Solar-Energy Archives - Meds & Food For Kids

2024: Record-Setting Year

Melissa George — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Expanding Impact, Transforming Futures

2024 was a challenging year for Haiti. Half of the country’s population is at Crisis or higher levels of food insecurity, and more than 1 million Haitians are displaced due to ongoing violence.

At the same time, it was an impactful year for Meds & Food for Kids, setting records that give us hope for 2025.

We partnered with the World Food Program to expand work with more than 600 Haitian farmers, over half of which are women, to combat food insecurity in Haiti. This partnership allows us to triple the farmers trained annually, and this partnership will continue in the coming year. By training even more Haitian farmers to improve crop yields, we further strengthen food systems so more families can be fed.

Solar energy at the factory has reduced MFK’s carbon footprint by nearly 400 tons of CO2 emissions. Two years after installation, the transition to solar allows the MFK Haiti team to produce treatments without the worry of diesel availability. In October, our factory team set a production record of 19,000 treatments that month.

We celebrate Meds & Food for Kids reaching the ONE MILLION TREATMENTS milestone! More than one million malnourished children and mothers have been treated with therapeutic and supplemental foods produced in our Cap-Haitien factory! Our generous supporters and Haiti team made this achievement possible and we are so grateful.

Our 2024 accomplishments highlight the impact and power of localization. MFK’s dedicated Haiti team transforms futures for Haitian families and communities, and continues to work towards sustainable change for a stronger Haiti. Thank you for your support of their critical work!

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Reflecting on 2023

Melissa George — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Friends,

2023 is coming to a close, and as we reflect on the year we are proud to share some of Meds & Food for Kids’ key milestones:

This year was MFK’s 20th anniversary. Children saved in the organization’s early years are now young adults, whose talents would have been lost to malnutrition two decades ago without treatment.
Our factory in Haiti is now using solar energy instead of diesel. This has enabled MFK to produce more therapeutic foods with additional shifts, and so far has reduced over 211 tons of CO2 emissions.
In May MFK produced a record 15,000 treatments for severely malnourished children.
We hosted our first annual “Zero Hunger: Doing What Works” forum featuring author Roger Thurow discussing solutions for the global hunger crisis.
CEO Chris Greene and COO Remenson Tenor hosted the first MFK Zoom calls to share updates about the work in Haiti.‍

This is possible thanks to donors who support MFK’s work to save lives and transform futures.

Over 20 years, we have treated more than 900,000 malnourished children and mothers. Together, we can reach 1 million.

Thank you for an incredible 2023. We look forward to seeing what we can achieve together in 2024.

Mèsi anpil,
Chris Greene, CEO
Remenson Tenor, COO
Dr. Patricia Wolff, Founder

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Solar Saves Lives

Melissa George — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Solution Soleil: Solar Saves Lives

Ten years ago, MFK opened its Cap-Haitien factory where approximately hundreds of metric tons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) is produced each year.‍

The need for a sustainable energy source was apparent: to save as many lives as possible, MFK began a Capital Campaign in 2021 to bring solar power to the factory. We are proud to announce that we have now achieved this goal, and a newly-installed solar array now provides nearly 100% of the factory’s energy!‍

From hand-powered, to diesel, to solar: a look back‍

In Haiti, energy is not a guarantee. When MFK started making Medika Mamba, no electricity or machinery was available. Peanuts for RUTF were ground with a hand grinder. Then a bicycle wheel, motor, and later a car generator grind peanuts more efficiently.‍

MFK developed new ways to meet the demand for Medika Mamba. The team was working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to produce larger volumes of RUTF.‍

Soon, MFK gained the attention of UNICEF and other global organizations wanting to purchase Medika Mamba. A small-but-mighty operation was no longer sufficient, so MFK began raising money to build a factory. The Cap-Haitien factory was finally operating in 2012, powered by a diesel generator.‍

Operations ran smoothly, RUTF was being made and distributed across Haiti and 17 other countries. However, in 2021 Haiti fell into a state of disarray due to the COVID-19 pandemic, political unrest, an earthquake, and on top of it all, a shortage in diesel fuel. Production at the factory suffered as a result.‍

Knowing the uncertainty of using diesel for energy, MFK had a solution. In 2021, a Capital Campaign was launched to raise $1.5 million for “Solution Soleil” to bring solar power to the factory. While the campaign progressed MFK’s factory team persevered through more challenges, and nearly doubled production despite nationwide shutdowns in 2022.‍

March 29, 2023: Solution Soleil brings a brighter future to MFK and Haiti, with the installation of a solar array with 680 solar panels! Diesel shortages and other obstacles will no longer prevent MFK’s production of Medika Mamba, and as a result, more malnourished children will be saved.‍

This year, MFK is on track to save the lives of over 100,000 children. The introduction of solar power to the factory will make a sustainable, life-changing difference for malnourished children and mothers in Haiti and around the world. Meds & Food for Kids is extremely grateful for the immense showing of support through Solution Soleil to save lives and transform futures.

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