BabyThrive

The prevalence of malnutrition among Nigerian children under five is alarming: 37% suffer from stunting, 18% from wasting, and 29% from underweight. Even worse, undernutrition contributes to nearly half of the estimated one million deaths annually in this age group. In southwestern Nigeria, the situation worsens for children born to teenage mothers, with a staggering 73.4% diagnosed with wasting, stunting, or underweight. Studies have documented consistently lower rates of breastfeeding initiation, duration, and exclusivity among teenage mothers compared to adult mothers. Additionally, teenage mothers often resort to poor complementary feeding practices, including improper timing of introducing complementary foods, less responsive feeding styles, and diets low in protein and high in fat and sugars. 

The Ineffectiveness of Traditional Interventions: Existing IYCF interventions implemented by a collaboration of state governments and international development partners have faced numerous challenges. These interventions, delivered through group and individual counseling in health facilities by health workers, volunteer-led community counseling, and community meetings, suffer from limitations like heavy workloads for health workers, limited financial resources for volunteers, time constraints, and transportation issues. These factors significantly hinder the effectiveness and sustainability of these programs. BabyThrive's Potential Impact: BabyThrive addresses these shortcomings by offering an engaging and culturally relevant mobile game that educates teenage mothers on proper breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices. This gamified approach empowers mothers with the knowledge and skills they need to nourish their children effectively. By equipping mothers with these essential skills, BabyThrive has the potential to: Reduce child mortality rates in Nigeria, particularly among children born to teenage mothers. Lessen the burden on the Nigerian healthcare system by promoting healthier children. Contribute to a brighter future for Nigeria by empowering teenage mothers and fostering a healthier generation.

BabyThrive's Potential Impact: BabyThrive addresses these shortcomings by offering an engaging and culturally relevant mobile game that educates teenage mothers on proper breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices. This gamified approach empowers mothers with the knowledge and skills they need to nourish their children effectively. By equipping mothers with these essential skills, BabyThrive has the potential to:

• Reduce child mortality rates in Nigeria, particularly among children born to teenage mothers.
• Lessen the burden on the Nigerian healthcare system by promoting healthier children.
• Contribute to a brighter future for Nigeria by empowering teenage mothers and fostering a healthier generation.

BabyThrive tackles the critical issue of undernutrition in Nigerian children, particularly among those born to teenage mothers. This innovative mobile game app utilizes a two-dimensional, character-animated format with voice-acted audio dialogues to deliver culturally relevant content and empower mothers with the knowledge and skills necessary for proper infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices.

BabyThrive's Multi-Faceted Approach:

• Interactive Game:
  • A role-playing video game with five levels places the player (a teenage mother) in real-life scenarios, requiring them to learn, practice, and execute correct IYCF practices and make informed decisions regarding their child's health.
  • The game provides detailed narratives and dialogues covering critical IYCF topics:
    • Benefits of exclusive breastfeeding for child, mother, and community
    • Successful breastfeeding techniques (position, attachment, colostrum use, foremilk/hindmilk concepts, and milk expression)
    • Age-appropriate complementary feeding concepts (amounts, frequency, food group diversity, hygiene, responsiveness)
    • Child feeding and care during illness
  • To encourage active engagement, BabyThrive employs simple mechanics like treasure hunts for informational cards, drag-and-drop activities, and puzzles. These cater to the limitations of complex digital interventions and promote knowledge retention through interactive quizzes at the end of each level.
  • Game incentives further motivate users as they complete levels and quizzes.
• Actionable Knowledge:
  • Recipe Guide: BabyThrive offers 30 culturally appropriate recipes derived from locally available and affordable foods, promoting nutritious meal preparation for children. Mothers are encouraged to prepare these meals and document their children's consumption by taking photographs within the app for potential nutritional evaluation by researchers.
  • Child Health Planner: This integrated planner includes a calendar with reminders for crucial health services (birth registration, well-child clinics, immunization, deworming, vitamin A supplementation, and malaria prophylaxis) that are currently underutilized. Mothers are prompted to access these services, document their activities, and upload photos of paperwork within the app to facilitate evaluation of compliance.
  • Child Growth Monitor: This monitor utilizes algorithms from the World Health Organization's Anthro software to document a child's weight and height measurements taken during child welfare clinic visits. The app plots the child's growth patterns using age and anthropometric indicators. If needed, it recommends corrective actions, such as more frequent meals, recipes with increased nutrient density, or additional clinic visits.
• Scientifically Backed Approach:
  • Behavior Change Techniques: BabyThrive incorporates six evidence-based behavior change techniques (BCTs) to promote sustainable improvements in IYCF practices. These BCTs include shaping knowledge, natural consequences, comparison of behavior, repetition and substitution, reward and threat, and feedback and monitoring.
  • Offline Functionality: The app works without internet access, ensuring accessibility even in remote areas with limited connectivity.
  • Multilingual Support: BabyThrive currently operates in English and Hausa, reaching a broader audience in northern Nigeria.

BabyThrive goes beyond a game; it's an empowering tool. By equipping teenage mothers with the knowledge and confidence to nurture their children, BabyThrive has the potential to significantly reduce child mortality rates, decrease the burden on the healthcare system, and pave the way for a healthier future for mothers and children in Nigeria.

BabyThrive is a mobile game app specifically designed to reach and empower teenage mothers in Nigeria, a population facing a significant challenge – undernutrition in their children.

Impact on Teenage Mothers:

• Addressing a Critical Need:  In developing countries, millions of teenage girls give birth annually.  Nigeria has one of the highest rates, with 31.8% of girls aged 15-19 having children.  Teenage mothers are often undernourished and lack essential knowledge about child feeding practices, leading to a higher risk of malnutrition in their children. BabyThrive tackles this critical issue head-on.
• Knowledge and Confidence:  Through engaging gameplay and culturally relevant content, BabyThrive equips teenage mothers with the knowledge and skills necessary for proper infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices. This includes everything from breastfeeding techniques to age-appropriate complementary feeding and healthy recipe preparation using local ingredients.
• Empowerment and Reduced Burden:  The app empowers mothers by fostering self-efficacy and a sense of control over their children's well-being.  Features like reminders and recipe suggestions streamline child care tasks, alleviating some of the burden on teenage mothers who often face increased responsibilities and workload after childbirth.

Impact on Children (0-2 years):

• Improved Nutrition and Health: BabyThrive directly benefits children by promoting optimal nutrition.  Mothers gain valuable guidance on breastfeeding techniques, age-appropriate complementary feeding practices, and healthy recipe preparation.  This knowledge translates to a healthier diet for children, potentially reducing the risk of stunting, wasting, and underweight conditions.
• Stronger Development:  The first 1,000 days of life are crucial for cognitive and behavioral development.  By addressing malnutrition during this critical window, BabyThrive contributes to a healthier future for children, not only physically but also mentally.

Impact on the Community:

• Breaking the Cycle: Undernutrition in children born to teenage mothers is a significant public health concern in Nigeria. By empowering mothers and improving child health outcomes, BabyThrive has the potential to break this cycle of malnutrition. This leads to a healthier generation of children, potentially reducing the strain on the healthcare system and contributing to a stronger, more vibrant community in Nigeria.

Sustainability and Scalability:

• Mobile Technology for Accessibility:  Nigeria boasts a high mobile phone penetration rate, even in poverty-stricken areas. This ubiquitous nature makes mobile apps like BabyThrive a cost-effective and accessible tool for behavior change.
• Research and Dissemination:  BabyThrive goes beyond its immediate impact.  The app's design facilitates research on the effectiveness of mobile health interventions in improving IYCF practices.  This research can be used to culturally adapt the app for dissemination in other developing nations, creating a wider impact.

BabyThrive is more than a game; it's a tool for positive change. By empowering teenage mothers and promoting healthy child nutrition, BabyThrive offers a path towards a healthier future for children, mothers, and communities in Nigeria.

The BabyThrive team is a powerhouse of expertise, perfectly positioned to deliver a successful solution for improving child nutrition in Nigeria.

Dr. Freeland-Graves:

• An accomplished professor of nutrition with over 50 years of experience in scientific research and academics.
• Brings invaluable knowledge of evidence-based nutritional practices for mothers and children.

Mercy Sosanya, PhD Candidate in Nutrition:

• Over 18 years of experience in nutrition research, particularly in maternal and child health.
• An expert in designing and implementing successful nutrition interventions, including technology-based solutions.
• Possesses strong entrepreneurship and management experience, crucial for project execution.

Sadia Bashir, Gaming and Transformative Education Specialist:

• A seasoned entrepreneur with two successful startups in the gaming and education space.
• 13 years of experience in video game development, with a proven track record of creating engaging games for social impact.
• Recognized as a Global Gaming Citizen by Facebook Gaming and a Forbes 30 Under 30 2018 fellow, highlighting her innovative work in technology.
• Possesses deep knowledge of gamification strategies, learning patterns (microlearning), and mobile/web technologies.
• Played a key role in designing and developing BabyThrive for the past 3 years.

Combined Strengths:

This diverse team offers a unique blend of expertise in nutrition science, behavior change techniques, and mobile game development. Dr. Freeland-Graves provides the scientific foundation, while Mercy Sosanya translates this knowledge into actionable interventions. Sadia Bashir's expertise in gamification ensures BabyThrive is not just informative but also engaging and effective in driving behavior change.

Proven Track Record:

Sadia Bashir's past successes in social impact gaming demonstrate the team's ability to create impactful games. Mercy Sosanya's experience in implementing technology-based nutrition interventions further strengthens their credibility.

Passion and Commitment:

The team's dedication to tackling the critical issue of child undernutrition is evident in their long-term commitment to BabyThrive's development.

By leveraging their combined expertise and proven track record, the BabyThrive team is well-positioned to deliver a game-changing solution that empowers mothers and improves child health outcomes in Nigeria.

BabyThrive is eager to join MIT Solve for its unparalleled ability to propel our social venture towards global impact. Here's why:

• Impact Acceleration: MIT Solve's network of distinguished mentors, coaches, and peers provides the expertise and experience critical to scaling BabyThrive effectively. This guidance will ensure we reach a wider audience and maximize our positive influence on child health outcomes worldwide.
• Funding and Global Connections:  Gaining access to funding and investors through MIT Solve unlocks doors that would otherwise remain closed. This crucial financial support allows us to expand our reach beyond Nigeria, empowering teenage mothers and improving child health on a global scale.
• Navigating the Maze: MIT Solve's technical and legal support acts as a compass, guiding us through the complexities of launching a global social venture. This frees us to focus on our core mission: fostering healthier children and brighter futures.
• Amplifying a Global Vision:  MIT Solve's global platform propels BabyThrive onto the world stage. We gain access to potential partners, donors, and collaborators who share our vision of a world where all children have the opportunity to thrive. Through this amplified reach, BabyThrive's impact transcends borders, creating a healthier future for children everywhere.

MIT Solve is the ideal launchpad for BabyThrive. Its comprehensive support system empowers us to unlock our full potential and become a truly global force for positive change in child health.

BabyThrive is eager to join MIT Solve for its unparalleled ability to propel our social venture towards global impact. Here's why:

• Impact Acceleration: MIT Solve's network of distinguished mentors, coaches, and peers provides the expertise and experience critical to scaling BabyThrive effectively. This guidance will ensure we reach a wider audience and maximize our positive influence on child health outcomes worldwide.
• Funding and Global Connections:  Gaining access to funding and investors through MIT Solve unlocks doors that would otherwise remain closed. This crucial financial support allows us to expand our reach beyond Nigeria, empowering teenage mothers and improving child health on a global scale.
• Navigating the Maze: MIT Solve's technical and legal support acts as a compass, guiding us through the complexities of launching a global social venture. This frees us to focus on our core mission: fostering healthier children and brighter futures.
• Amplifying a Global Vision:  MIT Solve's global platform propels BabyThrive onto the world stage. We gain access to potential partners, donors, and collaborators who share our vision of a world where all children have the opportunity to thrive. Through this amplified reach, BabyThrive's impact transcends borders, creating a healthier future for children everywhere.

MIT Solve is the ideal launchpad for BabyThrive. Its comprehensive support system empowers us to unlock our full potential and become a truly global force for positive change in child health.

BabyThrive tackles the critical issue of undernutrition in children born to teenage mothers, a problem prevalent across Sub-Saharan Africa. Existing interventions often rely on overburdened healthcare workers, limiting reach and impact. BabyThrive offers a groundbreaking, scalable solution:

• Mobile-First, Sustainable Design:  BabyThrive leverages the near-ubiquity of mobile phones in low- and middle-income countries. This eliminates geographical barriers and ensures long-term accessibility without relying on external infrastructure or ongoing investment.
• Gamified Learning Framework: BabyThrive utilizes a research-proven framework – gamified learning – to deliver culturally relevant IYCF training. Engaging gameplay mechanics, interactive animations, and local language audio transform learning into a fun and immersive experience, fostering active participation and knowledge retention. This framework can be easily adapted to teach a variety of essential health topics in the future.
• Offline Functionality with Data Insights:  BabyThrive functions entirely offline after download, ensuring mothers can access crucial information anytime, anywhere. However, to maintain long-term effectiveness and improve future iterations, the app anonymously tracks user behavior data after two weeks or whenever online. This data provides valuable insights into user engagement, learning gaps, and intervention effectiveness, allowing the team to make data-driven improvements and maximize impact.
• Scalability and Cost-Effectiveness: The mobile app format enables cost-effective and widespread dissemination compared to traditional methods. This scalability allows BabyThrive to reach a vast number of teenage mothers across Sub-Saharan Africa and potentially beyond. Additionally, the research-proven gamified learning framework can be easily adapted for use in other regions and with different health topics.

BabyThrive's unique combination of mobile technology, gamified learning, and data-driven insights creates a sustainable and scalable solution with the potential to revolutionize child health education in low- and middle-income countries.

Many young mothers in Africa struggle to provide their babies with the proper nutrition they need to thrive. BabyThrive tackles this challenge head-on by offering a fun and accessible mobile game that teaches mothers the best practices for infant and young child feeding (IYCF). The secret behind BabyThrive's effectiveness lies in a powerful learning theory called Social Cognitive Theory. This theory highlights the importance of learning by observing others (like watching positive examples of good feeding practices in the game) and receiving encouragement for good choices. By rewarding mothers for completing tasks and helping them build confidence in their abilities through in-game challenges, BabyThrive creates a positive learning environment that empowers mothers to make healthy choices for their children's well-being.

Our venture’s impact will be measured by:

• User engagement - the total number and rates of user downloads in communities that receive licensed access to the app; and usage metrics including time, intensity, content and pattern of use, proportion of users that complete the game levels, and number of times completed.
• Impact of the app in improving the IYCF knowledge of the mothers will be evaluated by the percentage of correct answers to in-app quizzes, the number of attempts to get a passing score in the quizzes, and the time each user spends on the quizzes.
• Surveys on IYCF knowledge, attitudes and practices, and assessments of child nutritional status will be conducted by or licensees, in representative samples of users in their to determine changes in attitudes and behavior,
• The rate of increase in the number of licensees for our mobile app, and the rate of spread of the app across countries 
• In the next five years, our venture will be successful if we are able to hit 100,000 downloads, and if we are able to customize the app to suit at least 3 countries.   Nonetheless, the most important measure of success is at least a 60% increase in the IYCF knowledge of mothers who use the app, and at least a 20% reduction in child undernutrition in each location where the app is used, as reflected in national demographic health surveys.

BabyThrive leverages a powerful gamified mobile learning platform delivered through a user-friendly Android app. This platform goes beyond simply delivering content:

• Engaging Game Mechanics:  Interactive gameplay elements promote active participation and knowledge retention compared to traditional learning methods.
• Culturally Relevant Content:  The app tailors information and characters to resonate with teenage mothers in specific regions.
• Research-Backed Learning Framework:  BabyThrive utilizes Social Cognitive Theory to foster positive behavior change through techniques like in-app rewards and relatable storytelling.
• Offline Functionality:  The app functions entirely offline after download, ensuring accessibility even in areas with limited internet connectivity.

Data-Driven Insights for Continuous Improvement:

Critically, BabyThrive anonymously tracks user behavior data twice weekly when online. This data provides valuable insights into:

• User Engagement: Metrics like time spent, content areas accessed, and completion rates help us understand user preferences and tailor content accordingly.
• Knowledge Retention: Quiz performance data indicates areas where mothers may need additional support, allowing us to refine learning modules.
• Impact Evaluation: Future surveys and partnerships with local health organizations will enable us to measure changes in IYCF practices and child health outcomes.

Future Integration of AI:

As BabyThrive evolves, we envision integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) to personalize the learning experience further. AI could:

• Offer Personalized Recommendations: Suggest specific learning modules or recipes tailored to a mother's child's age and needs.
• Provide Real-Time Support: Utilize AI chatbots to answer mothers' questions and offer additional resources on IYCF practices.

By combining a robust mobile learning platform with data-driven insights and the future potential of AI, BabyThrive is poised to revolutionize the way teenage mothers learn about infant and young child feeding, ultimately improving child health outcomes on a global scale.

BabyThrive isn't just an innovative idea, it's a solution validated through real-world testing.  A pre-print detailing this validation process involving 90 teenage mothers is available at [link you provided]. This study provides strong evidence that BabyThrive achieves its goals. The research design and focus on actual teenage mothers ensures the app's relevance and effectiveness for its target audience.  Furthermore, BabyThrive's commitment to continuous improvement goes beyond this initial validation. Anonymous user behavior data will be used to refine the app's effectiveness, ensuring it remains a data-driven leader in mobile learning solutions for improving child health outcomes.

The mobile app has been validated and tested in 90 teenage mothers. A pre-print of the publication that documents the validation is available at: https://preprints.jmir.org/pre...

4

Four years

BabyThrive's team strength lies in its diversity. We hail from different races and countries (US - UT Austin, Pakistan), with varied professional backgrounds in nutrition, gaming development, and communication. This blend of perspectives fosters innovation and ensures BabyThrive resonates globally. We actively cultivate a welcoming and inclusive environment through open communication, remote collaboration tools, cultural sensitivity, and a commitment to continuous learning. This allows all team members, regardless of background or location, to feel valued and contribute their unique expertise. Ultimately, our diverse and inclusive team is a key asset in tackling the global challenge of child undernutrition.

BabyThrive leverages a B2B model to maximize its reach and impact:

Focus on Non-Profits and Social Impact Organizations:

• We primarily target international NGOs and non-profits working with mothers in resource-limited settings. We offer per-user licenses for customized versions of the app, allowing these organizations to provide free access to the mothers they serve. This aligns with the growing global investment in combatting child undernutrition. Secondary Market:  Mothers with the means to pay can access a premium version of the app individually.
• Large-Scale Impact:  Our ideal scenario involves licensing the app to major organizations like UNICEF, enabling them to offer BabyThrive to a vast number of women in developing countries.

Leveraging Existing Networks:

• Extensive Partnerships: Dr. Freeland-Graves' international experience, Mercy Sosanya's work with organizations like Oxfam and UNICEF, and Sadia's recognition in the gaming industry will be crucial in establishing partnerships with international non-profits.

Reaching Mothers Through Collaboration:

• Strategic Partnerships:  We plan to partner with non-profit organizations, CSR initiatives, local government bodies, and international organizations like UNICEF and Oxfam to distribute app licenses and reach mothers most in need.
• Multi-Channel Marketing:  We will combine targeted marketing campaigns with our partners and explore additional channels like local hospitals, influencers, and social media platforms to maximize app awareness and user base growth.

By prioritizing partnerships with social impact organizations and implementing a multi-channel marketing strategy, BabyThrive's business model ensures financial sustainability while maximizing its positive impact on child health outcomes worldwide.

While BabyThrive is still undergoing clinical trials, we have a well-defined plan for achieving financial sustainability once commercialized:

• Scalable B2B Model:  Our primary focus is on per-user licenses for customized app versions offered to international NGOs and non-profits. This aligns with the increasing global investment in child undernutrition, creating a sustainable revenue stream as the app reaches a wider audience.
• Strategic Partnerships:  Leveraging our team's existing networks and expertise, we will secure partnerships with major international organizations like UNICEF. Ideally, large-scale licensing agreements with such organizations would provide significant financial support.
• Freemium Model:  A secondary revenue stream will come from a premium version of the app targeted at individual users with the means to pay. This caters to a broader audience while maintaining accessibility for those in need.

Future Evidence of Success:

While we cannot provide financial data yet due to the pre-commercialization stage, here are some initial indicators of potential success:

• Strong Validation Study:  The positive outcomes from our clinical trial with 90 teenage mothers demonstrate BabyThrive's effectiveness in improving IYCF knowledge. This positions the app favorably for wider adoption by NGOs and potential future users.
• Growing Investment in Child Undernutrition:  The increasing global focus on tackling child undernutrition creates a favorable market environment for BabyThrive's solution.

By focusing on a scalable B2B model, strategic partnerships, and a freemium approach, BabyThrive is well-positioned to achieve long-term financial sustainability while maximizing its positive impact on child health outcomes.