2019 CAMPAIGN
In 2019, the Mothers' Day Movement passionately rallied to support Edesia's groundbreaking mission to combat childhood malnutrition worldwide. As we go about our daily lives, over 255 million young children suffer from some form of malnutrition. About 55 million of those children have acute malnutrition, a dangerous medical condition requiring interventions beyond what diets in poor developing countries provide. Edesia produces a Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) called Plumpy’Nut®, a lifesaving peanut butter-based paste that can rehabilitate a severely malnourished child under 5 in just 8 weeks.
Our campaign raised over $100,000 allowing us to fill a container with 1,000 boxes of Plumpy’Nut® and save around 1,000 severely malnourished children.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
“I was overwhelmed with emotion when we saw over $100K of donations flow in through the Mothers' Day Movement campaign. These shipments of Plumpy'Nut are going to transform the lives of thousands of malnourished children because so many came together to give the gift of life instead of the usual flowers and Hallmark cards.”
- Navyn Salem, Founder
ADDRESSING ACUTE MALNUTRITION
The Problem
Every 11 seconds a child dies from severe malnutrition. Few hear about it in the mainstream media, unless a famine is declared and hits the ever-changing news cycle. Malnutrition relates to hunger but is more a result of a lack of essential nutrients in the daily diet. Growing children need to consume about 40 unique vitamins and minerals with every meal to develop into their full potential. The lack of dietary diversity, rooted in poverty, conflict, and/or natural disaster, dooms a large swath of the world's children to a life of limited cognitive and physical development, leading to bleak and often miserable outcomes in all areas of life. The hope of a bright and prosperous world for everyone, therefore, depends on more healthy and vibrant children everywhere.
MORE THAN A FACTORY
The Solution
Imagine a world where every child is well nourished.
1. The Challenge & Innovation
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The Pre-Edesia Era: Prior to the 1990s, addressing child malnutrition effectively was nearly impossible.
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Breakthrough Solution: Nutriset's introduction of Plumpy’Nut®, a portable, fortified peanut paste requiring no refrigeration or water, revolutionized malnutrition treatment.
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2. Edesia's Founding Journey
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Navyn Salem's Vision: Moved by malnutrition's impact in Tanzania and beyond, Navyn Salem, a mother from New England, founded Edesia in 2009.
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Partnership with Nutriset: Despite no background in manufacturing, Salem partnered with Nutriset to establish Edesia as a nonprofit social enterprise.
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3. Impact & Outreach
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Manufacturing Lifesavers: Edesia’s Rhode Island factory, led by CEO Navyn Salem, produces a range of Ready to Use Foods (RUFs).
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Global Reach: In collaboration with community health networks, these RUFs, including Plumpy’Nut®, have reached over 8 million children in 50 countries since 2010.
4. Continuing the Mission
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Ongoing Efforts: Edesia remains committed to its mission, continuously working to reach more children and further combat global malnutrition.
THE PROOF
Sanaica — Sanaica from Haiti is just one example of millions of what life after Plumpy’Nut looks like for a severely malnourished child. After Sanaica’s mother died of tuberculosis, her father didn’t know how to care for her. She got so sick, her desperate father took her to a community health clinic, where she was diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition, a life threatening medical condition. She received the gift of lifesaving Plumpy’Nut for free and as a result recovered her life and good health very quickly.
WHAT WE DID TOGETHER
With the funds raised from hundreds of people who joined the Mothers' Day Movement to shift gift-giving on Mother's Day, Edesia managed to fill a container with 1,000 boxes of Plumpy’Nut, reaching and saving 1,000 severely malnourished children. Together, we made a significant impact on childhood malnutrition in honor of our mothers, sisters, aunts, and friends.
Together, We Raised
$105,000
Children Saved
1,000