PROBLEM
According to UNICEF, Over 2.5 million children between ages 0-5 are suffering from acute malnutrition in Nigeria. Anemia, child blindness, goiter, High sugar blood, diabete2, Congenital malformations , birth defects; physical and mental impairments, child stunting, are due to lack of sufficient amounts of nutrients in our food. On the other hand, Nigeria is still the second largest contributor to under-five mortality in the world with annual death of about one million and about half of the death is due to malnutrition and inadequate access to foods fortified with Vitamins and minerals.
SUMMARIZE VENTURE
WE-SERVING is a Social Enterprise which uses Low cost innovations and smart logistics to provide very affordable fortified foods to tackle malnutrition in vulnerable children and grown-ups, especially in low income households and Rural Community of Nigeria while reducing poverty through value chains and employments.
SOLUTION
Increasing micro nutrients content in foods by fortification means adding vitamins and minerals to them during processing and or bio-fortification is one of the most cost-effective strategy to fight against malnutrition.
Our unique model is to work out fortified local food products accustomed and commonly consumed in specific regions of the country, same with other countries we're scaling Up to. For example, fortified Cassava (Garri) in south-western states, fortified millets powder in the North and fortified corn and cereals meal for infants. We also develop farms and a crowd funding model to farm raw materials.
METHODOLOGY
Increasing micronutrients content in foods by fortification meaning adding vitamins and minerals to them during processing and or bio-fortification is one of the most cost -effective strategy to fight against malnutrition. We have developed a unique technology and low cost innovation to achieve this. by combining afltoxin mitigation through aflasafe technologie which use biological control of non-poison producing strains called atoxigenic to fight poison producing called toxigenic.. For example combining Fonio-Gari-Maize-sweat potatoes to produce typical flour fortified with micronutrients for diabetes 2 and Improving the quality of fortified corn soya blend by adding baobab fruits to increase bio availability of iron are our innovations.
SOCIAL BENEFITS
1. Our fortified staple foods are being in used to strengthen nutritional support and helping to maintain the immune system and sustain healthy levels of physical activity.
2. Our fortified foods helps to increase Learning capabilities and working abilities of children and adults.
3. Our idea Contributes to achieving WHO/Unicef Global target 2025 to improve maternal, infant and young child nutrition
4. Our idea also supports the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3) and the Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Child and Maternal Mortality.
5. Our Idea helps to solve the problems of; Stunting :40% reduction in the number of children under 5 who are stunted -2 Anaemia Iron deficiency anaemia :50% reduction of anaemia in women of reproductive age -3 Low birth weight: 30% reduction in low birth weight -4 Overweight :no increase inchildhood overweight 5 Breastfeeding: increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months up to at least 50% -6 Wasting .Severe acute malnutrition reduce and maintain childhood wasting to less 5%
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