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Who are we?
Fortify Health is an organisation that, based on external evidence and internal research, prioritises micronutrient deficiency as a significant public health issue that can be addressed both effectively and cost-effectively: through fortification of staple foods. We address the issue of iron deficiency anaemia, B12 deficiency and neural tube defects in Maharashtra and West Bengal, India, by fortifying wheat flour with iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid.
Our organisational strategy is driven by the values of effective altruism, with the aim of achieving the highest possible impact through evidence. In other words, our aim is to implement an intervention that is cost-effective, effective and uses backing of rigorous evidence to address public health issues. |
What did we set out to do?Fortify Health’s founding team received initial funding from Charity Science, with the aim to set up an iron and folic acid fortification initiative that may eventually meet GiveWell’s rigorous standards for the most effective charities.
The first phase involved setting up operational systems, reading literature on supplementation and fortification, developing a knowledge base, talking to fortification experts, pinpointing several potential approaches, and selecting a project location. In May 2018, we received our first GiveWell Incubation Grant to work on wheat flour fortification in Maharashtra and West Bengal, India. The second phase involved hiring our first team, developing key partnerships, and implementing fortification. We are currently expanding our operations to further mills in Maharashtra and West Bengal, as well as providing technical support on fortification. At present, we are scaling up implementation. |
Mentorship |
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Throughout the startup process, we received strong mentorship from Joey Savoie, CEO and Co-founder of Charity Science: Health, an India-based organisation working on SMS vaccine reminders. He is currently CEO of Charity Entrepreneurship, where he supports the set-up of NGOs that will implement evidence-based, effective and cost-effective interventions.
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