Vitamin Angels Goes to Laos

Vitamin Angels’ President, Howard Schiffer, is headed to Laos on February 11th with our favorite photographer, Matt Dayka, and some new friends from Sanofi-Aventis.

Vitamin Angels is working with our in-country partners, Give Children a Choice, to reach over 24,000 children under 5 in the Xieng Khouang province of Laos (approximately 100% of that population!).  By reaching children under five with daily multivitamins we anticipate: 

i) reduction in stunting, anemia, vitamin A deficiency, and chronic malnutrition

ii) reduced clinic visits and hospitalization and increased school attendance, and 

iii) decreased morbidity and/or mortality rates.

Be sure to check back regularly for updates from field, stories, photos and videos of our beneficiaries and partners!

Laos' History

Laos is one of the least developed countries in Asia.  The country, and particularly the Xieng Khoung province, was the scene of the ‘Secret War’ in the 1960’s and ‘70s. It is one of the most severely bombed areas in history. The existence of a large number of UXO’s (‘unexploded ordnance’ similar to land mines) throughout the country presents significant safety risks. As a result, agriculture remains underdeveloped leading to inadequate food supply and high rates of undernutrition. Among children under 5, 68.3% are stunted and 41.4% are underweight. Under-five child mortality is 70 per 1000.

daily itinerary:

During their time in Laos, the group will visit some of the villages where the children live, the preschools that GCAC has built and where the multivitamins are distributed.  The may also participate in meetings with some local officials and members of the Ministry of Health.

February 11, 2011 - Travel Day: 

• Depart Santa Barbara -> LAX - > Tokyo

February 12, 2011 - Travel Day: 

• Tokyo -> Bangkok

February 13, 2011 - More Travel!

• Bangkok -> Vientiane -> Xieng Khouang
• Meet up with our travel partners from Sanofi-Aventis and our hosts at Give Children a Choice.

February 14, 2011 -

• Meet with Department of Education
• Observe vitamin distribution at Lantngorn preschool
• Meet with the Provincial Health Department
• Observe vitamin distribution at Lathsene preschool

See the latest photos from the field!>>

February 15, 2011 -

• Travel from Phonsavan east to Nong Het
• Visit UXO Laos, a bomb removal firm
• Observe vitamin distributions at Khang Khay, Namgor and Thacok
• Visit Tham Pui Cave

February 16, 2011 -

• Travel to Nong Het
• Observe vitamin distribution at Nong Het Tai village preschool and Houay Ki Ling village preschool

Read the first Notes from the field!>>

February 17, 2011 -

• Observe vitamin distribution at Dindam village preschool
• Travel back to Phonsavan

See the latest photos from the field!>>
 

February 18, 2011 -

• Travel South to Monk Mai
• Visit health center at Phosy preschool
• Visit villages in Khoun (Phouvieng) on the way to Monk Mai
• Observe vitamin distributions in Monk Mai villages

February 19, 2011 -

• Travel to Thathorn
• Visit health center at Thathorn
• Observe vitamin distributions in Thathorn villages

February 20, 2011 -

• Visit Plain of Jars
• Visit villages on the way back to Phonsavan

February 21, 2011 -Travel Day

• Xieng Khouang -> Vientiane
• Vientiane -> Bangkok
• Overnight in Bangkok 

Read the latest Notes from the Field>>

February 22, 2011 - Travel Day

• Bangkok -> Toyko
• Tokyo ->Los Angeles
• Los Angeles -> Phoenix
• Focus on the Future!  Vitamin Angels to be awarded the Humanitarian Award at tonight's dinner!

See the latest photos from the field!>>

special thanks:

To our partners at sanofi-aventis for coming along on this adventure!

To the companies below who donated product to make our work in Laos possible, and to all of our financial contributors who support projects like this one all around the world.

To the F. Dohmen Foundation for providing a grant to cover program expenses in 2010.