With the plight of children in Malawi back in the news (thanks Madge!), a little part of me hopes some extra attention will go the way of the groups working to help fight malnutrition in the poverty-stricken African country.
It's never boasted a pointy cone bra, but Project Peanut Butter is a trendsetter in its own right. Created by Mark Manary, M.D., a pediatrician at St. Louis
Children's Hospital and a professor of pediatric medicine at Washington
University School of Medicine, the non-profit has revolutionized feeding protocols for malnourished kids in Malawi.
The miracle drug? Peanut butter, a paste that's easy to swallow, rich in nutrients, high in protein and lipid dense. Dubbed "ready-to-use therapeutic food," peanut butter can be stored for months with no refrigeration without spoiling. It doesn't need to be cooked (so homes without gas or electric can use it). And it can be easily transported by truck to the rural villages of Malawi, where seventy percent of the children go hungry every day.
Until recently, twenty-three percent of children in the country died before their fifth birthdays (unless, of course, a mega-celebrity swooped in to rescue them). Thanks to Project Peanut Butter, that number is dropping.
Since most of us can't pull a Madonna, Project Peanut Butter accepts donations to help the kids.
Image: Project Peanut Butter
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