Evaluation of an unconditional cash transfer program targeting children's first-1,000-days linear growth in rural Togo: A cluster-randomized controlled trial.

Background: In 2014, the government of Togo implemented a pilot unconditional cash transfer (UCT) program in rural villages that aimed at improving children's nutrition, health, and protection. It combined monthly UCTs (approximately US$8.40 /month) with a package of community activities (including behavior change communication [BCC] sessions, home visits, and integrated community case management of childhood illnesses and acute malnutrition [ICCM-Nut]) delivered to mother-child pairs during the first "1,000 days" of life.

Tailoring Process and Impact Evaluation of a "Cash-Plus" Program: The Value of Using a Participatory Program Impact Pathway Analysis.

Background: Evaluations are often limited to affirming what impact health and nutrition interventions have, without providing enough insights into "how/why" impacts are achieved.

Objectives: This article describes how a Program Impact Pathway (PIP) analysis was used to tailor theory-driven impact and process evaluation of a "Cash-Plus" program combining unconditional cash transfers with behavior change communication (BCC) activities, which was implemented to improve children's growth in Togo.

Methods: A theoretical PIP diagram was developed using existing literature, program documentation, and interviews with the program's stakeholders at the central level.

Dissimilarities across age groups in the associations between complementary feeding practices and child growth: Evidence from rural Togo.

Adequate complementary feeding (CF) practices are essential for achieving optimal growth but challenging to measure comprehensively. This paper describes CF practices in 2,034 children aged 6-23 months and investigates their relationships with length-for-age z-score (LAZ) and stunting, using cross-sectional data collected from May to July 2014 in rural Northern Togo. The World Health Organization infant and young child feeding indicators were computed, along with ancillary indicators on feeding style and timing of introduction of complementary foods.