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Review: Marvel's "Wandavision" premiers on Disney+
Eva Philips, Staff writer
*This review contains spoilers for "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame," though no major spoilers for "Wandavision" itself.*
The coronavirus pandemic may have put Marvel's plans for its cinematic releases on hold for a time, but fans were surely glad to hear that the Marvel Phase Four tele-vision shows would begin gracing their screens this spring. The first of these was the much-anticipated "Wandavision," ostensibly following the domestic lives of Wanda Maximoff and Vision, who became romantically involved following the events of 2015 "Avengers: Age of Ultron."
The catch? Within the canon of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Vision has been dead for five years. Naturally, the question on every Marvel fan's mind upon learning about the premise of "Wandavision" was, 'what's really going on with Wanda?'
That question is at the heart of the show, which breathes new life into the Marvel Universe by flipping the script on Marvel's traditional action-cinema style, because "Wandavision" opens not as an action flick, but as a 1950s-style sitcom. It's an interesting move, and one that works flawlessly. Every detail is perfect, from set design, to costumes, to the live studio audience present at film-ing.
The special effects rely more heavily on old-fashioned wires and levers than on modern CGI, at least in the early episodes of the show. And perhaps most importantly, the chemistry between Elizabeth Olsen, who plays Wanda, and Paul Bettany, who plays Vision, brings plenty of playful energy to the show.
Both actors are clearly having a great time, and their sense of fun is contagious. Ever watch "I Love Lucy", or "The Dick Van Dyke Show"? "Wandavision" channels the goofy yet authentic romance of those shows, providing viewers with nostalgia aplenty. It's easy to relax and enjoy the banter and antics onscreen — but soon the show takes on hints of "The Twilight Zone" as it becomes clear that something is rotten in the town of Westview, where Wanda and Vision have made their new home. Soon, the classic sitcom recipe begins to incorporate sci-fi and horror undertones, presenting a mystery for viewers to uncover as each episode raises questions and raises the stakes.
And, in typical Marvel fashion, there are plenty of clues to hint towards what's really going on, for sharp-eyed fans.
The 'commercial breaks' with-in the episodes contain some of the clearest Easter eggs, referencing past events within the Marvel Cinematic Universe — and hinting towards developments within the show itself. As the show progresses, more and more familiar faces show up, as well as some new additions to the universe.
But, the show is also able to stand alone as entertaining in its own right, even for viewers with little or no knowledge of past Marvel movies, and its unique sitcom style further establishes "Wandavision" as a fun and approachable installment of the Marvel Universe. It's also great to gain some character insight into both Wanda and Vision. These characters, although two of the most powerful members of the Avengers, had not taken center stage in any of the previous Marvel films. The massive casts of "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame" forced them, and many other characters, into a supporting role.
"Wandavision" puts these two at center stage; a nice change and one that will surely allow fans to connect more deeply with these characters. Hopefully, Marvel's upcoming Disney+ shows, such as "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," which is set to premiere on March 19, will also give new insight into familiar faces.
All episodes of "Wandavision" are available now on Disney+. The show released a total of nine episodes weekly on Fridays beginning on Jan. 15, 2021.
Eva Philips

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Victoria\'s Secret is facing backlash on Twitter after the lingerie giant revealed their new design, which apparently looks like rip off of Australian cult swimwear brand Triangl.
Victoria's Secret is facing backlash on Twitter after the lingerie giant revealed their new design, which apparently looks like rip off of Australian cult swimwear brand Triangl.
Users noticed similarities between the designs and wasted no time in pointing it out with the topic being there on the social media site for over the past few months, the Independent reported.
A Twitter use Lucci sarcastically wrote, "Probably not copying even though this triangl line came out last year where'd u get ur new design Victoria's Secret??," another user said brand badly wanted to be triangl.
Triangl, which was founded in 2012, has gained international recognition over the past few years and now boasts global retail points and a celebrity fanbase.
The designs flaunt bold sporty aesthetic, made from neoprene with contrast stitch detailing.
While Victoria's Secret's designs are priced at around the 40 pounds, Triangl's are a bit expensive at around 60 pounds.


In my previous post I have discussed about how to download YouTube videos on android using UC web browser but my previous post is limited only to android and UC web browser users. But in this article I will eliminate the limitations of my previous post. We will discuss how to download YouTube videos on any web browser of smart phone, laptop, tablet or any other devices. The scope is large as it covers all the electronic devices including all the web browsers to download YouTube videos.
The demand for YouTube is emerging daily including the users so there should be resources available for optimum utilization of YouTube like downloading instead of streaming every video and watching it again which will result in huge loss of Internet data.
You can download YouTube videos on any web browser including any mobile platform, tablet or PC by following the instructions.
1. The first is to open any web browser installed on your smart phone or PC.
2. Visit YouTube webpage and search your YouTube video which you wanted to download.
3. Now Open the YouTube video which you want to to download and pause it.
4. Go to URL of the YouTube video on top for example which looks like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKglzr24j4k if you are using Laptop/computer/PC and if using mobile version of youtube it looks like this https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nKglzr24j4k.
5. You have to type .ss (small letters) in the YouTube video URL which you wanted to download and click enter.
6. When you click enter you will be landed to a new web page which will allow you to download in multiple video formats like MP4,WebM,3GP,AUDIO MP4 etc.
7. Choose any format from the listed video formats to download the video and save it in your smart phone or PC.
There is another method which will allow you to download any YouTube videos. Just visit this URL and bookmark it in your web browser.
Now go to YouTube and select the YouTube video which you wanted to download. Open the video and get the URL of the video on top of the page.
Copy the entire URL of the YouTube video FOR EXAMPLE like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKglzr24j4k and paste the copied URL of the video in this website and click go which will allow you to download in any video format.
Sometimes when using this technique you might get an error stating the security certificate of the site is expired or un trusted which will allow you two options to choose. You have to choose Yes, continue to visit this site (not recommended) option and you will be able to download.
This method will help you to download in any YouTube video.
This method is applicable to all the web browsers including Google Chrome, Firefox, UC browsers etc.
this method is applicable to all smartphones, tablets and PC.
This method will allow you to choose only certain formats to download the YouTube video like MP4,WebM,3GP,AUDIO MP4 etc.
Do share your feedback through comments about this article and let us know how it helped you. Even share your opinions regarding this or any other similar techniques to download YouTube videos.


Marabu is our brilliant, restaurant-grade charcoal. Its high-density gives you a consistent, strong heat, with low smoke and a long burn time. Like our British single species, it's a pure, additive free charcoal with no added chemicals or paraffin. The pieces are about the same size as our British charcoal, so is suitable for all BBQs.
OUR CUBAN MARABU CHARCOAL IS SO POPULAR WE ARE KEEPING IT AVAILABLE!
You might wonder why a company that champions the importance of charcoal from British woodland is selling charcoal from Cuba!
This ethically-sourced high-density charcoal is made from Marabu – a single species invasive thorn tree.
It provides struggling Cuban farmers with an income source after Marabu spread rampantly over farmland, left fallow after the country's sugar trade collapsed following the fall of the USSR.
The subtle aroma works with everything and works really well partnered with our Little Logs if you want to add extra smokey flavours.
EACH BAG CONTAINS 7.5KG OF CUBAN MARABU CHARCOAL.
Impressed with the flavour that this charcoal brings to my food. Will order again.
A new charcoal to me, but I am very glad to have found it. Been a revelation at my restaurant, so many customers are ordering grilled dishes.


Facilities at ETHOS - ETHOS Corp.
We are located on the southern side of Metro Cebu City. Our school is at the corner of Eucalyptus Street and Cebu South Road in Basak San Nicholas.
Our school facility has two floors and contains five (5) classrooms, two (2) restrooms, a library and student lounge, and an infirmary. We have a registered nurse on staff at all times and a doctor on call 24 hours a day.
We are near two small shopping centers just one block away from the school. We have a McDonald's and a Jollibee on the next block and there are several other restaurants close by. There are a couple of laundry service shops less that a block from school. We are just 5 minutes away by vehicle from the very large SM Seaside mall that has everything you could ever want or need! The highway that runs in front of the school is the main road that runs through the city. Taxis, jeepneys, and busses can easily be taken to any place in the city that students might like to go.
We have TWO basic housing options to choose from. Each one has different arrangements for food and prices vary.
We also have several "homestay" rooms located in various teachers' homes nearby. These let students experience living with English 24/7, as if they are in the USA! Students can choose a private room or they can choose to have a room shared with several others. Breakfast on weekdays is included in the homestay packages, but lunch and dinner, and breakfast on weekends, are not.
If you would rather stay somewhere else, there are a number of options to choose from. However, none of them will be as close to the school, or as inexpensive as staying in our housing! Contact us for more details about outside stay facilities.
* Please note: Private Rooms are more expensive than Shared Rooms. Shared rooms can only be booked if there are 2 people in one room.


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October 23, 2018 by NCRC
Wells Fargo pledges $1.6 billion in lending and philanthropy to help revitalize Washington, D.C., neighborhoods
Wells Fargo triples its philanthropy in DC and launches a community advisory council to guide its giving there in a new initiative developed with NCRC.
in	Press Releases
May 8, 2018 May 10, 2018 by Jason Richardson
2017 HMDA Overview: Non-banks dominated home lending
Quicken Loans overtakes Wells Fargo as the largest loan originator.
in	Research / Views
April 19, 2018 April 23, 2018 by NCRC
New York Times: Punishing Wells Fargo: Just dessert, or beating a dead horse?
At this point it's hard to imagine what more Wells Fargo can do (or how much more it can spend) to make amends.
MPR News: How consumers can protect themselves from potential abuse by big banks
Wells Fargo could face a $1 billion fine from the CFPB, the largest in history, but is that enough? Join Stacy Cowley, Kerri Miller, and NCRC's John Taylor. Also discussed, Mick Mulvaney's CFPB, breaking up the big banks, and El Chapo's drug cartel.
in	In the news
February 8, 2018 February 15, 2018 by NCRC
Bloomberg: Wells Fargo CEO confronts board overhaul he once called 'crazy'
Wells Fargo & Co. Chief Executive Officer Tim Sloan said last year that a wholesale makeover of his board would be "crazy." Well, now it's happening.


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Nick's Blog » Blythe Intaglios
Rain, Snow, And Horse Soldiers Scratching Our Hitch Itch
Blythe Intaglios
With so many RVers going to the big campout in the desert at Quartzsite, Arizona, I thought I'd share a story from the January-February 2007 issue of the Gypsy Journal about an interesting day trip you can take from there.
A few miles north of Blythe, California, off U.S. Highway 95, we discovered a series of mysterious images of humans, animals, and geometric designs scraped into the earth's surface. Known as the Blythe Intaglios, the figures are believed to be between 450 and 2,000 years old.
The site consists of a group of three large human and animal forms made by scraping the top layer of desert cover away, exposing the lighter layer underneath. The largest figure is an image of a woman, over 170 feet long. There are also images of a snake and a four legged animal. Archaeologists are not sure how old the geoglyphs are, because dating techniques have not been developed to determine the age of such ancient artwork. Some archeologists believe this is a horse, in which case the intaglios would date to after 1540, when the Spanish brought horses to North America. Other scientists think it is a mountain lion, which could date the site to as much as 2,000 years ago.
The Mohave Indians who live along the nearby lower Colorado River believe the human figures represent Mastamho, the creator of all life. The animal figures represent Hatakulya, a cross between a mountain lion and human, who helped in the creation. Indians held sacred ceremonial dances in the area in ancient times to honor the creation.
Found only in a few places on Earth, giant figures and symbols such as these have been discovered in northern Mexico, Peru, and in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of California and Arizona. Hundreds of intaglios have been found so far. Many are located on private land. The locations of known intaglios on public lands often remain a secret to protect them from vandalism. There is no list available to the public that shows all of the known intaglio sites and their locations, but some estimates claim as many as 600 intaglios can be found in this region. The Blythe Intaglios are the best known and most accessible of this rare, prehistoric art form. A few other intaglios can be found in and around Quartzsite, Arizona, about 35 miles southeast of the Blythe site.
Over time, some intaglios have suffered destruction and vandalism by motorcycles and ATVs, and during World War II, military training exercises damaged or destroyed several other intaglio sites elsewhere in the region. Considered important cultural treasures, the intaglios recently joined other protected sites on the National Register of Historic Places. Today fences surround the Blythe Intaglios to protect them from further damage.
The Blythe Intaglios were discovered in 1931, when local airplane pilot George Palmer discovered the huge figures stretched across the desert floor on the terraces overlooking the Colorado River about fifteen miles north of Blythe. Here are two Google Earth images of the figures.
The figures include a 105.6 foot long human, oriented north-south, with its head pointing toward the south. Its arms are outstretched and its feet point outward. The torso combined with its arm span measures 91.8 feet wide. The figure has visible knees and elbows. Some believe this is a figure of the Creator. It is one of the least disturbed images of the group.
Another human figure is also oriented north-south, with its head pointing south. Its arms are outstretched and the feet point outward. This figure is believed to be of a male, since it was created with a visible phallus between its legs. The figure measures 102 feet from head to toe, and its arms span a distance of 64.9 feet. The left leg is pronouncedly flexed. The figure lacks defined knees, but does have clearly defined elbows. There are no visible fingers or toes. Original aerial photographs revealed a circular path that measured 131 feet in diameter, enclosing the upper half of the figure and crossing the middle of its legs. Today, all that remains of the circular path is the section enclosed by the protective fence.
The animal figure that represents either a horse or mountain lion is oriented northwest to southwest, with the head pointing toward the northwest. It measures 54.1 feet from head to tail, and the body is 7.5 feet wide. The legs measure 26.2 feet long, and at the end of each leg a small circle represents a paw or hoof. Below the animal figure is an elaborate spiral figure measuring 23 feet in length and 8.8 feet wide. One interpretation is that the figure represents a coiled snake. Native American stories from the region tell of Hatakulya, a mountain lion that transformed itself into a human to help the Creator.
No one can say for sure who created these mysterious images or how they did so from a ground-level viewpoint. Speculation for their purpose has ranged from this being an ancient ceremonial site to visitations from outer space. The tantalizing mystery of their origins remains unraveled, and the figures continue to cause speculation.
To create the huge figures, the ancient people scraped away the desert surface, called pavement, to expose the lighter earth below. They outlined the symbols by heaping rocks pulled away from the center around the outside edges, creating sunken designs.
Nearby, an ancient footpath from the desert's interior to the Pacific Coast indicates an active trade route. Rock cairns at the site arose as passing runners placed stones near the enormous figures.
The Blythe Intaglios are excellent examples of this ancient form of desert art. A sign on U.S. Highway 95 points to the turnoff from the main highway, and a short half mile drive up a gravel road leads to the fenced in intaglios. We drove up the road in a Ford sedan, so any vehicle should be capable of managing the trip. A couple of small parking areas mark the start of two short hiking trails to the intaglios. While the images are not wheelchair accessible, anybody in reasonable physical condition should be able to handle the brief walks to the fenced in images. Access to the third site is more difficult, requiring a half mile hike, part of it up a 10% grade. The paths are unimproved natural gravel.
The view from the ground is limited by the sheer size of the images, and they are best viewed from the air. Signs at the site include aerial views of the images.
No fees or permits are required to visit the Blythe Intaglios, and they are open to the public 24 hours per day, all year long. When you visit, please keep all vehicles on designated roadways and help preserve these cultural resources for future generations to appreciate.
Today is your last chance to enter our latest Free Drawing. This week's prize is an audiobook of Highland Passage by J.L Jarvis. It's a time travel historical romance that begins with the heroine blacking out following a car crash on an icy road, and waking up in a mysterious stone chamber being cared for by a kilted man who claims to be an eighteenth century Scottish highlander. To enter, all you have to do is click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn this evening.
Thought For The Day – Keep skunks and bankers at a distance.
Add comments Tagged with: Archaeologists, Arizona RV travels, audiobook of Highland Passage, Blythe California, Blythe Intaglios, camping in the desert at Quartzsite Arizona, Colorado River, desert mysteries, Google Earth, Gypsy Journal, National Register of Historic Places, Native American folklore, RVers


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Social value of a nutritional counselling and support program for breastfeeding in urban poor settings, Nairobi
Sophie Goudet ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8172-569X1,
Paula L. Griffiths1,
Caroline W. Wainaina2,
Teresia N. Macharia2,
Frederick M. Wekesah2,
Milka Wanjohi2,
Peter Muriuki2 &
Elizabeth Kimani-Murage2
In Kenya, poor maternal nutrition, suboptimal infant and young child feeding practices and high levels of malnutrition have been shown among the urban poor. An intervention aimed at promoting optimal maternal infant and young child nutrition (MIYCN) practices in urban poor settings in Nairobi, Kenya was implemented. The intervention involved home-based counselling of pregnant and breastfeeding women and mothers of young children by community health volunteers (CHVs) on optimal MIYCN practices. This study assesses the social impact of the intervention using a Social Return on Investment (SROI) approach.
Data collection was based on SROI methods and used a mixed methods approach (focus group discussions, key informant interviews, in-depth interviews, quantitative stakeholder surveys, and revealed preference approach for outcomes using value games).
The SROI analysis revealed that the MIYCN intervention was assessed to be highly effective and created social value, particularly for mothers and their children. Positive changes that participants experienced included mothers being more confident in child care and children and mothers being healthier. Overall, the intervention had a negative social impact on daycare centers and on health care providers, by putting too much pressure on them to provide care without providing extra support. The study calculated that, after accounting for discounting factors, the input ($USD 419,716) generated $USD 8 million of social value at the end of the project. The net present value created by the project was estimated at $USD 29.5 million. $USD 1 invested in the project was estimated to bring USD$ 71 (sensitivity analysis: USD$ 34–136) of social value for the stakeholders.
The MIYCN intervention showed an important social impact in which mothers and children benefited the most. The intervention resulted in better perceived health of mothers and children and increased confidence of mothers to provide care for their children, while it resulted in negative impacts for day care center owners and health care providers.
In Kenya, sub-optimal maternal, infant and young child nutrition practices are documented, with consequent high levels of child malnutrition. The levels of malnutrition have gone down, for stunting from 35% in 2008 to 26% in 2014 [1]. Likewise in poor urban areas, inappropriate maternal nutrition, suboptimal infant and young child feeding practices and high levels of undernutrition have been shown while exclusive breastfeeding for six months is almost non-existent [2, 3]. This means that most children are failing to meet their nutritional requirements for optimal growth during infancy, and the development and health based on the WHO recommendation to exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of a child's life. Complementary feeding practices are suboptimal, especially with regard to the nutrient density of the foods fed to children under two years of age [3] and hence, fail to meet the nutritional requirement of growing infants. Poor breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices are immediate causes of undernutrition. In this poor urban setting in Nairobi, stunting, a form of undernutrition, stands at between 47% and 50% [4, 5]. Stunting is a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality and is also associated with adverse outcomes including compromised cognitive development, scholarly achievement and future economic productivity.
Interventions promoting optimal breastfeeding can reduce morbidity and mortality in children [6]. The baby friendly community initiative (BFCI) is a multifaceted program for promotion of optimal breastfeeding and infant and young child nutrition, and other practices including maternal nutrition in the community. BFCI is a complementary program to the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative developed by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), with the aim of promoting breastfeeding in maternity facilities worldwide, and adopted in Kenya [7]. Given that many births (close to 40%) take place at home in Kenya [1], and also recognizing the need for continuum of care at the community even for those who deliver in hospital, the Ministry of Health has proposed the adoption of BFCI to bring breastfeeding counselling and support to the community as outlined in the country's 2012–2017 Nutrition Action Plan (https://scalingupnutrition.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Kenya-National-Nutrition-Action-Plan-2012-2017-final.pdf). The BFCI package (unpublished) adapted for implementation in Kenya involves an 8-step plan (the 8 steps are included in the Additional file 1: Table S1). BFCI relies on a network of community health volunteers (CHVs) to reach mothers in their homes. In Kenya, CHVs are part of the Community Health Strategy, a government initiative that aims at using CHVs to promote health in the community.
The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) with the support of the Ministry of Health in Kenya implemented a pilot project of the BFCI called Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) project to assess effectiveness of the community health volunteer element of the program to inform implementation of the BFCI in Kenya. The intervention aimed to improve breastfeeding and other infant feeding practices, and consequently nutritional and health outcomes of children in urban poor settings in Nairobi. The pilot study, employing a cluster-randomized study design, was conducted in two slums where 14 community units (defined by the Government's health care system) formed the unit of randomization (http://aphrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/FINAL-FILE-Design-draft-4-Social-return-on-investments-evaluation-report-31st-Mar-2016.pdf). A total of 1100 pregnant women and their respective babies were recruited and randomly allocated into the intervention and control groups and followed up. The community was mobilized and promotion on the proposed intervention was organized within the communities. CHVs were trained on standard care, maternal nutrition, breastfeeding and complementary feeding; deployed, supervised and incentivized. The mothers received regular, personalized, home-based counselling by trained CHVs on breastfeeding and complementary feeding and encouraged to comply for antenatal and postnatal (ANC/PNC) visits, birth planning, immunization, water and sanitation and hygiene (WASH) practices in relation to the child (the content of the counselling messages are in the Additional file 1: Table S2). At national to county level, policy and decision makers were engaged via stakeholder meetings. Regular assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practices on MIYCN was done, coupled with assessments of nutritional status of the mother-child pairs and diarrhea morbidity for their children. Children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) were referred to therapeutic feeding centers. Sick children were referred to health facilities in the community. These children had increased home visits by CHVs. As opposed to the intervention group, the control group was not counseled by CHVs trained on MIYCN but those trained on standard care only, with distribution of standard MIYCN leaflets. The RCT findings showed that the MIYCN potentially had an impact on exclusive breastfeeding and stunting. The rate of exclusive breastfeeding for six months increased from about 2% at baseline (before the intervention) to approximately 55% for both intervention and control group [8]. The prevalence of stunting for children aged 6–12 months reduced from about 33% at baseline to about 30% in the intervention group, but increased to 38% in the control group. The lack of significant difference in exclusive breastfeeding rates between the two groups was considered to be due to potential contamination between them [8]. It is possible that the CHVs in the control group may have obtained knowledge on MIYCN from the standard training given to them (as it also includes messages on exclusive breastfeeding) or from other sources e.g. other NGOs and from the CHVs in the intervention group with whom they were interacting with. More MIYCN knowledge may have been obtained from the information materials that were provided to the CHVs in both arms.
The analysis presented here using a Social Return on Investment (SROI) approach aimed to quantify the social value created by the MIYCN intervention. [9]. In this paper, stakeholders; i.e. people who have been impacted by the intervention, were central in assessing and valuing the impact of the intervention.
The methods used were based upon the SROI principles and steps as presented in the SROI guide [10] and in the practical guide for international cooperation [9]. The methodology used is described in the paper by Goudet et al. 2016 [10] and thus is not explained here. Data collection used a mixed methods approach (qualitatively using focus group discussions, key informant interviews, in-depth interviews, and quantitative stakeholder surveys, and revealed preference approach using value games [11]).
The stakeholders included individuals or organizations that were directly or indirectly impacted by the MIYCN intervention and as a result experienced a change that matters socially or economically. The research team elicited a potential stakeholder list. During the study's inception meeting held in June 2015 in Nairobi, representatives from the Ministry of Health (at the county and national levels), UNICEF, USAID, Non-Governmental Organizations, research organizations and academic institutions contributed to firming up the identification of stakeholders. An influence and importance matrix was used to identify and select stakeholders (Additional file 1). Mothers who participated in the intervention, their children, the fathers, the grandmothers, the community health volunteers, the health care centers, the data collectors and the day care centers were identified(the list of stakeholders are included in the Additional file 1: Table S4). Children were too young to be interviewed thus the researchers relied on mothers to report their outcomes. Some identified stakeholders (grandfathers, other relatives, neighbors and media) were excluded from the data collection by the research team as the material impact as a result of the activities was assessed to be minor by the research team during the 'identification of stakeholders' phase. Some stakeholders were included in the data collection (shop owners, traditional birth attendants) but excluded in the final analysis by the research team as the impact on them was not tangible based on their responses. For example one shopkeeper kept mentioning how she had been advised on the use of the aqua tabs (tablets for sterilizing water) and how his business had increased as a result of stocking the aqua tabs and people buying. The MIYCN project did not counsel mothers on sterilizing water using aqua tabs but general hygiene including washing hands, boiling water for drinking.
Qualitative component
The main objective of the qualitative work was to gain a general understanding of changes observed or experienced as a result of the intervention. The qualitative approach explored the impact of the intervention per stakeholder using data from eight focus group discussions (FGDs), 15 key informant interviews (KIIs) and 14 in-depth interviews (IDIs) involving 161 participants. Qualitative data collection was done through In-depth interviews (20) Key Informant Interviews (28) and Focus Group Discussions (19) with the potential stakeholders. A total of 162 participants, representing each stakeholder group were selected purposively from the study community to participate in the qualitative interviews. The selection process took into account their religion, ethnicity and village of residence to minimise bias. A pilot activity was conducted to pre-test the question guide and feedback from the pilot was used to review tools accordingly. The teams were trained on the qualitative tools during the 7 days trainings on the SROI approach, study objectives, quantitative data collection methods and the study's data collection tools. The questions used were the generic questions from the SROI guide [11] and included:
What has changed for you or your organization as a result of the MIYCN project activities?
Has all the change been positive? Were some of the changes negative?
Has anything changed that you were not expecting?
Would the changes you have mentioned happen if the project had not been there?
How much of a difference will each of these changes make to you or your organization?
Was anyone else involved in making these changes happen? If so, who were they and how much change would you say was due to them?
The question guides were translated into Swahili, the most commonly-used language in the study setting. The Swahili questionnaires were not back translated but the field workers were asked to confirm if the Swahili version was the right translation of the English version. The English and Swahili guides were then reviewed by the field workers during training to confirm on the right translations to ensure that no information was missed out during the translation.
Quantitative component.
Quantitative methods were used to assess the level of impact experienced or observed by the project participants and the frequency of participants reporting the changes in terms of nutrition, health and hygiene practices or other outcomes whether positive or negative as a result of the project. These included the perceived benefits and losses incurred as a result of the project and the estimated changes in expenditure resulting from the intervention. The questionnaires were designed by the research team under guidance from SROI experts. A pilot activity was conducted to pre-test the questionnaires, feedback from the pilot was used to review tools accordingly. Questionnaire data were collected using electronic data capture devices by a team of 10 field interviewers. The team were trained for 7 days on the SROI approach, study objectives, quantitative data collection methods and the study's data collection tools. During the data collection process, two field supervisors were involved in supervision of the data collection process and 100% data editing to ensure high quality data.
The quantitative stakeholder survey assessed the level of impact using a Likert scale, and explored costs, duration and comparison with if the project had not taken place. The questionnaires were developed by the researchers based on the generic questions from the SROI guide [11] and were pilot tested and adjusted. For example, during the pilot the mother questionnaire had a few questions like did you participate in the project, how was it for you to participate, this was changed to "do you know about the project mentioned, did you participate and how did you find your participation"?, this was decided on after realizing that there were mothers who did not seem to know about the project. We also added a question on "who the participant had received the MIYCN information from", this came as a result of mothers indicating that they had information and who they had received it from. This clarification was helpful in finding out if she actually participated in the project. The changes assessed included the perceived benefits and losses incurred as a result of the project and the estimated variation in expenditure resulting from the intervention. The generic questions and areas that were explored during consultation included:
Using the Likert scale of 5 levels, please show me the level of change?
How long do you think this change will last?
In what other ways might the change have come about?
What would have happened if you hadn't been able to benefit from the MIYCN activities?
The sample of mothers was randomly obtained based on 10% in each group (intervention and control). An additional group from another study which recruited women not involved in the MIYCN study) was included to allow for comparison, as a proper counterfactual. The other stakeholders were purposefully sampled from the community. Data were collected for 281 participants, selected to represent the different stakeholders (separate questionnaire for mothers, CHVs, grandmothers, day care centers, business community, health care providers and data collection team).
Other SROI components
Value games were used to place financial values on outcomes which did not have a market value (e.g. happier mothers). This provided a practical approach to valuing outcomes and involving stakeholders. It showed how stakeholders valued the outcomes they experienced relative to other products they also valued that have market place values (prices). Stakeholders were consulted through focus group interviews and key informant interviews. In total 16 Focus Group Discussions were conducted; 4 with mothers, 4 with fathers, 4 with grandmothers, 3 with CHWs and 1 with data collectors who were involved in the Main MIYCN study. The key informant interviews were with 3 health care providers and 3 day care center managers. The monetisation/valuation was done by carrying out a value game for each of the outcomes the participants experienced as a result of the intervention.
During value games, participants were asked to list items they also valued that have market values (prices) and to place the outcome of interest relative to these other items with market value. The average of the highest and lowest cost item was used to assess the market value of the outcome. For example, grandmothers placed the outcome 'less burden of care' between 'food for one year paid' and 'rent for one year paid' in terms of importance (for more information on value game, refer to [10]).
The inputs / costs that stakeholders contributed in order to make the activities possible were identified via the stakeholder questionnaire. In addition, the total intervention and research cost was estimated at using data generated by the APHRC financial system.
The SROI ratio was calculated by comparing the investments (inputs) and the financial, social and environmental returns (outcomes and impact of an intervention) based on assumptions (the assumptions are included in the Additional file 1: Table S5) as follows: SROI ratio = Total (adjusted) value of results / Total value of inputs OR SROI ratio = Total results x deadweight x attribution x inflation adjustment / Total value of inputs. Details of calculation can be found in the Additional file 1. Only final results and assumptions are presented here.
The results were reduced to recognize the influence of external influences (attribution, displacement, drop off and deadweight). Attribution was used to recognize that some of the changes were not due to the intervention only. The changes could have occurred due to other organizational influences and/or persons working together. We assessed displacement by exploring how much of the outcomes from MIYCN have displaced other outcomes that were likely to happen. Deadweight was explored in the questionnaire by asking participants to rate the likelihood of an outcome if the intervention had not taken place. Drop off was used to recognize that the effect of the outcome will decrease over time and outcomes are likely to be influenced by other factors. Finally, a discount rate was utilized to recognize that people generally prefer to receive money today rather than tomorrow which discounts the value of future benefits. Discounting was applied to the values that have duration of more than one year.
The qualitative data were analyzed through use of a thematic analysis method. A code book was developed from important areas (themes and sub themes) arising from the data and objectives of the project. The data was then coded using NVIVO qualitative software. The topics of the thematic analysis were guided and developed from the interview guides and also the recurrent and emerging information collected from the participants' data. The pathways were identified by linking outcomes to understand the change that occurred. For example, the theory of change outcome 1.10 Healthier mother was built by creating the following pathway: Counselling on health seeking by CHWs - > Knowledge on importance of health care- > increased confidence in seeking health care- > increased child checkups- > birth at health facility- > normal birth weight- > reduced complications- > mother and baby healthy.
Quantitative component
The quantitative data were analyzed by use of STATA software and descriptive results were generated for each question; the frequency of a reported outcome, the average duration of a reported outcome, the average value of a reported outcome, the quantity of changes that would have occurred anyway even if the project was not implemented. In cases where comparison before and after the intervention was required, variables based on the 5-point Likert scale were regrouped into three levels of change. These levels are 'no change', 'changed up the scale' and 'changed down the scale'. Changed up the scale is when an individual was at a lower level on the Likert scale at baseline but moved to a higher level after the intervention. The changed down the scale is the vice versa, while no change corresponds to an individual staying at the same level after the intervention as was at baseline. After deriving these three categories we computed frequencies for each category. Whether the change up or down a scale was a desirable or negative outcome depended on the particular question.
Other component of SROI
To estimate the cost of the intervention, assumptions were made to include 33% of the salaries of the research team based on time diaries because their time was spent partly on intervention delivery and partly on other activities such as rigorous research activities, research capacity building for the principal investigator as the original grant was for a training fellowship and academic paper writing. In addition to the APHRC costs, the mothers and grandmothers time spent during counselling sessions was estimated using what activity they could have done in the time they spent being counselled and how much income they could have made from the activity. The input value for health care providers also needed to be estimated based on the number of referrals and how much time each referral took. The time spent was then converted to how much money (salary for staff for that time/treatment). The salary costs for CHVs, and data collectors were already included in the total intervention cost.
An average of the higher and lower cost items was used to assess the market value of the outcome. For example, grandmothers placed the outcome 'reduced burden of care' between 'food paid for one year costed at Ksh 365,000 for a year ' and 'rent paid for one year costed at 90,000 for a year' in terms of importance. The value of reduced burden of care in terms of cost was then estimated at 365,000+ 90,000/2 = Ksh 227,500.
Ethical approval
Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) ethical review committee in June 2015. Written consent and permission to participate in the study and to record the qualitative interviews was sought from each study participant following full disclosure of the study objectives and procedures before every interview.
SROI measures the value of social benefits created by an organization, in relation to the relative cost of achieving those benefits, expressed in a SROI ratio [9,10,11]. The results section presents, the benefits expressed by stakeholders, the costs identified and the SROI ratio. The benefits were assessed by the combined results of the qualitative, quantitative and other component; the qualitative work identified the changes observed or experienced as a result of the intervention; the quantitative analysis assessed the level of impact experienced or observed by the project participants and the frequency of the change and the value games were used to place financial values on outcomes which did not have a market value.
Qualitative results
The outcomes identified were in total 34 and included 3 expected (e.g. healthier children), 20 positive but not expected (e.g. mothers received more support from fathers) and 11 negative ones (e.g. increased level of worry for mothers due to challenges in introducing complementary feeding after prolonged exclusive breastfeeding) (Table 1).
Table 1 Outcomes grouped per outputs and stakeholders with identification of the outcomes using value based on revealed preferences, generating the most and the less social value
This section focuses on the most important drivers in terms of social value to conceptualize a theory of change. Using the outcomes identified, pathways were explored to create a theory of change. The intervention contributed to the improved health of mothers and their children. Participants' narratives are demonstrative that mothers have very well understood the MICYN, ANC/PNC and WASH messages and have changed behaviors towards optimal practices.
Mothers felt that due to use of ANC and PNC services, they faced less complications at birth and did not have to experience caesarian section deliveries. This was in comparison with the births of their other children. They knew better what to eat during pregnancy and felt stronger from it. Harmful behaviors such as use of drugs were also stopped or reduced during pregnancy resulting in normal weight babies at birth. The knowledge gained in family planning helped mothers to avoid a pregnancy soon after birth and thus to breastfeed for longer which resulted in reported better growth and health of children. Participants also reported that they exclusively breastfed for six months and extended breastfeeding to two years as counselled by CHVs in line with policy guidelines, and for some this meant stopping work to do so as their working environment was not conducive to breastfeeding. For some of the mothers, breastfeeding contributed to more relaxed babies but some also felt that introduction of complementary feeding after six months exclusive breastfeeding was challenging and meant that children lost weight during the time of introduction. For previous children born before the intervention, they were started on foods early even before they were aged one month, so they got used to food early.
Having more relaxed children who can sleep well meant having more time to carry on household chores. This time available was associated with employment of optimal practices with regards to hygiene within the household. Mothers also reported improving hygiene practices related to a child's care. As a result, mothers recognized a decrease in diarrhea incidence and better weight gain of their child compared to their other children. Overall they felt more confident to seek appropriate health care for themselves and their children. They paid more attention to their children's nutrition and requested improved nutrition and hygiene practices when leaving their children at the day care center.
The intervention created a more peaceful and supportive environment for child growth. Mothers were less stressed around birth and breastfeeding times because of the personalized counselling and care received. Fathers recognized the benefit of counselling towards mothers and children's wellbeing. They were themselves happier and reported being more willing to contribute financially to the children's needs. As children were less often sick, fathers were able to miss less days at work and thus bring more income home. Overall the relationships at home benefited from a less 'stressed' atmosphere.
Siblings of the children in the study also gained from this situation and received more attention from their mothers with regards to their education. Mothers had more free time resulting from healthier and happier babies and were therefore able to attend school activities. The grandmothers who were involved in looking after children, were also more relaxed and happier as the burden of care was lighter due to mothers caring for their children and healthier children.
The MIYCN intervention led to change in spending and earnings for the household. Mothers who had to stop working to exclusively breastfeed lost their income for several months and were not guaranteed to find work again. Mothers and grandmothers reported savings on health care expenditure as the child was less sick, and on maternal milk substitutes as they breastfed more. But other mothers recognized that following the MIYCN messages meant more expenditure towards health care (due to increased referrals by CHVs) and nutritious food resulting from advice by the CHVs. Fathers were able to work more and hence earned more and even reported saving money to start businesses, as they saved time otherwise used on health care for the child.
The MIYCN intervention put pressure on day care centers and health care facilities. Day care centers had to meet the requirement of mothers for better hygiene and food without being able to increase fees. These increased expenditures were not compensated for by the increased income due to higher attendance of children (children were reported to miss less days due to illnesses). In the short run, health care centers faced increased referral of malnourished and sick children and of children for checkups from the community by CHVs, which posed a heavier workload on health staff.. Nevertheless, in the longer run, they expected a decrease in work load as children in the community were healthier.
The MIYCN intervention built confidence and skills for field staff but with increased stress. Field staff including data collectors and CHVs felt better skilled due to the training received and the working experience. These placed them in a better social situation within the community and meant that their chances for future employment increased. CHVs felt empowered especially in being the link between the community and the health care services. On the other hand, they faced a highly stressed situation in the communities being confronted by extreme poverty and vulnerabilities without the adequate support .
Costs / Inputs
The inputs were what stakeholders contributed in order to make the activities possible. The total intervention and research cost was estimated at USD$ 394,544 (Table 2).
Table 2 APHRC intervention and research costs for MIYCN intervention
In addition to the APHRC costs, the mothers and grandmothers time spent during counselling sessions was estimated to be up to USD$3087. The input value for health care providers estimated based on the number of referrals and how much time each referral took was USD$21,180. The total input was USD$419,716.
The SROI ratio was calculated using values placed by stakeholders on the outcomes identified by themselves. The outcomes that did not have market value (Table 1) were valued by the stakeholders themselves through value games.
The total social value created by the project was USD$ 8 million (this is the total for all stakeholders: mothers, children, siblings, fathers, grandmothers, health care providers, CHVs, data collection team, day care centers). The Total Present Value for the project for 5 years, at a discount rate of 6.5%, was USD$ 29.8 m. The Net Present Value was USD$ 21.7 m (the Total Present Value minus the total of all inputs) (Table 3). Thus, the SROI ratio was of USD$ 29.4 m / 0.4 m (Net Present Value / Input) = USD$ 71: USD$ 1. This means for every dollar of investment in the MIYCN project, USD$ 71 of social value was created.
Mothers, children and siblings were the stakeholder groups that benefited the most with mothers representing 67%, children 17% and siblings 16% of the impact (Fig. 1).
SROI ratio breakdown per stakeholder group
The other stakeholders, including grandmothers, fathers, health care centers, and day care centers benefited from 1% of the social value generated. All stakeholder groups had a positive impact except for health care provider and day care centers (Table 3).
Table 3 Summary findings of impact by stakeholder group in USD (discount rate: 6.5%)
The outcomes that generated the most social value to mothers and children were 'healthier mother' and 'less worried mother due to better health' (Table 1).
The most important negative outcomes (with the most value lost) were 'less healthy baby due to difficulty in introducing complementary feeding after exclusive breastfeeding' and 'Increased workload for health workers due to more referrals by CHVs and mothers seeking child checkups' (Table 1).
Sensitivity analysis was used to test the variables and assumptions used based on base and new scenarios. We checked changes for estimates of deadweight, attribution, displacement, drop-off and discount rate, the frequency of the outcome and the value of outcomes, where we used value games. The sensitivity analysis showed that the ratio (71) can fluctuate from 34 to 136 depending on new case values (Table 4). The SROI ratio is most sensitive to variation in value of outcomes that were based on value game exercises, deadweight and frequency used in key outcomes.
Table 4 Base and new case scenarios
This paper presents the social value of a community-based nutrition intervention aimed at counselling and supporting mothers for optimal infant and young children feeding practices. Results showed that the intervention created a theory of change in the community regarding children and mother's improved health and generated an important social value, mostly towards mothers and children, who were the primary beneficiaries.
A comparison of the SROI ratio with other interventions in health and nutrition shows that this MIYCN intervention had the largest ratio [12]. In Banke-Thomas et al. (2015) [12] systematic review on SROI, 12 studies were identified in health promotion [13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24], four in child health [25,26,27,28] and three in nutrition [15, 29, 30]. The reported SROI ratios varied from 1.1:1 to 65:1. There were two studies from Kenya that used SROI, one on reproductive health and one on water interventions [31, 32] with lower SROI ratios of respectively, 1:25 and 1:8. The fact that the SROI ratio calculated in our study was the highest may be due to the lack of comparison basis as SROI is still a relatively new method. It is also possible that SROI was used in other nutrition promotion interventions but that the findings were not published in peer reviewed journals as so far most the studies using SROI arein grey literature.
The findings here add evidence to previous results on effectiveness and impact of preventive nutrition programs on children's nutritional status in LMICs as presented in the Lancet series on Maternal and Child Undernutrition [6]. The series showed that there was extremely limited evidence of breastfeeding promotion impacting on children's nutritional status; the limited number of studies that assessed nutritional status did not show an impact on weight nor length of infants [6]. The findings here were able to confirm the potential effectiveness of MIYCN reported in Kimani-Murage et al. (2016) [8] on optimal infant feeding practices and improved child health. Furthermore, this study has added to previous findings by creating a theory of change that explains how the intervention activities led to these positive outcomes but also to negative ones. An important finding was that the intervention created a favorable environment towards child's health where improved MICYN, WASH and family planning practices were employed and where mothers, fathers and grandmothers were less stressed about the child's health. This is an environment where a couple agrees for the mother to stop working in order to exclusively breastfeed their baby as her working environment was not conducive to do so; or where fathers were willing to provide additional financial support towards child's growth. This supportive environment leading to confident, less worried and less stressed mothers is recognized to be extremely important to successfully breastfeed children [33]. The intervention also reduced the burden of care for the grandmothers, who were often the caregivers of children born to young mothers. Previous research found that child care by young mothers was compromised due to limited knowledge and competence of the young mothers on child care, leading to dependence on their own mothers and mothers-in-law (grandmothers of the children), and also lack of commitment [34]. Lower burden of child care on the grandmothers freed their time for labor force participation. Interventions that aim to counsel on breastfeeding exist [6] but the MIYCN study was slightly different in the design; the timing was different as counselling started when women were pregnant and the topics of counselling were not focused only on MIYCN but included ANC/PNC, WASH and family planning. Findings showed that these differences were important and contributed to positive outcomes for maternal and child health and wellbeing. The children were shown by this method to have less SROI than mothers despite the intervention being targeted at them. It could be hypothesized that because they were too young to be given their own voice in this type of evaluation (mothers had to report on both their own and their children's benefits). Other SROI assessments did include children as stakeholders (4 studies in child health) but the children were older [26,27,28] and were able to be interviewed or the study was evaluative and did not interview children [25]. Nevertheless, it is interesting to note that in Biswas et al.' study (2010) [26], parents/caregivers benefited significantly more than the children in terms of value created. Whilst this appeared to be an unexpected result as in the MIYCN program children were the primary beneficiaries, it was due to the high financial value generated by tangible improvements in livelihood status through income-generating or increased wage earning opportunity for their parents. The authors noted that the benefits of improved parent/caregiver income would positively impact children. Similarly, here, it is expected that the social value gained by parents will benefit the children as identified already in the theory of change; more confident mothers can use optimal IYCF practices. Additionally, benefits to child health and development are long-term, and may not have been fully captured in our assessment.
The social value generated by the intervention brings new evidence on the potential impact of the proposed BFCI in Kenya. This is key information as the existing evidence so far is extremely limited on effectiveness of such a program [8]. In addition, this is the first study exploring impact from the stakeholder point of view from their personal experience, which resulted in their own evaluation of the intervention. This is useful in scaling up the intervention with regard to the proposed national BFCI program in Kenya as policy engagement has already been established through the pilot design and the involvement of the national MIYCN steering committee formed by representatives of Ministry of health (Unit of Nutrition & Dietetics), UNICEF and relevant NGOs. While the intervention led mostly to positive outcomes, negative outcomes were also identified. The fact that negative outcomes were identified and presented is demonstrative of the approach taken of not limiting the assessment to 'positive outcomes' only. This is new knowledge as the Lancet systematic review of current evidence on maternal and child undernutrition did not include a review of the negative outcomes [6]. We suggest here some programmatic recommendations to minimize these negative outcomes in future BFCI programs in Kenya (Table 5).
Table 5 Programmatic recommendations to minimize negative outcomes in future BFCI programs
The knowledge shared here from applying SROI to a nutrition intervention with scientific rigor and research expertise could be useful material for future use throughout the nutrition sector, and can provide practical reference materials to other SROI practitioners implementing such studies in developing country contexts.
The recommendations for future programming or scale up were for National and County Governments to roll out the BFCI program as a health promotion tool, and to support the community health strategy through funding CHVs as an essential component of the BFCI program. BFCI has positive impacts on mother and child health as well as the health and wellbeing of other family and community members including fathers and grandmothers. Incentives for community health volunteers to motivate them should be provided combined with adequately training them on handling psychosocial issues. The health facilities in the community should be reinforced to face the change in workload and increased referrals. Day care centers are places where children's nutrition and growth could be put at risk. Subsidies or contribution towards 'child friendly' day care centers that promote child health would likely result in positive changes for children. The community should be empowered economically through social protection measures and empowerment programs such as job creation and support of mothers who wish to successfully combine work with breastfeeding as some mothers had to stop working to breastfeed. Men (fathers) should be included in BFCI interventions as they contribute to its success and positive outcomes by supporting their wives and children financially and beyond. Finally, for researchers, NGOs, and donors the SROI approach should be more widely used in evaluation of interventions in order to identify negative outcomes and value social outcomes.
The limitations were related to the complexity of assessing future health benefits of a current intervention and the challenges in valuing non-market valued outcomes. We decided therefore not to value future health benefits and to limit the duration of impact to not more than 5 years. We feel that this may underestimate the social value of the intervention but without data on how to evaluate these, we preferred not to include them. We used willingness to pay via value games to monetize outcomes without market value such as confidence, burden of care, worry, happiness etc. While value games exercises were done to minimize subjectivity and to reach a consensus per stakeholder group, sensitivity analysis showed that the SROI ratio was mostly sensitive to these. Although in Banke-Thomas (2015) [11], there is an agreement that primary beneficiaries are best placed to identify and value the outcomes themselves, it was suggested in order to make the process more robust, that the financial proxies described by beneficiaries should be tested through further research for appropriateness and relevance. A proxy verification process could be integrated into monitoring and evaluation procedures to ensure that financial proxies reflect current trends and perceptions of beneficiaries.
The MIYCN intervention showed an important social value with mothers and children benefiting the most. Mothers and children reported better health, as well as increased confidence of mothers. Overall, the intervention had a negative social value on day care centers and health care providers putting too much pressure on them without providing extra support. These findings can inform the design of future programming by maximizing the social value the intervention created towards improving health of mothers and children, and by targeting resources to manage negative outcomes towards day care centers and health care providers. The policy recommendations from this work are to roll out the BFCI program as a priority health promotion tool, as it is likely to have huge health and social benefits, and to support the community health strategy through funding CHVs as an important component of the BFCI program. When implementing the BFCI, it is important to recognize that there is a need to ensure that adequate support for health service and day care provision is available for the initiative to have a greater chance of success in creating social outcomes.
APHRC:
African Population and Health Research Center
BFCI:
Baby Friendly Community Initiative;
BFHI:
Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative;
CHV:
Community Health Volunteer;
IYCF:
Infant and young child feeding;
MIYCN:
Maternal, infant and young child nutrition
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We thank the APHRC Research Staff, particularly Dr. Alex Ezeh and Dr. Catherine Kyobutungi, for their technical support in the design of the MIYCN Project. We are also grateful collaborators in the MIYCN Project, particularly Prof Nyovani Madise of the University of Southampton, Prof Shane Norris of the University of the Witwatersrand and Prof Rachel Musoke of the University of Nairobi, for technical support in the design and implementation of the study. The authors are also highly indebted to the data collection and management team and the study participants. We acknowledge assistance of Daniel Maina in data programming and Amos Thairu in data analysis. We are also grateful to the Unit of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Unit of Community Health Services of the Ministry of Health, Kenya, for their guidance in the design of the MIYCN intervention and their support during the implementation of the project. We would also like to thank UNICEF, Concern World Wide, Makadara and Embakasi sub-County Health Management Teams, the National Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition Steering Committee, the Urban Nutrition Working Group, and the Nutrition Information Working Group, among other agencies/NGOs/groups for their contribution to the design and/or implementation of the program.
This work was supported by UKAID from the Department for International Development (DFID) through the Transform Nutrition Research Consortium (PO5243, Aries Code 201448) led by the International Food Policy Research Institute (Grant # 2105X212.APH). The original MIYCN study was funded by the Wellcome Trust, Grant # 097146/Z/11/Z. PG was supported by a British Academy mid-career fellowship (Ref: MD120048). SG is beneficiary of an AXA Research Fund postdoctoral grant.
The data that support the findings of this study are available from APHRC (APHRC Microdata Portal), in line with APHRC's data sharing guidelines (http://aphrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/GUIDELINES-ON-DATA-ACCESS-AND-SHARING.pdf).
SG, EK, PLG, FW, CW, TM, MW and PM were involved in the conception, design and collection of data. SG led the analysis and interpretation of the data. SG, EK, CW, TM, and PLG contributed to the analysis and interpretation. All named authors contributed to the drafting of the paper and all critically reviewed its content and have approved the final version submitted for publication.
The authors declare that they have no competing interests
Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) ethical review committee in June 2015. Written consent and permission to record the qualitative interviews was sought from each study participant following full disclosure of the study objectives and procedures before every interview.
Loughborough University School of Sport Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough, UK
Sophie Goudet & Paula L. Griffiths
African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya
Caroline W. Wainaina, Teresia N. Macharia, Frederick M. Wekesah, Milka Wanjohi, Peter Muriuki & Elizabeth Kimani-Murage
Sophie Goudet
Paula L. Griffiths
Caroline W. Wainaina
Teresia N. Macharia
Frederick M. Wekesah
Milka Wanjohi
Peter Muriuki
Elizabeth Kimani-Murage
Correspondence to Sophie Goudet.
Table S1.Steps in the proposed Baby Friendly Community Initiative (BFCI) program in Kenya, Step Description, Table S2. Content of counselling messages, Table S4.List of stakeholders, Table S5. Assumptions for base case scenario variables. (DOCX 18 kb)
Goudet, S., Griffiths, P.L., Wainaina, C.W. et al. Social value of a nutritional counselling and support program for breastfeeding in urban poor settings, Nairobi. BMC Public Health 18, 424 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5334-8
Exclusive breastfeeding
Community health volunteers
Health policies, systems and management in low and middle-income countries


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These succulents steak burgers are made with five simple ingredients. Devonshire ruby red mince steak, one onion finely chopped, ground cracked black pepper, crushed sea salt, and finely chopped parsley. They are all gluten free, to keep them simple and delicious. Also not forgetting the finest Minty Lamb burger with fresh garden mint leaves, and the tender pork burger.
traditional steak burger minty lamb burger steak and chilli burger
steak and chorizo burger pork and chorizo burger
Steak Burger history:
Hamburgers in the UK and Ireland are very similar to their US cousins, and the High Street is dominated by the same big two chains as in the U.S. — McDonald's and Burger King. The menus offered to both countries are virtually identical, although portion sizes tend to be smaller in the UK. In Ireland the food outlet Supermacs is widespread throughout the country serving burgers as part of its menu. In Ireland, Abrakebabra (started out selling kebabs) and Eddie Rocket's are also major chains.
An original and indigenous rival to the big two U.S. giants was the quintessentially British fast-food chain Wimpy, originally known as Wimpy Bar (opened 1954 at the Lyon's Corner House in Coventry Street London), which served its hamburgers on a plate with British-style chips, accompanied by cutlery and delivered to the customer's table. In the late 1970s, to compete with McDonald's, Wimpy began to open American-style counter-service restaurants and the brand disappeared from many UK high streets when those restaurants were re-branded as Burger Kings between 1989–90 by the then-owner of both brands, Grand Metropolitan. A management buyout in 1990 split the brands again and now Wimpy table-service restaurants can still be found in many town centers whilst new counter-service Wimpys are now often found at motorway service stations.
Hamburgers are also available from mobile kiosks, particularly at outdoor events such as football matches. Burgers from this type of outlet are usually served without any form of salad — only fried onions and a choice of tomato ketchup, mustard or brown sauce.
Chip shops, particularly in the West Midlands, North-East, Scotland and Ireland, serve battered hamburgers called batter burgers. This is where the burger patty, by itself, is deep-fat-fried in batter and is usually served with chips.
Hamburgers and veggie burgers served with chips and salad, are standard pub grub menu items. Many pubs specialize in "gourmet" burgers. These are usually high quality minced steak patties, topped with items such as blue cheese, brie, avocado et cetera. Some British pubs serve burger patties made from more exotic meats including venison burgers (sometimes nicknamed Bambi Burgers), bison burgers, ostrich burgers and in some Australian themed pubs even kangaroo burgers can be purchased. These burgers are served in a similar way to the traditional hamburger but are sometimes served with a different sauce including redcurrant sauce, mint sauce and plum sauce.
In the early 21st century "premium" hamburger chain and independent restaurants have arisen, selling burgers produced from meat stated to be of high quality and often organic, usually served to eat on the premises rather than to take away.Chains include Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Ultimate Burger, Hamburger Union and Byron Hamburgers in London. Independent restaurants such as Meatmarket and Dirty Burger developed a style of rich, juicy burger in 2012 which is known as a dirty burger or third-wave burger.
In recent years Rustlers has sold pre-cooked hamburgers re-heat able in a microwave oven in the United Kingdom.
In the UK, as in North America and Japan, the term "burger" can refer simply to the patty, be it beef, some other kind of meat, or vegetarian.


Zonopact Innovation Lab offers companies and corporations to find smarter solutions, support innovations, and overcome challenges by employing a team of the most brilliant and bright minds from across the globe. We have simplified the whole process through our unique approach.
You can also choose to support and sponsor an experiment already underway at our Innovation Lab.
As a corporate member and sponsor of a successful project, you will own 100% IP rights to the innovation. While your company will be associated with a huge advancement, you will be able to monetize on the innovation by the team you supported.
There are many benefits of achieving it through Zonopact innovation Lab.


REGARDED AS the greatest graphic novel of all time, Alan Moore's Watchmen will finally reach the big screen this Friday.
Watchmen, directed by Zack Snyder, is set in an alternate 1985 America in which costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society, and the Doomsday Clock is permanently set at five minutes to midnight.
To celebrate this release, the Eye Cinema in Wellpark and Sub-City comics in the Eyre Square Centre will be giving out Watchmen comics and Watchmen badges to movie-goers on the opening night at selected shows.
For further information and to book seats go to www.eyecinema.ie or call 091 - 780078.


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The Ronnie Barker Yearbook
BBC One sketch show. 1 episode in 1971.
The Ronnie Barker Yearbook Menu
Comedy special aired as a prelude to The Two Ronnies, starring Ronnie Barker with Ronnie Corbett a special guest
Sorry, we don't yet have a full guide to this comedy.
Sketch Show
Saturday 20th March 1971 on BBC One at 8:20pm
"Yeah but no but yeah but no but..." - Vicky Pollard


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The 2011 Categoría Primera A season (officially known at the 2011 Liga Postobón season for sponsorship reasons) is the 64th season of Colombia's top-flight football league.

Format
The format for both the Apertura and Finalización will have an identical format. Each championship will be divided into four stages. The First Stage will be contested on a home-and-away basis, with each team playing the other teams once and playing a regional rival once more. The top 8 teams after 18 rounds will advance to the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals, the teams will be matched-up with another team into four different ties. The ties will be contested over two legs on a home-and-away basis. The winner of each tie will advance to the semifinals. The semifinals and the finals will have the same format as the quarterfinals. The winner of the finals will be declared the champion.

Teams

Torneo Apertura
The Liga Postobon I began on February 5 and ended on June 15.

First stage
The First Stage began on February 5 and ended on May 21.

Standings

Results

Knockout round bracket

Quarterfinals
The Quarterfinals began on May 25 and ended on May 31.

Quarterfinal A

Quarterfinal B

Quarterfinal C

Quarterfinal D

Semifinals
The Semifinals began on June 4 and ended on June 8.

Semifinal A

Semifinal B

Finals
The Finals began on June 12 and ended on June 18.

Top goalscorers
Source:

Torneo Finalización
The Liga Postobon II began on August 27 and is scheduled to end on December 21.

First stage
The First Stage began on August 27 and ended on November 27.

Standings

Results

Quarterfinals
The Quarterfinals began on December 3 and ended on December 8.

Quarterfinal A

Quarterfinal B

Quarterfinal C

Quarterfinal D

Semifinals
The Semifinals began on December 11 and ended on December 15.

Semifinal A

Note: This match was originally scheduled for December 14, but was postponed due to heavy rain.

Semifinal B

Finals

Top goalscorers
Source:

Aggregate table

Relegation
Rules for classification: 1st average; 2nd goal difference; 3rd number of goals scored; 4th away goals scored.

Relegation/promotion playoff
As the second worst team in the relegation table, América played a two-legged tie against Patriotas, the 2011 Categoría Primera B runner-up. As the Primera A team, América played the second leg at home. The winner was determined by points, followed by goal difference, then a penalty shootout. Patriotas won the series in a penalty shootout to relegate América to the Primera B.

References

External links

 Official regulations

2011
Col
1

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Yuh-Line Niou
Yuh-Line Niou is a lifelong Democrat and a powerful progressive leader for low-income, immigrant, and working families. Yuh-Line immigrated...
Jill Tokuda
Jill N. Tokuda served in the Hawaiʻi State Senate for 12 years, from 2006-2018, representing Kāneʻohe and Kailua on...
A disabled veteran and mother of two young children, Tammy Duckworth has long championed justice and equity issues for...
Marilyn Strickland
The Asian American Action Fund (AAAFund) proudly endorses Marilyn Strickland in her 2020 bid to represent Washington's Tenth Congressional...
Representative Grace Meng
The Asian American Action Fund proudly supports Representative Grace Meng for re-election. Grace Meng represents New York's 6th Congressional District located...
Representative Susie Lee
The Asian American Action Fund proudly endorses Susie Lee for Congress representing Nevada's 3rd district. Susie Lee was born...
Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi
The Asian American Action Fund proudly endorses Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi for his re-election campaign. Rep. Krishnamoorthi is running for...
Rep. Andy Kim
"We're ecstatic to be endorsing Rep. Andy Kim and support his re-election for New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District. Rep....


Over two million Americans who take every day, not to mention the four million who have been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. With chronic fatigue often is a lack of focus, feelings of being overwhelmed, flu-like symptoms, pain, memory loss, chronic pain and pain, unrestful sleep short mood and even depression.
While many accept their fatigue as part and parcel of their daily lives, there need not be a standard way of life. Yes, we are more over-worked and stressed out than ever before, but the following 8 lifestyle changes can make all the difference.
Some clever work drone may have once said: "I'll catch up on all the sleep the first year that I'm dead." But most of us vote on Saturday. Bad move, we each have a biological clock that determines when we are sleepy and when we are awake. When you wake up every morning at seven o'clock, and sleep till noon on weekends, you upset the biological clock and end up feeling more tired.
If needed partly to do with the body's release of cortisol, a hormone associated with alertness, starting seven – time risers between three and four in the morning and peaks at about eleven. When you lie in bed past this time, how you suppress cortisol. It can copy your brain in a weekend Twilight Zone. Catch up on weekends by going to bed early, do not sleep late. To keep the biological clock happy, it is best to wake up every morning at the same time.
One of the main reasons people feel overworked, stressed and unhappy is because they prioritize their time. They often feel a greater commitment to their job and their family, themselves or friends. And this is draining physically, mentally, emotionally, and can lead to an unpleasant home life. The key to maintain peace and prevent burnout is to set time each day for work, family, social occasions and for their own quiet time. All these areas need to be met to maintain all life is full of love, happiness and energy.
When you feel thirsty, you are already beginning to lose a significant amount of liquid, according to sports nutritionist Kristine Clare. As the liquid level reduction, you will begin to notice a decrease physical performance. It makes sense. Lack of water can cause a reduction in the amount of blood that can cause fatigue. Drink eight to ten glasses of water a day, or more if you exercise a lot.
pressure. The deadline can leave you wiped out before noon. Fear makes you tense muscles, which leads to fatigue, just as if you were out chopping wood. Fear can also make you hold your breath, depriving you of oxygen. This, too, can lead to fatigue.
Next time you're in the hot seat, close your eyes and imagine yourself in a quiet environment. Collect a deep breath and relax. Whenever possible, you schedule some discomforting event in the morning so you do not spend the day worrying about it.
If you are having a hard time focusing, you're likely to turn your body into an awkward position, leaning forward in a computer screen or hunching over the table. Vision problems also hamper concentration, which can cause fatigue. Have your vision checked, and take a five – minute break from your computer or paper work every time. Use the time to do other tasks, such as making phone calls.
Surrounding yourself with nothing but sad colors can both tired and depressed. Add warm colors to your environment as yellow, orange and especially red. These are the colors of fire. After eons of course, we are programmed to respond to them. If you want a quick cure fatigue, focus on something red. A few things set nearby should do the trick. But do not overdo it. Environment can be too stimulating, ant it, too, can be exhausting.


ever since i stated i am going to keep it real and have fun and not worry about if people like or approve of what i'm creating, my brain has been exploding with ideas of products i want to create, classes i want to teach, projects i want to work on, books i want to write, newsletters i want to send.
you can see evidence of this internal brain explosion by the pages and pages (and pages!) of sketches, doodles and scribbles covering at least half the surfaces in my home right now. it's a direct, if incomplete, representation of the chaos in my head.
truthfully, i have been feeling overwhelmed a bit by it all. not knowing which project to focus on first. wanting to make them ALL. facing the fear of putting out products that some people might not understand. or appreciate.
i was sitting in my car waiting for my kids when i opened an email that helped me out. it mentioned creating a business manifesto or mission statement to help guide decision making. the thought being that if you use it as a guiding light, you'll make the right decisions.
i had just done a personal manifesto recently, and i just ordered new business cards on which i wrote some deep-seated beliefs (hint: a synthesizer is one of them), so it seems like the idea of writing a business manifesto should have come into my brain on its own. but being that my brain has been packed with ideas on what to create, apparently it has had no room to figure out a manifesto.
so i took out my sketchpad and a pen and spent under three minutes writing down the very most important things to me and my business. turns out they were right there on the top of my head just waiting to be spilled out onto paper. after the excision, i reread my list and i knew it was perfect for me. and my business.
i didn't edit it or clean it up. this is the raw, real version. fittingly.
have you seen business mission statements i should check out? does your business have one you want to share?


Thanks to all the qualifiers, fans, and curious listeners who came to our EPIC 48 finale event at Fitz's Spare Keys in Elmhurst… and huge congrats to our winner, Jessica Bailye, who's going to have two days of life-changing experiences. Don't believe us? Check out this not-even-complete list of what she won.
Epic 48 - And The Winner Is!


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Three Cups: Wednesday notes
By Michael Fornabaio on June 7, 2018 at 12:29 AM
The Kelly Cup Final will need seven games: Colorado beat Florida, setting up a deciding game Saturday. Had the Stanley Cup Final set up with a potential Game 6 on Saturday instead of Sunday — I mean, when is Hockey Night in Canada, anyway? — we conceivably could've had the NHL, AHL and ECHL all award their trophies on the same day. Ah well.
More coaching: Milwaukee needs to replace Dean Evason. A couple of Bridgeport's coaches were on the golf course today.
Parker Milner re-signed with Hershey.
P.J. Conlon, claimed back and forth on waivers from the Mets to the Dodgers and back, tweeted this brilliance on Wednesday.
And RIP, Red Schoendienst and John Ashbridge.
TEAM Old New
SA-a Eric Veilleux (4/17) Drew Bannister (6/5)
LAV Sylvain Lefebvre (4/17) Joel Bouchard (5/17)
HER Troy Mann (4/25) —
BAK Gerry Fleming (4/27) Jay Woodcroft (4/27)
BEL Kurt Kleinendorst (5/1) —
TUC Mike Van Ryn (5/30, STL ass't) —
GR Todd Nelson (5/31, DAL ass't) Ben Simon (6/5)
STK Ryan Huska (5/31, CAL ass't) Cail MacLean (6/4)
MIL Dean Evason (6/6, MIN ass't) —
COL-a New franchise —
a-St. Louis takes over San Antonio, while the Colorado Eagles join the league.


Niederhoffer's day job is being a very successful producer of award winning films. Her night job is just as successful: writing books and articles which are published. It is therefore no surprise that her latest novel, Poison, is mesmerizing, well written and capable of grabbing the reader and not letting go until the end.
The book is more than a good novel but also geared to deliver an important message. That has been done for centuries in which fiction is used to point out a fault or faults in society and bringing them home to the reader. Witness the impact that Gulliver's Travels had in illustrating the problems inherent in England at the time of it's writing.
Cassandra (Cass) and Ryan Connor were married several years before the book begins. Both are successful individuals; Cass a professor at the university level and Ryan a well established architect. Cass had been married previously and had two children when her husband suddenly passed away. Although she thought that she would never marry again, Ryan came into her life and a whirlwind courtship ensued. The couple moved from New York to Seattle in order to get a fresh start and with a baby arriving, cemented what looked like a fairy tale relationship.
Unfortunately small problems that became bigger began to erupt and the result was Cass actually began fearing for her life. Niederhoffer's point became clear when Cass found no sympathy from friends, authorities and even her own mother. All had the chauvinistic point of view that more often than not women cause most of these problems and the man in the situation is blameless.
Without looking at the point of the novel it still is a fascinating, well written book that will entice the reader to stay with it until finished. It is an excellent crime story with a logical and satisfying ending. Understanding the point that Niederhoffer wants to bring out makes the book doubly interesting and cause for a good deal of reflection on the injustices women may go through in defending themselves legally against a man.
POISON by Galt Niederhoffer. St. Martin's Press (November 21, 2017). ISBN 978-1250085290. 304p.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 21st, 2017 at 6:00 AM and is filed under Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.


Are you interested in supporting MWC's mission?
Volunteering is a great way to gain valuable skills to add to your resume, meet interesting and like-minded people, and contribute to our mission.
Office volunteer roles can include providing support for administrative and office functions, and giving basic help to clients.
Working with our legal advocates and staff lawyer, law student and lawyer volunteer roles can include conducting legal research, drafting submissions in support of our case work, and developing public legal information and education materials.
Want to help out in another way? Contact the office to talk about how we could work together.
If you are interested in these volunteer roles or have questions, please contact the MWC office at 604-669-4482.


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Government & Community Relations {University Advancement}
State Budget & Legislation
Federal Budget & Legislation
Campus Master Plan Update
Welcome to Government and Community Relations (GCR)
Thank you for visiting our website, and for being interested in government and how it relates to San Francisco State University!
Here you will find information on priority CSU issues, updates and election information.
State Budget Update
Governor Newsom signed his final budget. The budget includes increases to the CSU general fund and specific programs. The base operational funding went up from the May Revise - $361.4 million in on-going base operational funding for CSU, + $315.2 million in one-time funding.
The full CSU funding request for 2019/2020 is $456 million above base.
Funding Breakdown: $361.4 million in on-going funding for mandatory costs, compensation, enrollment growth, Project Rebound, housing, and the Graduation Initiative.
Ongoing funding
$215.5 million to support operational costs consisting of $193 million for operational costs and $22.5 million for base retirement benefit adjustments.
$85 million to support growth in California resident undergraduate student enrollment of 10,000 full-time equivalent students.
$45 million for the Graduation Initiative 2025.
$6.5 million for rapid rehousing. (defining rapid rehousing, directing campuses to develop agreements with local agencies with rapid rehousing expertise and allows funding to be spent on rapid rehousing, student assessment, housing-related financial assistance, housing stabilization services, and administrative costs.)
$6 million for summer financial aid programs. This funding will be suspended on December 31, 2021. The suspension will be lifted if the Administration determines through the 2021 Budget Act process that there is sufficient General Fund revenue to support all suspended programs in the subsequent two fiscal years.
$3.3 million to continue and expand Project Rebound programs serving formerly incarcerated individuals attending or seeking to enroll in participating CSU campuses.
$107,000 to provide a cost-of-living adjustment for the Capital Fellows Program.
$239 million for deferred maintenance and to improve and expand child care centers.
$30 million additional for the Graduation Initiative 2025.
$15 million to address student hunger and housing needs.
$2 million for the CSU Chancellor's Office to undertake a review of a potential CSU campus in San Joaquin County, likely in Stockton.
$2 million for the CSU Chancellor's Office to undertake a review of potential CSU campuses in Chula Vista, Concord, Palm Desert, and San Mateo County.
$27.2 million to support various programs, services, and research at CSU campuses.
Legal Services—As referenced in the Health and Human Services Chapter, the Budget includes an increase of $7 million General Fund to provide legal services to undocumented students, staff, and faculty at the CSU.
Search University Advancement
Search SF State News
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1600 Holloway Avenue
Administration Room 154
Last Update: 4-24-2018
Web Contact: govrel@sfsu.edu