ARUSHA KIDS TRUST
Action for growth and education
SUPPLEMENTARY FOOD PROGRAM (SFP)
HOW IT STARTED
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Kathy Green was a volunteer at the SAO in 2014.
Towards the end of her stay Kathy took three of the children to the local clinic, where one of them was diagnosed with Vitamin A deficiency. The doctor advised all three children were showing signs of malnutrition. The doctor recommended the children receive milk, fruit and vegetables, meat and eggs on a regular basis. It was reasonable to assume all the SAO children were malnourished as they shared a basic diet of rice, beans and maize.
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On Kathy's return to Australia she approached her contacts and asked them to contribute $10 per month. In 2014 this amount was sufficient to provide a child with the recommended nutritious food for an entire month.
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Vitamin A Deficiency
The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that: “For young children, lack of vitamin A causes severe visual impairment and blindness, and significantly increases the risk of severe illness, and even death, from such common childhood infections as diarrhea disease and measles.
Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children. An estimated 250,000 to 500,000 vitamin A deficient children become blind every year, half of them dying within 12 months of losing their sight.“ www.who.int/nutrition/topics/vad
Many countries in Africa, including Tanzania, have taken steps to try to eradicate this deficiency with the support of WHO, UNICEF and other international agencies. Providing Vitamin A rich food supplements can significantly lower the disease and mortality rate.
THE FOOD
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The program commenced in December 2014. Food was purchased from the Central Market in Arusha and delivered to SAO. In 2018 AKT established an MOU with SAO in which money is transferred to the SAO bank account weekly for the purchase of supplementary food.
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Each week sufficient food is purchased for every child to have 2 eggs, a serve of meat, 300 ml milk, 3 serves of fruit and several serves of vegetables. Oranges, pawpaw and carrots are supplied; these are rich in Vitamin A.
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From December 2014 to September 2020 there were 300 weekly deliveries.
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COST OF THE PROGRAM
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In 2020 there are 60 children living at SAO. In the year 2020-21 the cost of the food supplied is around $A 135 per week or $A 7000 per annum.
BECOME A SUPPLEMENTARY FOOD PROGRAM (SFP) DONOR
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Despite the success of the program, we are always in need of new donors.
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If you would like to become a regular donor to the SFP by donating $15 or more a month please contact us by clicking on the blue "Contact Us" button or by email to arushakidstrust@gmail.com. All donations made in Australia are tax deductible.
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SFP donors can make monthly EFT payments or an annual payment to the AKT bank account.
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