Surging Interest from International Development Community in Meds and Food for Kids’ Localized Model

Delegations Tour Humanitarian NGO in Haiti that Reduces Hunger Despite Funding Challenges and Chaotic Conditions

CAP-HAITIEN, HAITI, February 28, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Meds and Food for Kids (MFK) recently welcomed three international delegations of development experts seeking to understand how a localized development model drives the continued production and distribution of lifesaving ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) while also improving the local economy.

MFK produces and distributes RUTF and supplements, having treated more than one million malnourished children, pregnant and nursing mothers. The organization has trained more than 6,000 local farmers, who grow peanuts for RUTF production using sustainable farming practices, and help drive the community’s economy.

“Our proven localized development model has worked for more than two decades in one of the most chaotic environments in the world,” said Chris Greene, Chief Executive Officer. “We welcome visits from the international development community to explore localization as the best path forward for international aid and the most direct way to save children.”

“Resilience and agility are built into our DNA,” said Remenson Tenor, Chief Operating Officer, who manages the team of nearly 100 in Cap-Haitien. “Operating safely and successfully despite natural disasters, political upheaval and gang violence, has actually made us stronger.”

Since late 2024, three delegations have arrived in Cap-Haitien to tour the organization’s RUTF manufacturing facility and meet with its agronomists, clinical outreach teams and logistics managers.

After a recent visit, UNICEF published “Haiti’s greatest defense against malnutrition is crafted within its own borders,” illustrating MFK’s immediate and tangible effect on children’s lives.

“Haiti is strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of its fight against malnutrition. Behind every box of RUTF lies a clear mission: to save lives while strengthening the local economy,” according to UNICEF.

Other organizations that recently visited MFK in Cap-Haitien include: World Food Programme, European Commission of Humanitarian Aid (ECHO); European Commission for International Partnerships (INTPA); International Financial Corporation (IFC); and the Head of Cooperation from the Canadian embassy in Haiti.

“The local production of such a critical tool to both prevent and treat malnutrition was another clear reminder of Haiti's homegrown capacity to address essential needs and build a stronger tomorrow,” said Ivy Kuperberg, Country Officer, Haiti and the Bahamas for the International Financial Corporation.

Learn more by attending the next “Update from Haiti” Zoom briefing:
Wednesday, March 5, 2025 from 12 Noon to 1:00pm CST (1:00pm - 2:00pm EST)
CEO Chris Greene and COO Remenson Tenor will provide an update on:
-Federal Funding Cuts
-Impact of MFK's Localization Model
-Developing Partnerships
Register for Update from Haiti

About Meds & Food for Kids
Meds & Food for Kids (MFK) has treated over 1 million malnourished infants, toddlers, school children, and pregnant and nursing mothers with Ready-to-Use Therapeutic and Supplemental Foods produced at our Haitian factory.

These therapeutic and supplemental foods (Plumpy'Nut, Vita Mamba, and Plumpy'Doz) are made by Haitians, using Haitian peanuts. The products remain shelf stable for 24 months; are able to be administered by a parent or caregiver; and follow the highest international quality standards and recipe protocols set by global producer network PlumpyField with Nutriset.

Our solar-powered factory in Cap-Haitien is managed and operated completely by a Haitian team dedicated to saving Haiti. We believe in locally-led solutions for sustainable change that interrupts the cycle of poverty, the root cause of hunger.

MFK provides education and support to small plot Haitian farmers to increase the quality and yield of their peanut crops, training more than 6,000 farmers in total. We purchase these peanuts for producing therapeutic foods, and continue to support these farmers after training so they can successfully feed their families and communities.

MFK partners with more than 150 Haitians clinics, schools, and humanitarian agencies, including UNICEF and World Food Programme.

See more information at mfkhaiti.org
B-roll video and interviews from Haiti and US representatives are available on request.

Christi Tennyson
Meds and Food for Kids
+1 314-420-1634
ctennyson@mfkhaiti.org
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Haitian Resilience and Localized Model that Works: 1 million malnourished children, pregnant and nursing mothers treated with RUTF; 6,000 local farmer trained