Nutrition International (organization) facts for kids
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| Founded | 1992 |
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| Founder | International Development Research Centre |
| Focus | Healthcare, education, nutrition |
| Location | |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Revenue
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$42,586,795 (2016) [USD] |
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Employees
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76 head office, 256 worldwide |
Nutrition International is a group from Canada that helps kids and families around the world. They work to stop people from getting sick because they don't have enough important vitamins and minerals. This group used to be called the Micronutrient Initiative.
These vitamins and minerals are called micronutrients. Even though your body only needs a tiny bit, they are super important! They help you grow, keep your eyes healthy, and fight off sickness. For babies growing inside their mothers, micronutrients help their brains and bodies develop properly.
When people don't get enough of these micronutrients, it's called a deficiency. It's a type of malnutrition and a big health problem, especially in poorer countries. More than two billion people around the world don't get enough vitamins and minerals.
How Nutrition International Started
In 1990, leaders from around the world met at the World Summit for Children. They set a goal to get rid of micronutrient deficiencies almost completely.
To help reach this goal, the Micronutrient Initiative was created in 1992. It started as a small group within the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
In 2000, the Micronutrient Initiative became its own independent organization. This meant it could make its own decisions and work even more directly to help people. In 2017, the group changed its name to Nutrition International. This new name better shows all the different ways they help improve nutrition around the world.
What Nutrition International Does
Nutrition International works to make sure people get the vitamins and minerals they need. They do this in several ways:
- They encourage and help countries add iodine to salt.
- They give out special powders with many different micronutrients.
- They help add vitamins like vitamin A, iron, and folic acid to common foods like wheat flour.
- They also provide supplements of vitamin A, iron, zinc, and folic acid.
Since 1997, with help from the Canadian government, Nutrition International has given out over eight billion doses of vitamin A. These doses are used by groups like UNICEF and governments to help children stay healthy.
Nutrition International is also known for working with businesses and trade groups. They help these companies understand how they can play a part in improving nutrition for everyone.
Where Nutrition International Works
Nutrition International has a team of experts, including scientists and nutritionists. These people work on policies and development to make a difference.
Their main office is in Ottawa, Canada. But they also have offices in many other countries around the world. These include:
