A billion dollars and two thousand lives, every day. This impactful study, which is the foundation for Alive and Thrive’s online tool, examines the human and economic costs of not breastfeeding.

This study suggested that supportive social and political environments can play an important role in empowering women, which in turn advances human rights and promotes health and well-being of individuals, households, communities, and countries.

Mothers in the rural Boucle de Mouhoun Region of Burkina Faso had low levels of knowledge of IYCF and practices, according to this study: 60% of children had the minimum meal frequency, while only 18% benefited from the minimum dietary diversity and 13% received minimum acceptable diet.

Despite recent improvements in maternal and child health, death rates for children under 5 remain high. Efforts must be made to attain the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals for health and hunger.