Preparation for innovation

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Innovation has taken a more subtle format over the last few months in the lead up to the development and later launch of a web-based version of the MRP software.

We have completed and launched an urgently needed update of the current Access-based MRP software. This included several bug fixes as well as improved and new features, for example; the ability to create a data subset was added and users can now print out comments that have been entered alongside feeding site data. We learned that when it comes to software development, maintaining a good feedback culture with users is vital to ensure timely updates as a software needs constant change/improvement. Alongside the new version of the software, we updated the software manual in both English and French. Both the software and manual can be download from the MRP website http://www.mrp-sw.com/download_new.html

We recently completed 2 more MRP trainings. One in Niger and one in Myanmar. Twelve participants attended a three-day session in Niamey, Niger. The agenda was adapted from previous trainings to place more emphasis on the practical activities needed to roll-out the MRP in Niger. The MRP will be used to monitor a nutrition programme in 6 districts of Maradi, Diffa and Zinder. In another national training we trained six participants from the Save the Children Myanmar office in time to start their CMAM intervention in Myanmar’s troubled Rakhine State. At Save the Children HQ one more nutrition emergency response personnel (ERP) was trained ensuring MRP indicators are instilled in countries where our ERPs are deployed to.

We continue to follow up on the tender process for the development of the new web-based software, which has included a search for additional funds to meet the overall cost of the development. In the meantime we have focused attention on a number of updates, revisions and planning consultation processes with partners to feed into the new web-based software and overall analysis. To date this has involved getting feedback from partners/users on the outputs (tables and graphs) of the software as well as leading discussions with partners over the preliminary analysis of MRP data conducted in March.

Finally, this month we attended the global nutrition cluster meeting to advocate with existing partners about the use of the MRP and potential advantages. We presented a poster showing the results of the first preliminary analysis of the MRP data.

Save the Children users and other partners continue with their data collection and daily use of the MRP. To date we have 7 partners in 15 countries. In the coming weeks we have plans to hold discussions with all of our partners as we begin reviewing users experiences to feed into the development of the web-based platform and prepare to start collecting lessons learnt and analysing preliminary data to begin forming an evidence base on the possible benefits of the standardised indicators.