In addition to offering technical information, assistance, and training to global and national organizations, LINKAGES worked with local partners in specific countries to achieve any one or a combination of the following indicators:

• Increased timely initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth
• Increased exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life
• Decreased mixed feeding of infants, especially in communities affected by HIV
• Increased timely complementary feeding
• Increased LAM Rate in women with infants less than 6 months old

LINKAGES' comprehensive projects used a systematic community-based, behavior change approach that included:

• Formative research and strategy design
• Policy/advocacy work at the national, district and local levels
• Behavior change communication to develop and promote targeted behavioral messages through print, electronic, and traditional mass media, interpersonal communication (women's groups, counseling), and community events
• Technical and skills training, with an emphasis on inclusion of community workers
• Monitoring and evaluation of measurable objectives and impact indicators

Read more about the country program approach, tools and materials used, and the country project indicators achieved in the Experience LINKAGES series of 4-8 page publications:

• Behavior Change Communication
• Cost & Effectiveness
• Infant Feeding Assessments for PMTCT Programs
• Mainstreaming
• Program Approach
• Policy Dialogue
• Results
• Training Tools

• Bolivia
• Ethiopia
• Ghana
• India
• Jordan
• Madagascar
• Zambia
• Regional Activities
  • Eastern and Southern Africa
  • Africa Regional PMTCT and IYCF Program