This project supported progress toward SDG 3.2.1 by helping accelerate efforts to end preventable child deaths, particularly in Africa, where children face the world’s highest mortality risk. In response to persistent survival disparities, the initiative developed an advocacy toolkit designed for the child-survival community. The toolkit equips advocates with strategies, resources, and practical guidance to strengthen campaigns, leverage policy opportunities, and mobilize action across different audiences. The project aimed to enhance advocacy impact and drive the policy and program changes needed to reduce neonatal and under-five mortality by 2030 by providing clear, actionable tools.

The project strengthened how communities received, understood, and acted on critical health information during the pandemic. It focused on delivering accurate, accessible messaging about prevention, testing, and vaccination while countering misinformation and addressing community concerns. The project collaborated with local leaders, health workers, and civil society groups to facilitate two-way communication, enabling public health guidance to be adapted to local contexts and cultural norms. Training and capacity-building efforts equipped community volunteers and communicators to sustain outreach, ultimately improving trust, encouraging protective behaviors, and helping reduce the spread of COVID-19 across diverse South African communities.