Sight and Life

A humanitarian initiative for better nutrition and improved wellbeing

SIGHT AND LIFE, a humanitarian initiative of DSM, works with global and local partners and leading universities to sustainably and significantly improve human nutrition and health by encouraging partnerships, the generation and exchange of scientific information, and network building.

SIGHT AND LIFE was founded in 1986 by the pharmaceutical company F. Hoffmann La Roche to help combat vitamin A deficiency in developing countries. Over its more than 20 years of operation, SIGHT AND LIFE has invested over USD 30 million to support humanitarian and scientific projects.

On acquiring Roche’s vitamin business in 2003, DSM continued to foster the initiative in its fight against all forms of micronutrient deficiency. DSM is the world’s leading supplier of vitamins, carotenoids and other fine chemicals for industry.

In our commitment to improving human nutrition and wellbeing throughout the world, SIGHT AND LIFE has shifted its emphasis from SIGHT to LIFE. Two major issues of focus are:

• The ‘double burden of malnutrition,’ caused by malnutrition in all its forms – particularly in childhood – and lack of physical activity, which leads to increased childhood mortality or a high risk of chronic disease in later life.
• Nutritional anemia, the most common micronutrient deficiency disorder, affecting approximately 2 billion people worldwide.

SIGHT AND LIFE works to increase awareness of micronutrient deficiencies (also known as hidden hunger) as real and present threats not only to public health but also to education and economic growth.

Malnutrition is still a cause of over 50 percent of deaths among children under five years of age, killing directly in synergy with infectious diseases; those who survive may suffer from lasting effects that reduce their ability to achieve their full intellectual and physical growth potential.

According to the World Bank, the financial costs of malnutrition in poor countries may be as high as 3 percent of their GDP. In contrast, better nutrition improves people’s health and leads to economic growth.

SIGHT AND LIFE works with universities and non-government and government organizations on research and projects to help improve micronutrient nutrition in developing countries. Since its founding, the initiative has supported around 3,000 projects in over 80 countries in Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America.

SIGHT AND LIFE’s activities focus on two areas of assistance:

• Knowledge Creation and Diffusion
• Supplementation and Home Fortification

SIGHT AND LIFE constantly strives to increase understanding and awareness of the role micronutrients play in promoting human health and wellbeing, and to ensure that this knowledge is widely available and accessible. To facilitate this, we support scientific research, award training and education grants, and provide educational materials.

Our activities in knowledge creation and diffusion aim to meet the knowledge and information needs of health workers, scientists, government and NGO representatives, and the media. SIGHT AND LIFE Magazine, our flagship publication, serves to increase knowledge on micronutrient nutrition and health, and to disseminate relevant information and scientific news.

Other key resources we have made available to partners and other organizations and individuals seeking information include manuals on vitamin A deficiency disorders and nutritional anemia as well as a documentary on the double burden of malnutrition.

SIGHT AND LIFE also organizes workshops and conferences, such as the 2006 Nutritional Anemia Workshop held in Barcelona. More information on SIGHT AND LIFE events can be found at www.sightandlife.org.

Through Supplementation, children, women and other groups most at risk of deficiencies regularly receive vitamins and minerals in the form of tablets or capsules. Since its founding in 1986, SIGHT AND LIFE has provided vitamin A, mostly in the form of capsules, for supplementation projects in developing countries.

For Home Fortification, powdered vitamin and mineral mixtures are individually packaged for use by beneficiary households when preparing their own meals or as part of school feeding programs. This novel approach has great potential to improve micronutrient status and health as well as control nutritional anemia among children.

• 'Our vision is to ensure sustainable and significant improvement in human nutrition, health and wellbeing;
• SIGHT AND LIFE encourages partnerships, the exchange of scientific information and the creation of networks in the fight against micronutrient deficiencies (hidden hunger);
• SIGHT AND LIFE is involved in research and projects on pressing health issues related to hidden hunger, e.g. nutritional anemia, double burden of malnutrition.'

"SIGHT AND LIFE's donation of micronutrient premix allowed the World Food Programme to produce over 5,000 metric tons of fortified biscuits – which we then distributed to those left most vulnerable by the Indian Ocean Tsunami: children, new mothers and the elderly. Without your help, we would not have been able to reach those most in need with life-saving and nutritious food " - James T. Morris, World Food Programme Executive Director

In 1991, SIGHT AND LIFE received the Spirit of Helen Keller Award in recognition of our work to help eradicate vitamin A deficiency in developing countries.

In 2003, the International Vitamin A Consultative Group (IVACG, now known as the Micronutrient Forum) presented an award to SIGHT AND LIFE for 15 years of contributions to global vitamin A deficiency research and control.

In 2007, the Micronutrient Forum recognized and honored SIGHT AND LIFE for its long-standing commitment to alleviating micronutrient malnutrition around the world.

Contact
SIGHT AND LIFE
Dr. Klaus Kraemer
Secretary General
PO Box 2116
4002 Basel, Switzerland
Phone: +41 61 688 7494
Fax: +41 61 688 1910
Email: klaus.kraemer@sightandlife.org
www.sightandlife.org