Fit to Prosper: How Health, Nutrition, and Early Childhood Development Can Power Growth in Western and Central Africa

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/immersive-story/2026/06/29/western-central-africa-fit-to-prosper?cid=ECR_E_NewsletterWeekly_EN_EXT&deliveryName=DM285629 A child's future does not begin at birth. It is shaped during the first 2,000 days — from conception through age 5 — when maternal care, nutrition, early stimulation, and the strength of the health system shape brain development and physical growth. But the opportunity does not end there. Adolescence offers a second critical window to protect gains, support girls’ health and nutrition, and prepare the conditions for young people to learn, work, and thrive in parenthood. This is at the heart of a future-fit health strategy for Western and Central Africa: investing early, sustaining support through adolescence, and building the human capital that will determine whether a generation drives economic growth or faces preventable setbacks.