decrease in the practice of breastfeeding in children under 6 months and a similar trend has been observed among Venezuelan migrants in Peru. According to SC’s 2021 Baseline, only 30% of Venezuelan children under 6 months were exclusively breastfed. Additionally, public health institutions often lack spaces that promote the practice of breastfeeding. To address this crucial need, SC’s BHA-funded Cash & Nutrition project collaborated with health institutions to implement breastfeeding corners or ‘Lactawawitas’.

The CLA approach was crucial for the successful implementation of Lactawawitas given the time constraints, limited technical capacity of the team, and onset of the third wave of COVID-19. The use of ‘Internal and External Collaboration’, ‘Adaptive Management’, and ‘M&E for Learning’ enabled our team to improve quality of programming and meet project goals. We collaborated with our SC Colombia MPCA + Nutrition team to learn from their experience implementing breastfeeding corners and collaborating with local partners to establish 25 facilities in 5 regions across Peru. These spaces promote the benefits of breastfeeding through awareness-raising activities, counseling, support groups, and providing a safe space for mothers and caregivers.