Global Nutrition Cluster Technical Alliance
Technical Support Team

What is the GNC Technical Alliance?

Since 2015 the Technical Rapid Response Team (Tech RRT), a consortium of Action Against Hunger, Save the Children and International Medical Corps, has provided technical support to nutrition responses. The hard work, learning and development during these last 5 years has made a significant contribution to the next step in technical support for nutrition in emergencies. The Tech RRT has now expanded to form the Technical Support Team arm of the GNC Technical Alliance.

The Global Nutrition Cluster (GNC) Technical Alliance is an initiative for the mutual benefit of the nutrition community, and affected populations, to improve the quality of nutrition in emergency preparedness, response and recovery.

The same services are still available via the GNC Technical Alliance website by clicking here to Request Support.

More information can be found here in English, French and Spanish or by watching the recording of the GNC Technical Alliance launch webinar.

Examples of areas of Technical Expertise

Our areas of technical specialty include for example:

Assessments: Identifying and understanding the factors that contribute to malnutrition in emergencies is critical for targeted program planning. Conducting initial rapid assessments helps to understand the affected communities needs and strong M&E plans ensure programs are meeting indicators. For more information on how the Tech RRT can support Assessments in emergencies, click the assessment link below.

Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E): Proper IYCF practices are crucial to reduce the risk of infant mortality in emergencies. IYCF-E offers protection and support of safe and appropriate (optimal) feeding for infants and young children in all types of emergencies, wherever they happen in the world. For more information on how the Tech RRT can support IYCF-E, click the IYCF-E link below.

Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM): In emergencies, the risk of malnutrition leading to increased infant and child morbidity and mortality are greatly magnified. For more information on how the Tech RRT can support CMAM in emergencies, click the CMAM link below.

Social Behaviour Change (SBC): SBC is the strategic use of approaches and activities to promote changes in knowledge, attitudes, norms, beliefs and behaviours, across a variety of channels and platforms to reach multiple levels of society, including the individual, the community, services and policy. Though often viewed as more suitable to development programming, SBC is an integral part of any emergency response, and is needed to ensure communities, households and individuals have the necessary knowledge, skills and resources to practice health promoting behaviours. For more information on how the Tech RRT can support SBC, click the SBC link below.

Management of At Risk Mothers and Infants (MAMI): The MAMI Approach considers how to identify and manage ‘risk’ among infants <6months. The MAMI Approach is not just about nutrition; breastfeeding support is necessary but not sufficient to manage risk. The MAMI Approach considers mothers, with the wellbeing of an infant intimately linked with that of a mother’s mental health and nutrition. The MAMI Approach straddles humanitarian and development, multiple sectors, and prevention and treatment. It looks to leverage, integrate and strengthen existing systems and services. For more information on how the Tech RRT can support on MAMI, click the MAMI link below. Nutrition in Emergencies and much more... Do not hesitate to contact us!

Assessment

These activities are examples of what the Assessment Adviser often works on while deployed, but they are adapted to each countries needs:

Lead, plan and conduct nutritional assessments in close collaboration with other sectors and the nutrition partners. Identification and design of assessment activities according to needs. This may include but not be limited to: initial planning, selection of tools and methods, sampling, writing guidelines and set up time frame, working days needed, budget and logistics planning and any special tools and equipment needed.
Collection of background and demographic information and contextual information relevant to the assessment/survey.
Manage all aspects of an assessment from planning, logistics, budgeting, team recruitment, training, coordination with partners.
Support data collection, data analysis and provide timely and quality reports.
Support the dissemination of reports to different audiences to leverage funding.
Identify learning needs and build the capacity of different stakeholders in conducting nutrition assessments and methodologies.
Planning and facilitating technical capacity building and training sessions for government ministries and partner NGOs/UN agencies staff/cluster members as and when required.
Determine the need for other assessments, brief donors and advocate for adequate resource allocation. Lead the development of proposals and budgets to seek adequate funding for assessments to be included in the emergency response.
Support and develop government capacity in assessments.

Infant and Young Children Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E)

These activities are examples of what the IYCF-E Adviser often works on while deployed, but they are adapted to each countries needs:

Lead IYCF-E assessments and advocate for inclusion of IYCF-E in multi-sector rapid assessments.
Support country nutrition cluster/sector to develop an IYCF-E strategy and mapping as required (Breastmilk Substitute, partners).
Ensure adequate coordination for IYCF-E is in place through either establishing and leading or providing substantial support to the IYCF-E technical working group.
Design appropriate and evidence based IYCF-E response plans.
Facilitate and guide monitoring of the Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (BMS), tracking and reporting BMS violations, advise on appropriate use or disposal of confiscated BMS, and advocacy for adherence to global standard for appropriate infant feeding in emergencies.
Advocate for prioritization of the most vulnerable: orphans or unaccompanied infants, the non-breastfed child, new-borns, infants affected by HIV and AIDS.
Assess capacity building needs across partners and develop a plan for meeting these; conduct Training of Trainers (TOTs) for Ministries, train field workers/first responders, hold orientations for stakeholders.
Provide logistical advice (supplies for Mother Baby Areas, BMS kits, Breast Feeding kits).
Integrate IYCF-E into current, new, or scaled up nutrition activities: CMAM, micronutrients; Advise on integration with other sectors (WASH, Food Security and Livelihoods, Child Protection, Health).
Work with the SBC Adviser to develop relevant IYCF-E messages and behaviours to focus on during the emergency response.
Monitor and evaluate IYCF-E activities, including supervison of the quality of Breastfeeding assessments, re-lactation, BMS programming, Behavior Change Communication such as one to one counselling.
Determine need for scale up, brief donors and advocate for adequate resource allocation. Lead the development of proposals and budgets to seek adequate funding for IYCF-E.
Support and develop government capacity in IYCF-E.
Download IYCF-E Terms of Reference (docx)

Community Based Management of acute malnutrition (CMAM)

These activities are examples of what the CMAM Adviser often works on while deployed, but they are adapted to each countries needs:

Provide technical training, strategic advice, and operational support on CMAM implementation and roll out, or on a specific component of CMAM, such as inpatient care.
Work with the government and the nutrition cluster/sector to ensure that training and program start-up is standardized, coordinated among all partners and is implemented in a rapid manner.
Support the MoH and the cluster/sector in the development of CMAM guidelines as needed.
Ensure adequate coordination for CMAM is in place through either establishing and leading or providing substantial support to a CMAM technical working group.
Lead assessments for CMAM establishment or scaling up and advocate for inclusion of CMAM in multi-sector rapid assessments.
Support country nutrition clusters/sectors to develop a CMAM strategy and mapping as required.
Assess CMAM capacity building needs across partners; conduct Training of Trainers (TOTs) for Ministries, train field workers/first responders, hold orientations for stakeholders.
Work with the SBC and IYCF-E Advisers to develop relevant integrated messages and behaviors to focus on during the emergency response that can be integrated into CMAM programs.
Monitor and evaluate CMAM activities.
Determine the need for scale up, brief donors and advocate for adequate resource allocation. Lead the development of proposals and budgets to seek adequate funding for CMAM to be included in the emergency response.
Support and develop government capacity in CMAM.
Download CMAM Terms of Reference (docx)

Social Behaviour Change (SBC)

These activities are examples of what the SBC Adviser often works on while deployed, but they are adapted to each countries needs:

Providing technical advice and operational support on Social and Behavior Change relating to Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF), health, hygiene and nutrition.
Integrate behaviour centred approaches into CMAM and IYCF-E programming.
Provide technical training, strategic advice, and operational support on SBC relating to IYCF-E, sanitation and hygiene and nutrition.
Develop tools and job aids that foster organisational capacity in SBC in coherence with existing national protocols and guidelines.
Support coordination for SBC through either establishing and leading or providing substantial support to in-country partners, Nutrition and WaSH clusters, or SBC technical working groups.
Conduct formative research (often Barrier Analysis) and coach partners and key actors on the use of formative research finding.
Designing appropriate and evidence-based SBC strategies and action plans.
Assess capacity building needs across partners and develop a plan for meeting these; including conducting Training of Trainers (ToTs) for Ministries, train field workers/first responders or holding orientations for stakeholders.
Work with partners to develop integrated SBC messages to respond to evidence-based barriers to practicing behaviours.
Design M&E tools and indicators for SBC activities.
Collaboratively and as needed, develop tools, curriculum and job aids that foster organisational capacity in SBC.

Download the Generic SBC Terms of Reference here

Management of At Risk Mothers and Infants (MAMI)

These activities are examples of what the MAMI Adviser often works on while deployed, but they are adapted to each countries needs:

Assess the feasibility of the MAMI Approach for a given context
Guide integration of MAMI into existing nutrition or health activities
Support in the design of appropriate and evidence based MAMI response/ action plans.
Support in the development of proposals and fund raising activities for MAMI
Assess capacity building needs across partners and develop a plan for meeting these; these may include Training of Trainers (TOTs), frontline worker training for direct implementation or orientation sessions for stakeholders across all sectors.
Facilitate orientations on MAMI for relevant stakeholders
Provide practical and logistical advice (e.g. specification and quantification of supplies for MAMI) for the set-up of MAMI activities.
Support in the development of monitoring and evaluation systems and tools to be used across the MAMI response to ensure quality, consistency and assist comparability and learning
Establish or strengthen mechanisms and services to ensure that children who cannot be breastfeed receive timely and appropriate support in line with international guidance.

Where We Work

The Team

Martha Nakakande
CMAM/IYCF-E Advisor

Martha Nakakande is the CMAM/IYCF-E Advisor of the Nutrition Tech RRT project. She has a MSc in Public Health and BSc in Nutrition and dietetics. She has accumulated over 8 years experience in nutrition and health programs in East, Central and North Africa. The various nutrition positions held have entailed designing and implementing CMAM and … READ MORE

Brooke Bauer
IYCF-E Advisor

Brooke Bauer is the IYCF-E Advisor for Tech RRT. She has a Masters of Public Health from the Nuffield Center for International Health and Development at the University of Leeds, a BSc in Sociology with Geography, is a Remote Emergency Medical Technician, and a breastfeeding counselor. She is also an independent member of the ENN … READ MORE

Alexa Humphreys
Assessment Advisor

Alexandra (Alexa) Humphreys is the Assessment Advisor with the Tech RRT and formerly the Flying Nutrition Assessment and Evaluation Expert for Action Against Hunger. She has multi-regional survey experience, having led or supported assessments in Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bangladesh, Madagascar, Afghanistan, and the Central African Republic. Her expertise includes nutrition assessment … READ MORE

Sona Sharma
SBC Advisor

Sona Sharma is the Tech RRT Social Behaviour Change (SBC) Advisor. She has over twenty-eight years of experience in strategic planning, technical support, research, capacity strengthening, proposal development and implementation of programmes, with a focus on communication and advocacy. Her experience spans the areas of reproductive health, nutrition, newborn care, infant and young child feeding … READ MORE

Alice Burrell
MAMI Advisor

Alice Burrell is the Management of At-risk Mothers and Infants under 6 months (MAMI) Advisor. Previously with Save the Children’s humanitarian surge team, Alice has experience establishing and supporting emergency nutrition programmes in Uganda, South Sudan, the Rohingya response, Syria, Indonesia, Afghanistan and the European Migrant response, with a focus on IYCF-E programming. Alice is … READ MORE

Ben Allen
Deputy Program Director

Ben joined the Tech RRT as Deputy Program Director in July 2019. He works on all aspects of the Tech RRT including each deployment process, project monitoring and evaluation, knowledge and learning work flows, and communications. He comes with over 8 years experience in humanitarian and development contexts largely focussing on monitoring, evaluation, learning and … READ MORE

Andi Kendle
Program Director

Andi is the Program Director for the Tech RRT supporting the whole team as well as working through the request and deployment process with countries in need of technical support. She comes with more than 15 years of professional experience in humanitarian assistance and development contexts, with most of this time working in nutrition, but … READ MORE

FAQ's

Can I access information on Tech RRT in other languages?

Yes we have information currently available in Spanish and French. Accessible on our resources page here

What is the Nutrition Technical Rapid Response Team (Tech RRT)?

The Nutrition Technical Rapid Response Team (Tech RRT) is a partnership between International Medical Corps, Save the Children and Action Against Hunger working in close collaboration with the Global Nutrition Cluster and UNICEF.

The purpose of creating the Nutrition Tech RRT was to improve the quality of nutrition humanitarian response by deploying skilled advisors to fill technical gaps in countries facing a crisis and providing remote support and building the capacity of nutrition partners. This complements the Rapid Response Team Cluster Coordinators (NCC) and Information Management Officers (IMO) of the Global Nutrition Cluster.

The Nutrition Tech RRT consists of four experienced nutrition professionals with proven technical skills in emergencies as well as nutrition expertise: one is expert in Assessment, one in CMAM, one in Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies and one in Social Behavior Change in Emergencies. Advisors can be deployed to work with the nutrition sector/cluster or to individual agencies.

The funding for the Nutrition Tech RRT members is currently provided by OFDA/USAID, Irish Aid and SIDA. All deployment costs are covered by the Tech RRT grant.

What is the duration of a Tech RRT deployment?

Emergency field deployments are normally up to 6 weeks in duration. In certain situations, extensions can be requested as an exception.

What is the criteria and priority for a Tech RRT deployment?

L3/L2 crisis where cluster or sector coordination mechanisms are in place.
Humanitarian Crisis including rapid onset emergency such as natural disaster, civil unrest/war or slow onset emergency as defined by OCHA such as drought, political/economical crisis and global challenges (climate change, food prices, irregular migration).
Countries with limited technical capacity in nutrition in emergencies.

What are the costs associated with a deployment of Tech RRT Advisors?

Cost sharing and cost recovery options are available for countries or organizations wanting to host an advisor. This model enables the Tech RRT to be more sustainable, reach more countries in need and have a greater degree of flexibility to respond in different contexts.

Countries/organizations will contribute to costs when they can but this will not be an impediment to support. Countries that cannot afford to contribute can continue to access support with the costs covered by the Tech RRT grant.

Cost sharing and cost recovery arrangements will be on a case-by-case basis for each deployment, with a cost estimate provided shortly after contacting the Tech RRT.

Depending on the resources that a country/organization has available, the below tiered system will guide cost sharing and cost recovery:

Tier	Financial contribution of the country/organization(s)
Tier 0	No contribution
Tier 1a	Only deployment costs, i.e. flights, per diem, accommodation, visa etc.
Tier 1b	Only adviser salary/fees
Tier 2	Tier 1a plus 1b (i.e. deployment costs and adviser salary/fees)
Tier 3	Tier 2 plus program support costs

Considerations:

If the requesting organization/ country can contribute or cover the costs of a deployment, this will enable the Tech RRT to respond to more countries in need.
Under no circumstances will costs be covered twice (by more than one funding source).
At any point, if cost recovery or cost sharing with the Tech RRT isn’t the best option, the Tech RRT can support to identify other alternatives to meet the needs.

Does a contract need to be issued?

No contracts need to be issued. However, depending on the host agency, a letter of understanding may have to be signed and host agencies security protocols may need to be reviewed prior to deployment.

Also, if a cost sharing or cost recovery arrangement is agreed, the modality for this will be discussed and could entail developing an agreement.

How do you request a GNC Technical Alliance Advisor?

This is very simple, just click here to request support, you will be redicted to the request form, easy and quick to fill in!

Who can request an advisor?

Anyone who needs nutrition technical support in responding to an acute or protracted emergency can request a GNc technical Alliance Advisor. This includes: Local and International Non-Governmental Organizations, Health Ministries, Nutrition/Health Clusters/Sectors/Coordination platforms or any agency on the ground who identifies a need. Advisors can be deployed to work with the nutrition sector/cluster and benefit the entire response or to individual agencies to improve quality, scope and reach of their nutrition emergency response.

Global Nutrition Cluster Technical Alliance Technical Support Team

What is the GNC Technical Alliance?

Examples of areas of Technical Expertise

Where We Work

Ethiopia

South Sudan

Turkey/Syria

Yemen

Mozambique

Niger

Nigeria

Haiti

Iraq

East Africa

Somalia

DRC

Bangladesh

Serbia/Greece

Uganda

Afghanistan

Central African Republic

Jordan

Mexico

Angola

Zambia

Venezuela

Zimbabwe

Myanmar

Global level

Bolivia

Ukraine

Honduras

Vietnam

Palestine

Nicaragua

India

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Kenya

LACRO

Liberia

Malawi

Pakistan

Sudan

The Team

Martha Nakakande CMAM/IYCF-E Advisor

Brooke Bauer IYCF-E Advisor

Alexa Humphreys Assessment Advisor

Sona Sharma SBC Advisor

Alice Burrell MAMI Advisor

Ben Allen Deputy Program Director

Andi Kendle Program Director