Vitamin Angels, a non-profit organization designed to fight malnutrition and childhood blindness around the world, has partnered with the Us Foundation, Humanity in Unity and Airline Ambassadors International to launch a humanitarian program designed to save the eyesight of young children, and to improve the health and welfare of families in 11 poor villages in Nandi Hills near Bangalore, India.
The first mission will take place in mid November 2006 and serve approximately 12,500 children and families. Subsequent trips are scheduled to take place every six weeks.
"This program directly aligns with our mission at Vitamin Angels to help individuals from being disabled by easily preventable illnesses and blindness that can leave them unable to live healthy, independent lives," stated Howard B. Schiffer, founder and president, Vitamin Angels. "We are pleased to be working with these wonderful organizations to help the people of these communities gain the skills, knowledge and resources they need to improve their overall health."
This program will include educating the community in this impoverished area about nutrition, hygiene and sanitation. Local health care workers will be trained to issue anti-parasitic medicine to heal widespread parasite worm-related illnesses, as well as distribute essential vitamins needed by children and lactating mothers to ensure normal growth and vision development. School supplies, hygiene kits and newborn kits will also be distributed.
