Twelve Africans die every minute as a result of hunger and malnutrition. Since it began in 2003, GAIN has awarded grants to support large scale national food fortification and infant and young child nutrition programs in Africa. Grants cover activities including development of policy and legislation, training in fortification and quality assurance and control, purchase of vitamin and mineral premix and fortification equipment and support of product development and marketing.

Learn more about GAIN's activities and programs in Afghanistan.

According to UNICEF, every year 38 million children are born at risk of impaired mental abilities due to iodine deficiency. Their mothers’ diets during pregnancy did not contain enough iodine. Iodine deficiency robs the future generation of its mental capacity to perform well in school and lead healthy and productive adult lives. Iodization of all salt for human and animal consumption (Universal Salt Iodization - USI) is the simplest, safest and most inexpensive intervention to ensure an adequate iodine intake.