The USAID Micronutrient and Child Blindness Project

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In the nutrition-related project, From Vitamin A to Zinc (A2Z), ANERA works

  • to create and monitor standards for fortifying Palestinian wheat flour,

  • spread the word about the importance of nutrients,

  • monitor consumer awareness, and

  • persuade other food industries to introduce fortified products.

Our professional health staff in the West Bank manages this branch of the USAID-funded Academy for Educational Development micronutrient project.

Studies conducted by USAID have shown that fortifying wheat flour with various nutrients, such as iron and zinc, will greatly improve the nutritional status of the Palestinian population, especially among women and children.

ANERA works with the Ministry of Health of the Palestinian Authority to introduce the practice of wheat fortification into the Palestinian food industry. The A2Z project offers financial and technical assistance to mills in the West Bank, involving local businesses in the fortification process to create sustainable programs that decrease Palestinian dependence on foreign aid.

ANERA is providing technical assistance and complementary support for the design, regulation, implementation, marketing, supervision, and monitoring and evaluation of food fortification practices in the West Bank. All of this work is coordinated with the Palestinian public and private sectors, international agencies and non-profits involved in food fortification initiatives. In the long term, the program will promote nutritional education to encourage good dietary habits and healthy life styles among disadvantaged communities.

This program ultimately will have a wide reach into large segments of the population. Wheat flour fortification is of particular importance because the economic, social and environmental situation in the West Bank poses daily challenges to families trying to eat a healthy diet. When the overall situation for families finally improves, fortification will continue to benefit Palestinians for years to come.