While here at home we constantly debate the merits of supplementation in underdeveloped nations ….
One third of all childhood deaths are caused by undernutrition. We can change that. For young children, essential nutrients help build the foundation for good health and the opportunity to lead meaningful and productive lives.
Vitamin Angels is dedicated to reducing child mortality worldwide by advancing availability, access and use of essential nutrients to newborns, infants and children under five. 
A panel of world-class economists assembled by the Copenhagen Consensus recently analyzed cost-effective solutions to the world’s ten biggest challenges. The result? Micronutrient supplementation ranked as the #1 global priority. The global picture.
Essential nutrients have an enormously high cost to benefit ratio. In 2008 it was estimated that $60 million a year could provide vitamin A and zinc to 80% of the world’s then 147 million vitamin A deficient children. Each dollar spent on supplementation creates benefits worth more than 17 dollars. Better health, fewer deaths and increased future earnings add up to benefits of more than $1 billion yearly.
Why supplementation?
Food-based approaches are difficult to implement on a global scale. Micronutrient programs are an affordable and successful intervention that helps children break the cycle of poverty now.
How can you help?
To reach the most vulnerable age group, our cost is approximately $1 per child for the first five years of life. You can join us in our effort to reach the children who need our help. We focus on two main programs that ensure maximum impact: Vitamin A.
An estimated 190 million children suffer from vitamin A deficiency (VAD) worldwide, a major underlying cause of child mortality and blindness around the world. However, with a simple, cost-effective vitamin A capsule each six months we can prevent VAD blindness and reduce under-five child mortality by 23%.
Essential multiple micronutrients, or multivitamins, reduce the effects of undernutrition and malnutrition in children under five. Our program offers infants and children the nutrients they need to grow up healthy, increasing their potential for educational and economic achievements in life. Learn more >>. I just wanted to follow up with you and see if you would be able to help us promote an exciting new campaign we have coming up this year for retailers.
This campaign is called Reaching the Unreachable day. We are asking retail stores (both online and physical) to join us on June 18th by contributing a percentage of sales from that one day to help support our mission and ensure we reach 20 million children this year with vital nutrients!
I can provide you with the campaign logo and more information. I would also make sure that you received recognition on our site, new hope’s site and in a thank you ad in Natural Foods Merchandiser.
