Fighting Hunger and Malnutrition among Children in Colombia

According to UNICEF, malnutrition is a contributing factor in one-half of all cases of child mortality in developing countries. In Colombia, more than 5 million children live in poverty and are at risk. Many go without food for days at a time.

Club Rotario Bogotá-Laureles, a local chapter of Rotary International, started a program to fi ght hunger and malnutrition among Colombian children through the nutritional advantage of soybeans. In 2004, a Monsanto Fund grant of $100,000 helped to build, stock, and staff 50 community-based soybean-processing plants throughout Colombia. In 2005, an additional $150,000 was awarded to expand the program to 150 plants, feeding soybean-enriched meals to more than 35,000 children a day. Through this program, the nutrition of impoverished children in Colombia is steadily improving, benefiting their health and improving their chances for future success.

$250,000
Overall, the Monsanto Fund has awarded $250,000 to Club Rotario Bogotá-Laureles to improve nutrition in Colombia.