DSM and Herbalife are providing 20m micronutrient sachets to a campaign to tackle maternal and
infant malnutrition – with Ethiopia and Kenya the first ports-of-call.
The Future Fortified project – announced this week in New York City at the Clinton Global Initiative – will deliver
the 20m sachets to Horn of Africa, where it is estimated about 12m people are at risk of disease due to
malnutrition compounded by regional conflicts, drought and escalating food prices.
The campaign is headed by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and the 1000 Days Partnership
which focuses on improving nutrition during the first 1000 days of a child’s life. GAIN said malnutrition kills 3.5
million under-5s each year, “and impairs hundreds of thousands of growing minds”.
Expanded reach
GAIN executive director, Marc Van Ameringen, said the project sought expansion in both reach and partners.
“As we kick off the Future Fortified campaign, we are eager to engage individuals, businesses and organizations
to prevent malnutrition around the world, particularly for the most vulnerable populations of women and
children,” he said at the launch attended by Hilary Clinton.
Of the initiative US Senator Hilary Clinton said: “We helped create a public-private partnership called 1000 Days
to improve nutrition during the critical period in human development from the start of pregnancy through a
child’s second birthday, when adequate nutrition can have a life-changing impact on a child’s future.”
“The 1000 Days partnership in turn supports the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) movement, which encourages
increased commitment to and alignment of nutrition investments at the country level.”
A Herbalife spokesperson told NutraIngredients this morning that it was the first time his company had engaged
in a philanthropic mission of such scale – with previous efforts confined to partnerships with organisations
promoting infant and children’s nutrition in 66 countries.
“At this stage we are providing financial support for the project but are looking to identify where we can add
further value,” he said.
The MixMe powder sachets are provided by DSM and contain vitamin A, iodine, iron, zinc and folic acid.
“DSM is committed to help alleviate micronutrient deficiencies around the world, especially among those women
and children most in need,” said DSM’s managing board member, Stephan Tanda.
“Working in partnership with GAIN and Herbalife through the Future Fortified campaign, we will help address
today’s crisis and highlight to policy makers and the public at large the importance of nutrition for the sustainable development of healthy and productive societies.”
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