A recent report by the World Bank identifies the influential role of grandmothers in indigenous cultures, and suggests they should be key actors in development programs aimed at promoting maternal and child health. The authors of the report, which was published in the February 2006 issue of Indigenous Knowledge Notes, point to the success of "grandmother-inclusive methodology," a five step approach created by U.S.-based NGO, The Grandmother Project. Project managers who use this methodology have found that the direct involvement of grandmothers in development projects has uniformly correlated with greater success in achieving health-related program goals, such as treatment of infant diarrhea, improved infant nutrition, and increased rates of pre-natal consultations. The study concludes that "given the wide-ranging role they play and their influence and intrinsic commitment to promoting the well-being of women and children, [grandmothers] should be viewed as key actors in development programs."
