Addressing Severe Malnutrition and Empowering Communities
Haiti is the most impoverished country in the Western Hemisphere and one of the poorest countries in the world, with 80 percent of the population living in poverty. The devastating earthquake in 2010 drew the world’s attention to the many challenges facing Haiti, including malnutrition. One in three children in Haiti suffer from malnutrition.
Addressing Severe Malnutrition and Empowering Communities
Food supplies and other foreign aid provide short-term relief – but can’t solve the long-term challenges of severe malnutrition and poverty. That’s why Abbott and its foundation, the Abbott Fund, are teaming up with Partners In Health (PIH) to try a new approach. By combining the unique expertise and resources of a global health care company and a leading nonprofit organization, this partnership will empower Haitians to create local, sustainable solutions to severe malnutrition, while helping to strengthen long-term economic development.
Addressing Severe Malnutrition and Empowering Communities
Abbott, the Abbott Fund and PIH are working together as part of a $6.5 million partnership to build a nutritional food production facility in Haiti to significantly expand local production of Nourimanba, a highly nutritious, peanut-based ready-to-use therapeutic food used to treat severe malnutrition in children.
Addressing Severe Malnutrition and Empowering Communities
The initiative also aims to empower local communities by supporting local farms and promoting economic development. Haitian workers will handle facility construction, and Haitian farmers and workers (above) also will handle most of the production of Nourimanba, from start to finish.
Addressing Severe Malnutrition and Empowering Communities
Abbott nutrition engineers and scientists like Dan Schmitz (left) are joining PIH staff in supporting all aspects of the project, including sharing expertise and training to develop the skills of local workers.
Addressing Severe Malnutrition and Empowering Communities
Haitian farmers harvest peanuts, the main ingredient in Nourimanba. In central Haiti, PIH works with more than 200 Haitian farmers who supply peanuts. Increasing the production of Nourimanba will further strengthen local communities by expanding agricultural development – helping to rebuild a stronger, more economically independent Haiti.
Addressing Severe Malnutrition and Empowering Communities
Haitian workers sort peanuts by hand to prepare for Nourimanba production. Nourimanba is made from peanuts combined with milk powder, oil, sugar and a specially formulated vitamin mix. It is ready to eat and does not require mixing with water or refrigeration.
Addressing Severe Malnutrition and Empowering Communities
Haitian workers roast peanuts on gas stoves to prepare for Nourimanba production.
Prior to the opening of the new facility in 2012, Abbott food science experts are working with PIH to improve peanut sorting, roasting and other aspects of production to expand output and ensure high product quality and safety.
Addressing Severe Malnutrition and Empowering Communities
Ground peanuts are mixed with other ingredients to produce Nourimanba. Pictured here, a worker fills a Nourimanba container by hand.
Addressing Severe Malnutrition and Empowering Communities
Abbott architects survey the future site of the PIH nutritional production facility in central Haiti. Abbott experts in science, engineering, quality, manufacturing and other areas will help to design and construct the facility.
Addressing Severe Malnutrition and Empowering Communities
Architectural drawing of the new PIH nutritional production facility in central Haiti. Groundbreaking for the new facility is planned for mid-2011, and the facility is expected to begin operations in early 2012.
Addressing Severe Malnutrition and Empowering Communities
Ready-to-use therapeutic foods like Nourimanba have dramatically improved health outcomes for children with severe malnutrition.
Addressing Severe Malnutrition and Empowering Communities
Working together, Partners In Health and Abbott hope to expand the production of Nourimanba to reach tens of thousands more of Haiti’s children suffering from severe malnutrition.
Longer term, the team hopes to introduce a new model of sustainability – by helping Haitians develop and sell nutritious foods such as peanut butter – with the profits supporting the continued production and free distribution of Nourimanba.
Addressing Severe Malnutrition and Empowering Communities