MANA Receives $250,000 Commitment
BENTONVILLE, AR, Feb. 25, 2010 — MANA received a private $250,000 commitment toward its plan for production of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) in Rwanda. Through March 31st, MANA is working to match this amount from its broad support base.
In 2009, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame declared emergency action against malnutrition after visiting a rural health center. Subsequently, the Rwanda Ministry of Health conducted a nationwide survey of children under five to determine the extent of malnutrition. After surveying an astounding 78% of the nation’s children under five, the Ministry found approximately 1.5% of the children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. UNICEF estimates that 26,000-34,000 children under five in Rwanda suffer from severe acute malnutrition every year. Worldwide, approximately 20 million children are afflicted by the disease annually.
MANA plans to establish production of RUTF in Rwanda by the end of 2010 to serve at least 20,000 children per year. RUTF is part of the globally-endorsed protocol for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition as detailed in a joint statement by the World Health Organization, World Food Programme, UNICEF, and the UN System Standing Committee on Nutrition. A six-week regimen of RUTF has proven highly effective in treating children with severe acute malnutrition.
To contribute toward the MANA challenge, please visit www.mananutrition.org/donate.