In Kenya, 26% of children under the age of 5 (that's more than 1 in 4 children) suffer from chronic malnutrition. A significant reason being that young mothers living in media-dark regions are unaware of the importance of breast milk and complementary feeding practices, particularly in the first 24 months of a child’s development.

Our challenge was to find a relevant way of delivering proper education around postnatal nutrition without using forms of traditional media that have failed to do so in the past.

The solution needed to be both sustainable and long-lasting, giving us the best chance of reaching our goal to help at least 3.4 million Kenyan children before the end of 2022.

The creative idea These women work long hours, carrying their babies on their backs in distinct, vividly patterned slings called ‘lessos’. These garments are passed down through generations as stories depicting wisdom.

We turned these lessos into lessons in postnatal nutrition. We created 3 different lessos, one for each of the 3 stages in the first 24 months of a child’s development, each containing illustrative and instructive lessons on breastfeeding and complementary nutrition, serving as a daily guide and ready reckoner on raising a healthy baby. In partnership with healthcare professionals and the Ministry of Health Kenya, over 1 million data points were adapted from recent studies on postnatal nutrition into the design process, driving comprehension in a culturally relevant way.

The designs drew influence from (and stayed true to) the traditional patterns of a lesso. Ultimately resulting in a desirable and functional garment that served as a lesson for generations to come.

Execution Roto, with their vast and deep-reaching logistics and delivery capabilities, distributed the Lesso Lessons during health awareness drives conducted by certified healthcare professionals and the Ministry of Health at local community hospitals and clinics.

Women were introduced to each Lesso Lesson, before receiving their own free lessos. Distribution drives were conducted across the following affected counties; Central, Eastern, North Eastern, Rift Valley, Coast, Western, Nyanza and Nairobi regions, facilitating education for over 1 million mothers before the end of 2022.

The campaign launched in March 2022, and is now being scaled up to reach and educate mothers in other media-dark regions across East Africa.

Results Lesso Lessons are facilitating education for 1 million mothers, therefore reducing the risk of malnutrition in almost 3.4 million children. After receiving their first Lesso Lesson, almost 90% of mothers returned for their next lesso. The campaign has gained support from private institutions, government bodies and the press alike, being featured across 44 major publications in 3 countries.