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Vitamin Angels Goes to El Salvador - Day 1

September 13, 2011 This morning we were greeted not just by our wonderful in country partners, but by a big box of prenatal multivitamins (thank you Andrew Lessman and ProCaps!) in the back of their van that were coming along with us to the villages. I couldn’t help but smile. It’s always heartening to know that our vitamins have made it to the far reaches of the world.

This is Vitamin Angels’ first visit to our projects in El Salvador. We are being hosted by our implementation partner MAP International (Kipp Branch from flew in from Georgia to meet us) and their terrific in-country partner FUSAL. Carlos, FUSAL’s Executive Director, and Francisco, the Country Director for El Salvador, are serving as our tour guides, drivers, and translators. We’re also pleased to have Karen and Beth from our donor partner Vitol along for the journey - Beth won a space on the trip after volunteering to shave her head as part of fundraising event last month! Vitamin Angels’ Corporate Services Manager, Maureen and our resident photographer, Matt Dayka are here too.

Vitamin Angels - El Salvador

We headed out to Soyapango first thing, to the Clinica el Carmelo, a major health care facility run by Carmelite nuns about half an hour away. Sister Isabel (with a beautiful endless smile on her face) showed us around. The clinic serves a catchment of about 1 million people and their 33 doctors see over 72,000 patients a year. All patients get charged $3 per visit regardless of whether they need a check up, a prescription or x-rays. The hospital offers a full spectrum of services, everything from Ob-Gyn to Pediatrics, to X-rays, CAT-Scans (it’s true, the first hospital we’ve seen in the developing world in 17 years with this technology), and a full pharmacy (we saw our Vitamin A capsules – a donation from partners DSM, Ocean Nutrition and Natural Factors) well stocked on the shelves).

Dr. Marilu, a Pediatrician and Neonatologist, told us that chronic malnutrition is still a significant problem; about 50% of the children under 5 suffer from vitamin A deficiency, almost 20% are anemic and about 25% are stunted. Most distressing is that parasites (worms) technically know at Soil-transmitted Helminths (STH) are at a very serious level. The Doctor estimated that 80-100% of the children she sees have parasites (which definitely contribute to vitamin A deficiency, malnutrition and stunting).

Dr. Maretza, the head of Ob-Gyn was proud to tell us that the hospital has only lost 2-3 babies in the last year (a big improvement).

Vitamin Angels - El Salvador

This afternoon, Kathy Guadalupe greeted us when we arrived to the clinic at Residencial Libertad, a planned community of hundreds of homes built after the earthquake in 2001. She happily told us that they had only lost one mother in childbirth in the past 8 years, quite an accomplishment. She also showed us a chart indicating that teen pregnancy has declined from 51% in 2008 to 20% this year.

Roxanne Viera a nineteen year old mom, told me that her daughter Andrea (now 3) had parasites when she brought her to the clinic last year. Roxanne knew something was wrong because Andrea would sleep all the time, had constant stomach pain, and would often throw up after eating. Andrea improved quickly after taking antiparasitics and is now a feisty and very energetic youngster.

In many ways El Salvador is still recovering from the1972 military coup and the civil war in the 1980’s. Poverty and violence still plague the country. Gangs are a major problem and graffiti covers most walls in San Salvador. Still we were encouraged by the progress FUSAL is making and by the kind people and dedicated health workers we have met. Tomorrow we are off early to the rural villages. I’m looking forward to meeting more mothers, babies and children! Upwards! Howard Schiffer, President

Thu, 9/15/2011 - 11:21pm

- Kim Saam

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"Be the change" by Tori Sung

Vitamin Angels is pleased to welcome guest blogger Tori Sung to our blog. Tori, a high school student from Canada, found out about our cause and was inspired to learn more and get involved. Tori recently volunteered at the Calgary Wellness Festival in Alberta, Canada in which all of the proceeds went to Vitamin Angels. Over the summer, she also traveled to Kenya, through a youth volunteer program, and saw firsthand the effects of undernutrition on some of the populations Vitamin Angels targets. Look for more blog postings by Tori as she shares her experience in Kenya, her passion for global health and her fundraising efforts for Vitamin Angels!

Hi! My name is Tori Sung and I’m a 16-year-old entering my senior year of high school in Toronto, Ontario. When I first heard about Vitamin Angels a few years ago I was really intrigued and checked out their website to find out more. I have always been interested in global health issues. Although health is outlined as a human right in the UN Declaration of Human Rights, it is not treated as one, but instead is seen as a privilege in most areas of the world. I think this is a huge injustice as health has a direct impact on, and is the foundation for, a person’s ability to learn, to work and to be an active member within their community. Although I had previously heard of vitamin supplements, it was the first time I understood their importance, especially to young, malnourished children. Since then I’ve been eager to get involved in the cause and do what I can to give back.

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." -Dr. Seuss (The Lorax)

Vitamin Angels - Tori Sung

For 3 weeks in July I traveled to Kenya and lived in a community called Eor Ewuaso. To call it a once in a lifetime experience would be a HUGE understatement. Not only did I get to experience things from a tourist perspective like getting close to many exotic animals (I got to kiss a giraffe!) or taking photos at the top of the Great Rift Valley, but I also saw and experienced firsthand what the lives of the locals were like.

The first few days I did a “water walk” with some of the local mamas. I carried an empty jug down to their water source, a nearby river, and then the filled jug back to their homes. The walk to the river was ridiculously hard. The pathway to the river seemed like an obstacle course full of ditches, sharp plants and huge, pointy rocks. Not to mention that the women in these communities do this walk about 4 times a day and are at an even greater risk when it gets dark and they become easy targets for many dangerous animals.

When we finally reached the river I was absolutely horrified to see how dirty the water was.

Of course I had learned about how most African communities do not have access to safe drinking water, but the dark colour of the river was way beyond what I had even imagined. There was debris floating in the water and my Maasai guide explained that the only way the water became a little clearer was when it rained but because of the drought, the water was dirtier than ever.

Vitamin Angels - Tori Sung

These women still dutifully filled their jugs and placed a rope/bandana attached to the jug around their heads. When I first put the full jug on my head I had never felt a more intense pain. I like to think of myself as pretty athletic and strong but the walk back was probably one of the most difficult things I’ll ever do. It pulls on your head and neck and the awkward way I had to bend to be able to walk seemed unbearable. I was able to take turns with my friends while these women have to carry their own jugs the entire way. Watching the strength and perseverance of these women (especially that of the girls who were younger than I) as they carried their jugs was amazing.

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Mohandas Ghandi

Vitamin Angels - Tori Sung

Check back for more blogs by Tori!

Tue, 9/13/2011 - 9:20am

- Nikki Heeren

posted in Vitamin Angels | Child health | Get Involved

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Meet the Team: Phoebe Hitchman

Name: Phoebe Hitchman

Nicknames: Phoebs and Phoebemouse

Furry family members: Presently none, though hopefully that will change in the near future.

What I do all day at work: I provide support to our President and Founder, Howard Schiffer, through coordinating his travel, assisting with his speeches, and ensuring he’s where he’s supposed to be when he’s supposed to be there. I also coordinate all of Vitamin Angels’ global observational trips to visit in-country grantees, and additionally I act as the go-to person for individuals interested in donating product to Vitamin Angels for use in our global programs.

Food: I’m usually pretty happy with most fresh, local and vegetarian options!

Travel to: I’d like to make it to Asia in the next year, especially India.

Music: I love folksy acoustic music, with a little bluegrass thrown in.

When I was little I wanted to be: A professional soccer player or the owner of an old-fashioned ice cream parlor.

Everyday I: Surround myself with people who enrich my life, and try to remember to breathe.

I find inspiration in: Nature of any form, but especially the trails of the Santa Barbara front country.

If I could have a super power it would be: The ability to fly.

I love my job because: I get to make a difference in the lives of million of children worldwide, while being surrounded by an amazing team of coworkers who on a daily basis inspire me.

Words of wisdom: “I always prefer to believe the best of everybody, it saves so much trouble” – Rudyard Kipling.

Favorite Vitamin Angels picture and/or field story: My favorite Vitamin Angels image was captured in a rural village in Kenya in 2009. To me it resonates strength and joy, and depicts the evolution of a young girl as she embarks on the path of becoming a woman. It warms me to know that our work will support her and her children in the future.

Mon, 9/12/2011 - 10:02am

- Nikki Heeren

posted in Vitamin Angels | Child health | Staff

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Yoga for Vitamin Angels

Thanks to Loren Schaeffer from Nature’s Best, sun salutations and warrior poses resulted in more than just personal strength! Over the summer, Loren held two yoga classes at Green Flash Yoga studio in San Diego, which raised $400 for Vitamin Angels, enough to help save the lives of 1,600 children. We love how Loren and his yoga friends just gave the Child’s Pose a whole new meaning!

Vitamin Angels - yoga fundraiser

Start your own fundraiser for Vitamin Angels>>

Fri, 9/9/2011 - 9:33am

- Nikki Heeren

posted in Vitamin Angels | Vitamin A | Child health | Get Involved

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Saving hundreds of thousands of lives

The British Medical Journal recently released a review estimating that vitamin A could save 600,000 lives each year. The review assessed 43 studies of over 200,000 children and found that vitamin A supplementation can reduce all cause mortality by 24%. Researchers point out that with 190 million children around the globe affected by vitamin A deficiency, this means supplementation could save hundreds of thousands of lives per year (an estimated 600,000).

The evidence was so compelling that researchers said further studies that involved placebo trails (where half the children do not receive vitamin A) would be unethical. Researchers concluded that “National and regional supplementation programmes could be among the world’s most cost effective public health interventions” and until long-term solutions are available, “Policymakers should continue working to provide supplements for all children at risk of deficiency, particularly those in low and middle income countries.”

Read full article>>

Learn about Vitamin Angels' international vitamin A campaign>>

Fri, 9/9/2011 - 8:58am

- Nikki Heeren

posted in Vitamin Angels | Vitamin A | Child health

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“Relevance of Continuation of Universal Vitamin A Supplementation Program in India”

In a letter to the editor published in Indian Pediatrics, the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) responded to an issue being raised in India regarding discontinuing universal vitamin A supplementation for children under five. The article points to data from the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB) which shows “The prevalence of clinical vitamin A deficiency (VAD) has declined considerably in India, as compared to previous years. However, this decline was not uniform throughout India [and] the national level prevalence (0.8%) was still higher than the figures recommended by the WHO (≥0.5%).”

Despite various supplementation programs, including "The National Program for Prevention of Nutritional Blindness" initiated in India in 1970, "the vitamin A status of pre-school children continues to be very poor." Research shows that “The median vitamin A intakes of 84% of pre-school children were not even 50% of their RDA.” The article points out that because “much progress has not been achieved” by long-term interventions such as sustainable food-based approaches, “the decision to stop supplementation of vitamin A to pre-school children should not be taken hastily, as depriving vitamin A during formative years may detrimental in terms of morbidity and mortality.”

In 2011, Vitamin Angels is focusing on building internal capacity with the intent of expanding our coverage in priority countries like India. We will continue to strengthen our ability to identify and vet local partners worldwide and will undertake independent program monitoring and evaluation to insure the effectiveness and sustainability of local nutrition projects.

Wed, 8/31/2011 - 8:34am

- Nikki Heeren

posted in Vitamin Angels | Vitamin A | Child health

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Photo update from Myanmar

We recently received new photographs from the Shanta Foundation, our in-field partner in Myanmar. Together we are reaching 1,000 children with vitamin A and 59 pregnant and lactating women with multivitamins. Vitamin A and multivitamins for pregnant and lactating women are delivered by midwives as they work with women and their families through Shanta village clinics.

“The vitamins make a huge difference for pregnant and lactating women and give the infants born in our villages in the past years a much stronger beginning to their lives.” -Tricia Karpfen, Shanta Foundation.