Dear all:

It dawned on me that three different experiences have coalesced in my head as examples of how people can be empowered by collecting and using their own data.  Regardless even of the value or utility of that data.

Example #1:  Paula Meier had low income women collecting information from creamatocrits and from test weighs.  She had women then use the creamtocrits to increase the fat content of the expressed milk they gave their very premature babies.  I paraphrase a long ago post from Nancy Wight that increasing the fat content of milk from premature babies only made fat babies, not healthier babies.  Fat does not compensate for the minerals that these babies would have stored during the last trimester of pregnancy.  Fascinatingly, the very use of the creamatocrit as well as the fact that Paula Meier's had these women reading scientific research articles, was one of many things that led to these women feeling empowered.  They were TRUSTED with information.  They were TRUSTED to be able to use the information.  They were TRUSTED to gather their own information.  They were TRUSTED to make decisions based on that information.

Example #2:  The Iringa Project in Tanzania taught village women how to use information from growth monitoring as part of the Triple A cycle of assessment, analysis, action.  Again women were TRUSTED to assess the information, analyse the information, and make decisions about actions to take based on that information.  Again the take home message from this project is that the mothers felt empowered by being trusted to use and make decisions.

Example #3:  The Quality Assurance Project in Maradi, Niger taught village health care workers how to collect their own data, analyze their own data, and make decisions about how to modify their programs based on this data. As I've written before, I spent many many years going back and forth to this part of Niger.  When I first started going there, the health care workers were completely disempowered and disgruntled, the Peace Corps Volunteers made fun of them, and most of the nongovernmental organizations discounted them.  This project completely transformed the outlook of these health care workers.  Words cannot express the personal joy I felt watching them take charge of their own situations and the sense of empowerment that took hold among these workers.  

What is important here, is that the individuals involved were finally placed in a position whereby they were in charge of information and use of information in ways that made them feel empowered.

So, when we are working with mothers, we really need to listen to what they are saying and if they really like a particular indicator, we can work with them to help direct their collection, use and application from that particular indicator in ways that empower them and improve breastfeeding.  And by indicator -- I include ANYTHING that can be observed via sight, hearing, touch, smell or taste and regardless of whether a tool was used or not to place some number to the observation.  This should be true whether or not we personally believe that the indicator itself provides useful information.  If the MOTHER feels it provides useful information, at the very least you can turn that into a tool to empower her.

Best, Susan Burger

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