| Name of Non-Profit Organization * | Lesotho Nutrition Initiative |
| Today’s Date: * | Friday, August 16, 2019 |
| Organization’s website | https://www.lesothonutritioninitiative.com/ |
| EIN / 501(C)(3)Number * | 81-4871502 |
| What year did your organization receive it’s non-profit status? * | 2017 |
| Address * | 
115 Monteray AveOakwood, OH 45419 United States |
| County * | USA |
| Your Name * | Scott Rosenberg |
| Your Title * | Executive Director |
| Your email address * | srosenberg@wittenberg.edu |
| Your Phone Number | (937) 259-4119 |
| Executive Director’s Name * | Dr. Scott Rosenberg |
| Executive Director’s email address * | srosenberg@wittenberg.edu |
| What is the mission of your organization? | |
| Lesotho, is one of the thirty poorest countries in the world, with an HIV prevalence rate of 25.2%, and the highest per capita death rate from HIV of any country in the world. According to the UN, in a country of roughly 2.1 million people, the HIV/AIDS pandemic has helped create a situation in which there are 360,000 orphans living in the mountain kingdom. Additionally, due to poor soil and other climatic conditions, Lesotho only produces about 10% of its own food. These two crises combined led to the government’s proclamation that 550,000 children were facing severe malnutrition and stunting (As of writing this letter nearly 40% of all the children in the country still suffer from severe malnutrition). The impact of malnutrition robs children of their future potential, which is something that none of us should accept. Because Lesotho is not well known, it receives little help from the outside world, that does not mean that its problems are any less significant, or its people any less important.
The Lesotho Nutrition Initiative provides meals containing nutritional supplements to children in Lesotho who have been diagnosed as suffering from severe/chronic malnutrition and stunting. The meals we provide are proven not only to halt malnutrition but to also reverse the long-term effects. Most of the 3,500 children who receive our meals on a daily basis are under the age of 5, we target this age group as 95% of our cognitive development (brain growth) occurs during this time. Without proper nutrition their brains will not fully develop, robbing them of their full human potential. Many of the children who receive our meals are also HIV positive and many are orphans as well. |
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| Which social causes (up to 3 choices) does your agency address through its programming? * |
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| Any comments about your selections you would like to share with the student philanthropists? | The meals we pack are distributed to 21 centers in Lesotho by the World Health Organization and Catholic Relief Services. The meals are distributed to 21 centers which include rural health clinics, pre-schools, orphanages, and community centers. Because the Lesotho Nutrition Initiative has no paid staff, and no rent to pay, 100% of the funds we collect go directly tom paying for the raw materials used to make the meals and for the shipment of the meals to Africa. Each meal costs 15 cents. |
| Does your organization have volunteer opportunities available for students? * | Yes, Grades 9 – 12 |
| List possible volunteer opportunities -or- a link to where they can be found on the web. | The Lesotho Nutrition Initiative hosts packing events at area schools and churches. We would love to come to your school and help you pack meals at your school. A typical pack lasts 2-hours and can produce anywhere from 20,000-30,000 meals depending on the number of volunteers (typically 80-100). |
| Volunteer coordinator | scott rosenberg |
| Volunteer coordinator’s email address | srosenberg@wittenberg.edu |
| Volunteer coordinator’s phone number | (937) 259-4119 |
