Positive Device/Hearth Approach Analysis

A known method amongst sociologists in implementing community based programs is called "Positive Deviance". This is an approach to behavioral and social change based on the observation that in any community there are people whose uncommon but successful behaviors or strategies enable them to find better solutions to a problem than their peers even though they face the same challenges and have no extra resources or knowledge than their peers. . There is a community based approach addressing malnutrition amongst children that is being used by different organizations and institutions world-wide. This is called “PD (Positive Deviance)/Hearth” approach. The community based approach includes rehabilitation and behavioral change intervention for families with underweight children. PD/Hearth approach identifies prevalent behaviors practiced by mothers or caretakers with well-nourished children and aims to transfer these best practices to others in the community with malnourished children. The “hearth” or home is the location for the nutrition education and rehabilitation sessions. This program implements an affordable 12-day rehabilitation program
for malnourished children with the aid of their mothers or caretakers and the whole community. Apart from the mothers and caretakers, community leaders, volunteers and local government health staff are asked and encouraged to participate. The PD/ Hearth approach is a sustainable and efficient nutrition program for malnourished children since it enables discovery of “local and available solutions” within the community and it encourages participatory adult learning since the community is involved from the very start.
This promotes “ownership” of the program that results to its sustainability. The advantages of a Community based approach is that it can extend beyond the program and lead to the breakthrough of backyard and community gardens and integration of PD/Hearth with other sustainable programs. This type of methodology can be carried out by existing agencies such as local government units, women cooperatives, and other non-governmental organizations, and would be funded through the partnership with the previously mentioned existing
agencies.