DSM via its think tank Sight and Life and Vitamin Angels have worked together since 2006 to passage vitamin A to children in about 40 developing nations. Now, as Sight and Life expands into broader nutrition issues, Vitamin Angels will control the programmes.
“Effective immediately, all enquires regarding requests for vitamin A capsules or assistance for catalysing locally sustainable vitamin A supply and distribution systems will be channeled through Vitamin Angels,” DSM said.
“Through this partnership, Sight and Life seeks to further consolidate and strengthen the capacity of local NGOs to distribute vitamin A capsules.”
Vitamin Angels president and founder, Howard Schiffer, said of the new arrangement: “The close collaboration with Sight and Life will strengthen our collective ability to reach especially those children 6-59 months experiencing vitamin A deficiency who reside in families at the bottom 30% of the income pyramid, by more formally aligning and drawing upon the respective core strengths of each organisation.”
Sight and Life director Klaus Kraemer addedf: “By extending the partnering with Vitamin Angels, Sight and Life further strengthens local supply and distribution capacity, mobilizes communities and governments, fosters the creation of public-private partnerships to combat, in particular, vitamin A deficiency, and improves the lives of millions of children and women.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that vitamin A deficiency affects 190m children, with xerophthalmia, an eye disorder that can develop into blindness in children, a common side effect.