SCOPE
Partnering with communities to end maternal and child mortality
Every year almost 300,000 women die during pregnancy and childbirth and an estimated 5.2 million children under five die. Progress has been made, but most of these deaths could be prevented with known health interventions.
One thing is clear: high quality, accessible health services are essential for mothers, children and families to survive and thrive.
World Relief has a history of pioneering community-based approaches in maternal and child health through USAID’s Child Survival and Health Grants Program (1985-2017). For over 75 years, we’ve implemented strong maternal and child health and nutrition programming, bolstered by our deep and sustained relationships with faith and community organizations at the grassroots level.
The SCOPE Project
The Strengthening Community Health Outcomes through Positive Engagement (SCOPE) Project is a five-year (2019-2024) USAID-funded New Partnerships Initiative project implemented in partnership with Christian Connections for International Health (CCIH). SCOPE aims to reduce preventable maternal and child mortality and morbidity in Haiti, Kenya, Malawi and South Sudan by engaging community health workers, faith leaders and community groups to advance reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH).
SCOPE envisions a world in which people of reproductive age, pregnant women, and caregivers of children under five adopt healthy behaviors and seek necessary care, and that high-quality community health services are accessible for all mothers and children.
Engaging Trusted Community Voices
SCOPE trains community groups and key community leaders to strengthen their capacity to dialog with and engage on key RMNCH issues and interventions.
Community Health Workers
SCOPE trains community health workers in the delivery of community-based family planning, maternal and newborn care (including home-based postnatal care), and prevention of common childhood illnesses.
Faith Actors
Through a multi-layered community development approach, SCOPE works to build the capacity of faith leaders and faith communities to engage with critical issues, support care-seeking behaviors, and improve RMNCH behaviors and norms.
Community Groups
Engaging communities through Care Groups and Couples’ Groups, SCOPE is diffusing RMNCH social and behavior change communication messages in order to create an environment that supports the health of mothers and children.
Technical Areas
SCOPE focuses on three key areas that can drastically improve the chances of survival for women of reproductive age and children under five.
Family Planning and Reproductive Health
Family planning supports maternal and child survival by supporting the healthy timing and spacing of pregnancy (HTSP), and providing women and couples with quality care throughout a woman's reproductive life cycle. SCOPE trains community health workers to effectively provide community-based family planning information, services and referrals. We also engage faith leaders and community members to reinforce HTSP messages.
Maternal and Newborn Health
The global community has made progress to support the reduction of child mortality, but there is still work to do to ensure equitable access to preventative and curative child health services. SCOPE trains community health workers to provide timed and targeted messages on community-based maternal and neonatal care (including home-based postnatal care, care of small and sick babies, Kangaroo Mother Care) to recognize the danger signs of mother and child complications during antenatal and postpartum periods, and refer mothers and children to additional care when needed. Women of reproductive age and families of children under five are also engaged through Care Groups and Couples' Groups.
Prevention and Treatment of Childhood Illness
SCOPE seeks to improve caregivers’ capacity to seek early care for common childhood illnesses. The project supports community health workers to provide prompt and appropriate treatment at the community level, making life-saving services available to children in hard-to-reach areas.
With the engagement of community health workers, faith leaders and community groups we believe that a reduction in morbidity and mortality for over 1.75 million women and children in Haiti, Kenya, Malawi and South Sudan is possible.
Learn more about how we’re working to reduce maternal and child deaths
Read more about how SCOPE is reaching communities around the world.
4 Things We’ve Learned Working with Care Groups
Read how World Relief Care Groups are motivated by the idea of making health services as accessible as possible for women and children in some of the hardest-to-reach areas in Haiti, Kenya, Malawi, and South Sudan.
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