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The Challenge

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) affects 190 million preschool children and 19 million pregnant women around the world, with regions in Africa and South-East Asia being affected the most.^[3]

In Zambia, like many developing countries, vitamin A deficiency largely affects pre-school children, pregnant and lactating mothers, and the rural poor.^[8]

For these children, a lack of vitamin A causes severe visual impairment and blindness. In addition, the deficiency significantly increases the risk of severe illness, and even death, from common childhood infections.^[3]

For pregnant women, vitamin A deficiency can result in night blindness and a marked increase in the risk of maternal mortality.

Food fortification and dietary diversification have all been employed in various forms to provide vitamin A supplementation. Unfortunately, these strategies have been prohibitively expensive, not so much in the production of the supplements, but in their delivery to rural areas. Specifically, "last mile" delivery.