Become a World Changer – Join Us
Others, Growth , SupportContributed by: Thrive for Good
The Problem Thrive Solves:
The single biggest health challenge today is unequal access to nutrition. 2 billion people – including 1 in 3 children – aren’t getting enough life-giving nutrients to reach their full potential and fight disease.
The problem is “hidden hunger” — a chronic lack of vitamins, minerals and micronutrients only whole foods can deliver.
Hidden hunger shows up in wealthy countries where packaged and fast foods are cheaper than fresh fruits and vegetables.
Sadly, hidden hunger happens mostly in poor countries, where the first priority is to get food in bellies, and “nutrition” means meal after meal of processed, white grains and corn. Because even among farming families in the world’s poorest countries, people aren’t growing nutrient-dense foods.
But developing brains and bodies are hungry for vitamins and minerals. Without real nutrition, children never get a fair chance. They can’t thrive and their immunity isn’t strong enough to fight infection.
In fact…
– 45% of deaths in children under the age of 5 are related to poor nutrition
– 150.8 million children under 5 (22% globally) have stunted growth because of malnutrition
– 50.5 million children under 5 are wasted and ~38 million are overweight — two sides of the same poor nutrition problem
Hidden hunger keeps people from escaping extreme poverty. It causes kids to miss school. It keeps adults from work when they’re chronically ill. And it orphans too many children.
The diseases caused by hidden hunger cost the poor too much to treat — if they have access to healthcare at all.
And the burden of disease from hidden hunger limits global efforts to end extreme poverty. Because nutrition is a basic need and only when it’s met can people thrive.
The Solution:
Until now, a whole foods diet has seemed out of reach for the poor. That’s because we’ve come to see food as a cost and healthy food as a luxury.
But the best conditions for growing health — and the greatest opportunity for change — are found in some of the world’s poorest regions.
With knowledge, simple tools, and starter seeds, people who can’t afford to buy healthy food can grow their own Life Gardens.
It costs only $15 to empower 1 person to grow health, organically and sustainably — for life. And when people can take their health in their own hands, they can take their first steps out of poverty.
Become a World Changer, Join Us