UNICEF: Assessment of the THRIVE Program

Opening the country up to refugees has put strains on Lebanon’s already overwhelmed infrastructure, including clinics, hospitals and schools. While some sectors – such as education – have been witnessing an increase in awareness and funding, others have failed to reach much needed funding targets. Sectors like health and water are struggling to cope with increased needs. To counter these increased risks and meet the commitments agreed to under the UN’s Social Development Goals, the Lebanese government, led by the Ministry of Public Health, have launched a national action plan for children and mothers called THRIVE Lebanon. THRIVE is a four-year long cross-government commitment on four key areas of child development: 1) Healthcare gaps 2) Poor nutrition 3) Unsafe water and 4) Disease-bearing environments. As part of their efforts under the banner of THRIVE Lebanon, UNICEF was in the process of developing a comprehensive communication strategy on health, nutrition, and wash. Prior to development, UNICEF had tasked InfoPro with undertaking an informative qualitative survey that would allow them to gain a better understanding of the knowledge, practices, and behaviors among the Lebanese, Palestinian, and Syrian populations with regard to these topics. In total, InfoPro conducted fourteen focus groups with mothers, fathers, and grandmothers of all three nationalities and nineteen in-depth interviews with Lebanese, Palestinian, and Syrian medical professionals.