Learn how we use evidence-based behaviour change campaigns to improve and save lives in low-income countries.
Learn about how DMI brings together two different worlds: demonstrable scientific practice and creative storytelling.
Location Early childhood development
The first years of a child’s life are critical for brain development, yet many families lack access to the knowledge and support needed to provide the nurturing care that stimulates early childhood development (ECD).
As part of the Jamii ni Afya project, DMI is working with D-tree to develop digital information, education, and communication materials for community health volunteers (CHVs) and caregivers in Zanzibar. The series of culturally tailored videos are integrated into the Jamii ni Afya mobile app – a digital tool used by all CHVs in Zanzibar – to strengthen and standardise the delivery of ECD counselling during home visits.
Tanzania
Early childhood development – play and communication techniques, responsive caregiving
5 x short live-action films uploaded onto the Jamii ni Afya mobile app
We worked with D-tree from October 2024-April 2025. Hosted on the Jamii ni Afya mobile app, the videos will be a permanent resource for community health volunteers in Zanzibar.
This project aims to reach the 2,300 CHVs who serve approximately 1.9 million people in Zanzibar.
Science
DMI’s previous work on the Malezi II project demonstrated the effectiveness of video-based content in improving ECD outcomes in Tabora, Tanzania. An external evaluation found that the intervention, which included mass media, educational video content, and counselling from healthcare providers was associated with significant improvements in ECD parenting knowledge and behaviours. Among healthcare workers, another evaluation showed that the use of the videos was associated with improvements in proving nurturing care counselling.
Now, through D-tree’s Jamii ni Afya project in Zanzibar, this proven approach is being applied to a new cultural context. The videos are integrated into the Jamii ni Afya mobile app – a digital platform used by all 2,300 CHVs in Zanzibar. This allows CHVs to deliver consistent, evidence-based ECD guidance to caregivers during home visits, helping bridge gaps in access and strengthen the quality of care provided to 1.9 million people.
Stories
During the Malezi II project, DMI produced a series of engaging videos to promote ECD in Tanzania. Recognising their value, D-tree invited us to adapt this content for Zanzibar’s cultural context, which is majority Muslim. We partnered with a local production team and worked closely with local families to ensure that the visuals reflected everyday life across the islands. The new films focus on play, communication, responsive caregiving, inclusion of children with disabilities, and father involvement – using storytelling to spark meaningful change in homes and communities. The videos also feature a local CHV, making the content feel both relatable and authentic. By watching a peer model how to communicate with families, CHVs are better equipped to deliver ECD messages with confidence and clarity during their own home visits.
Saturation
To reach as many caregivers as possible, DMI’s videos have been embedded within the Jamii ni Afya mobile app which is used by all CHVs in Zanzibar. These healthcare workers meet families in their homes, using the app to guide conversations and demonstrate caregiving techniques in real time. Whether reinforcing the importance of play or encouraging greater involvement from fathers, the visuals bring ECD practices to life in an accessible and memorable way, for both CHVs and caregivers. This allows key messages to travel far – through personal connection, backed by trusted digital tools.
This work is part of D-tree’s Jamii ni Afya project, funded by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.