Nourish Lives. Strengthen Communities. Build the Future.
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Building a Healthier Future Through Community-Based Nutrition
The Maternal & Child Health & Nutrition Society (MCHN) is a Canadian not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving maternal and child nutrition through evidence-informed, community-based programs.
Mary's Cradle, our flagship initiative in the Philippines, is an evidence-informed, community-based maternal, child and adolescent nutrition initiative that integrates fortified nutrition support, nutrition education, community engagement, and implementation learning & evidence generation to strengthen nutrition while building local capacity for sustainable impact.
MCHN Vision & Mission
Our Vision
A world where every mother, adolescent girl and child has the opportunity to achieve optimal health, nutrition and lifelong potential through strong, resilient communities.
Our Mission
To improve maternal, adolescent and child nutrition through evidence-informed, community-based programs that combine fortified nutrition support, nutrition education, community engagement, and implementation learning & evidence generation to create sustainable, measurable impact.
The Challenge
Malnutrition remains one of the Philippines' most significant public health challenges.
- 1 in 4 children under five is stunted.
- 1 in 5 pregnant women is affected by anemia.
- 1 in 5 women is at risk of delivering a low-birth-weight infant.
- Poor nutrition during adolescence, pregnancy and the first 1,000 days can perpetuate the cycle of malnutrition across generations.
Our Response
Mary’s Cradle brings together four complementary pillars to strengthen maternal, adolescent and child nutrition while building healthier communities.
PILLAR 1 | FORTIFIED NUTRITION SUPPORT
Providing a practical, quality-assured fortified nutrition intervention for participating women, adolescent girls and children.
PILLAR 2 | NUTRITION EDUCATION
Strengthening practical knowledge on maternal nutrition, child feeding, hygiene and healthier household practices.
PILLAR 3 | COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Working through local teams, community organizations, barangay and local government relationships to support participation, local ownership and sustainable implementation.
PILLAR 4 | IMPLEMENTATION LEARNING & EVIDENCE GENERATION
Monitoring delivery, participation, operational performance and outcomes, and applying lessons learned before geographic expansion.