
Updating the Global Shared Agenda for Social and Behavior Change in Family Planning/Reproductive Health
Written by: Alison Pack, Program Officer, Breakthrough ACTION
The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the way many people work and live. When the pandemic struck, the global family planning/reproductive health (FP/RH) community realized…

A Child Bride Reclaims Her Future
Written by: Lusayo Banda, Knowledge Management Officer, Breakthrough ACTION
Soon after she got pregnant, Esnart Kazembe, only 17 years old, dropped out of school. Esnart’s story is far from rare in Malawi where 42% of girls are married by…

Empathways—Dealing a Winning Hand to Youth-Centered Health Services
Written by: Manya Dotson, Senior Technical Advisor, Jhpiego
The Empathways card activity is so simple to use, it almost conducts itself.
Empathways was originally designed to strengthen family planning service delivery by Breakthrough ACTION,…

Building Healthier Communities in Malawi Through Community Health Action Groups
Written by: Lusayo Banda, Knowledge Management Officer, Breakthrough ACTION
From a distance, you can see a group of men and women seated in a small circle. They are very deep in discussion. As you get closer, you can hear them talking about…

Building Behavioral Design Skills: Conversations with Breakthrough ACTION Innovators
Written by: Mamina Herizo, ideas42
This is part of a series of conversations with members of the National Innovations Team (NIT), a group of 54 health professionals across government and non-profit sectors in Burkina Faso and Niger. NIT members…

Top 5 reasons you should attend the Reproductive Health Innovation Exchange
Photo by Irene Mirembe for IntraHealth International
Written by: Ely McElwee1 and Heather Hancock2, Breakthrough ACTION
1 ideas42, 2 Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs
Games, counseling materials, and digital tools are just…

Building a “One-Stop-Shop” for Social and Behavior Change for Family Planning Resources
Written by: Rebecca Pickard, Copywriter and Editor, Breakthrough ACTION
Over the last five years, Breakthrough ACTION and Breakthrough RESEARCH have produced a treasure trove of guidance, tools, and data surrounding social and behavior change…

Placing Empathy at the Heart of Provider Behavior Change: A Toolkit
Written by: Alison Pack, Program Officer
Although existing service delivery data provide valuable information, they provide little detail on factors that influence provider behavior. Furthermore, conducting service-focused research can be expensive…

The Power of Co-Design: Lessons Learned from Diverse Stakeholder Perspectives
Written by: Rahin Khandker1, Anne Stotler1, James Nyara2, and Allison Schachter1, Breakthrough ACTION
1 ideas42, 2 Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs
As behavioral designers, we know it’s important for end-users and other…