ARUSHA KIDS TRUST
Action for growth and education
SUSTAINABLE 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 fruit, vegetables and meat on a regular basis. It was reasonable to assume all the SAO children were malnourished.
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On Kathy's return to Australia she approached her contacts and asked them to contribute monthly to this program.
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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 nutritious food including fruit, vegetables and meat. Oranges and carrots are purchased; these are rich in Vitamin A.
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SAO now has access to land where crops can be grown. Some of this was gifted, and some of it is rented. The staple crops of rice, maize and beans are grown on this land. Arusha Kids Trust assists with money for harvesting and transport of crops to the SAO store.​
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BECOME A SUSTAINABLE FOOD PROGRAM (SFP) DONOR​
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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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