HEALTHY MOTHERS AND HEALTHY BABIES IN BANGLADESH

Dear Friends,

On behalf of Poverty Eradication Program (PEP) and the poor mothers and under-5 children benefiting from the “Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies in Bangladesh” project, we provide some updated information on this special and exciting project for the poor.

PEP began this project in 2014 in its 9 sub-districts in four districts of Bangladesh. The medicines are provided free of cost by Vitamin Angels of Santa Clara, California, USA and distributed to the rural poor free of cost. At the request of Vitamin Angels, PEP readily agreed to work as a lead agency to help smaller and medium-sized NGOs to also obtain the medicines for the poor of their working areas. There were 9 partner NGOs in 2017. There are now 23 partners in 2018 and an estimated 38 partners for 2019.

In 2018, it is estimated that 15,000 under-5 children would receive vitamin-A capsules. Children aged 6-12 months receive a smaller dose and then children aged 1-5 receive a larger dose twice per year. In 2019 it is estimated that 19,500 children, who are missed by the national vitamin-A distribution program would receive this help. In 2018, 73,000 under-5 children are expected to receive two doses each of albendazole (anti-worm medicine), while the number of children in 2019 might grow to 88,000.

Since a high percentage of poor women suffer from malnutrition and anemia, provision of multivitamins to them is critical so that they can give birth to healthier babies and breastfeed them adequately. In 2018, 12,960 mothers are expected to regularly receive multivitamins. This number of mothers would increase to at least 15,000 in 2019.

From posting the project “Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies in Bangladesh” on the GlobalGiving website on March 1^st, donations of $4,826 have been received from 25 donors (30 donations) as of May 24^th. PEP, our partner NGOs, the field workers who distribute the medicines and the beneficiary poor mothers, babies and all family members are deeply indebted to your generosity.

THANKS so much for your generosity for the poor!

On behalf of PEP, its partners and poor:

Mizanur Rahman Khan

Deputy Director

Poverty Eradication Program (PEP)

Photo descriptions:

The first photo shows a mother with her husband and two children in Netrokona. The mother receives multivitamins to help her provide milk for the younger child. Both children receive vitamin-A capsules to prevent blindness and 6-monthly doses of anti-worm medicine.

The 2nd photo shows another poor women of Netrokona with her husband and three children. She receives daily multivitamins to overcome anemia and help her breastfeed for her youngest. The two younger children receive vitamin-A capsules and anti-worm medicines.

The 3rd photo shows a mother in Nikli upazila of Kishoregonj with her three children. The bottle of multivitamins in her hand has helped her give birth to the little one in her hand and provide him with sufficient milk. The two younger children are helped with vitamin-A capsules and anti-worm medicine.

The 4th photo shows Dr. Reza, a PEP Board Member, providing training to representatives of partner NGOs. This year PEP is working with 23 partner NGOs to help them provide the medicines (multivitamins, vitamin-A capsules and anti-worm medicine) to poor women and under-5 children of their working areas. 15 additional partner NGOs will be added in 2019.