When you think back to the most significant days of your life and the special childhood moments you hold dear, you probably don’t remember much from your first 1,000 days. But the first 1,000 days — from the early stages of pregnancy to age two — are the most fundamental in a child’s physical, social and cognitive development.
They are the window of opportunity for achieving a child’s full potential.
Proper nutrition to both mom and baby is more important during this time than any other. However, millions of children every day do not get the nutrition and care they need within their first two years. More than six million children under age five die each year, and while that number is declining, an increasing proportion are in sub-Saharan Africa.
One in ten children in sub-Saharan Africa dies before the age of five, with 44 per cent of deaths occurring in babies less than one month old.
With adequate nutrition in the first 1,000 days:
- more than one million lives will be saved each year
- the human and economic burden of tuberculosis, malaria and HIV/AIDS and the risk of other chronic conditions like diabetes will be significantly reduced
- children’s educational achievement and earning potential improves
- a country’s GDP increases by two to three per cent annually
If you’d like to give moms and babies a great start in the first 1,000 days, click here to donate!
Supporting moms and babies in the first 1,000 days is a critical focus on CFTC’s work. Some of the most important initiatives underway include:

Providing nutrition education and access to nutritious food so parents can feed their families, like here in Alto Lima (Bolivia).

Giving moms and babies pre- and post-natal care, including nutritional assessments and supplements where needed, such as this micro-nutrient feeding program in Haiti.

Supporting community gardens, tree nurseries and climate-smart agriculture for nutrition, income and environmental benefits, as shown here in Upper West Region, Ghana (part of the CHANGE project).

Distributing food in ECD and primary schools so that hungry children have at least one nutritious meal a day, including here in a Canadian school lunch program.
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To feed & nourish children
Donate Now
Give a one-time donation and join a global community in the fight against child hunger. You can dedicate your donation in memoriam or in honour of a loved one.Donate Monthly
Give monthly to feed children daily. Our Everyday Hero monthly giving program incurs the lowest admin costs, ensuring more of your money goes to where it's needed the most.Give a Gift
Give a tangible gift such as a community garden, school meals or a community soup kitchen to help families become food secure.Sponsor a Child
Sponsor a child to provide children with better nutrition and education while livelihood initiatives help their parents and communities to create long-term, sustainable change.