Academy for Educational Development

LINKAGES was a global program designed to improve breastfeeding and related practices as a means towards increasing child survival and growth, increasing child spacing, improving maternal health, and reducing HIV transmission through informed decision-making on optimal infant feeding. The project provided technical information, assistance, and training on breastfeeding, related complementary feeding and maternal dietary practices, and the lactational amenorrhea method, a modern method of contraception for women who breastfeed.











LINKAGES supported six long-term, large-scale country programs, reaching populations from 1 million to 15 million. The following gains in exclusive breastfeeding among children less than 6 months of age were achieved: 66% increase in Madagascar, 30% in Zambia, 20% in Bolivia, and 16% in Ghana. In the Oromia Region of Ethiopia, exclusive breastfeeding increased by 59%. In Jordan, a steep and dramatic decline in exclusive breastfeeding was halted and reversed. In addition to the six large-country programs, LINKAGES helped another 24 countries implement smaller-scale community activities, adopt policy initiatives, strengthen the capacity of health providers and community health promoters, conduct behavioral assessments, and develop behavior change communications.