Pre-emptive Nutrition for SAM & MAM children in collaboration with DWF Canada

Sri Sathya Sai Annapoorna Trust in collaboration with Divine Will Foundation – Canada, have come forward to start this noble intervention of supporting severely acute & moderately acute mal-nourished (SAM & MAM) children.

SaiSure is a multi-nutrient supplement, a malt-based composition, offered totally free of cost, for pregnant women, toddlers, pre-school, and school children. It is designed to meet 75% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of most of the Micronutrients. This health supplement is known to improve immunity, enhance cognition, optimize weight gain, increase bone mass, and ensure healthy blood. SaiSure is available in Vanilla, Chocolate and Cardamom flavours.

Children aged between 2 and 6 years who are under nourished, are being provided with SaiSure Multi-Nutrient Supplement to boost nutrition and immunity against potential onset of Covid infections. The COVID pandemic has further threatened an increase in the percentage of children suffering from malnutrition. Distribution of SaiSure to undernourished children has been initiated from June 2021 onwards at various taluks of Chikkaballapur district. Each malnourished child has been provided one jar of SaiSure every month till date.

Below table specifies details of MAM & SAM children between the age group of 2 till 6.

Details of each child such as birth date, height, weight, and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) were collected in all Anganwadi centres. Anganwadi teachers across multiple locations took keen interest in implementing nutritional intervention programme on identified SAM and MAM children. They even showed interest in getting this extended to normal children as well. Annapoorna Trust believes in longer sustainability of the programme by collaborating with Panchayat, Self Help Groups and Government Bodies.

Testimonials from some of the Anganwadi teachers, parents and children can be found below:

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An Anganwadi teacher by name, Ms. Narayanamma of Sultanpet said, “My name is B C Narayanamma working at an Anganwadi in Sultanpet. We currently have two MAM children. Post giving SaiSure powder, they are doing well & improved a lot. We request to share this product to many more people.”

Ms. Bhagya said, “We are giving this SaiSure powder given by Annapoorna Trust to mal-nourished kids in our area. In our Byranayakanahalli village, one child is in the MAM category. In the month of June, the child’s weight was 10.4 kg. Post giving SaiSure to the child over a period of three months, now the weight of the child has increased to 11.2 kg. Child is getting improved largely. We thank Annapoorna Trust on behalf of Byranayakanahalli village people.”

A teacher working in Anganwadi school said, “My name is Shylaja, working as a teacher in Anganwadi at Nandi village. We have four mal-nourished kids. We have been giving SaiSure powder to children since the last 2 months. We have seen a lot of improvement in the kids. I would like to convey my heartfelt thanks to Annapoorna Trust.”

Some parents who received SaiSure shared their views on the improvement seen in their children –

“My name is Noori from Nandi village. Initially my daughter was weak, now after taking this powder, we noticed drastic improvement in the health parameters.” 

“My name is Reena. Initially my son was very weak and frequently fell ill. But now, after taking this powder, he is doing well, his health has also improved and has gained weight. I would like to thank Annapoorna Trust of Muddenahalli.”

“My name is Chandrakala, my kid’s name is Vihaan, and he is 3 years of age. We are taking SaiSure powder from Anganwadi from the last 2 months. I give SaiSure powder twice every day to my son. His health has improved post giving SaiSure. In the month of May, he weighed 10 kg. Now in the month of August, his weight has increased to 11.2 kgs.”

“My name is Naazima, and I am from Nandi hills. I have been giving SaiSure powder to my child for the last 2 months and we could see he has gained weight by four hundred grams. I request this kind of powder given to more such kids, so that they develop well.”

“My name is Pushpalatha, and my kid’s name is Vishruth, and he is aged 2 years 6 months. I am from Sultanpete Anganwadi centre. I am giving SaiSure powder for the last 2 months twice each day. He is doing good now, eating well and weight has also improved.”

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An Anganwadi teacher, Ms. Asha narrated her views as, “Despite giving vegetables, fruits, milk, eggs etc. both at the school & their respective homes earlier, there was not much noticeable improvement in health parameters. From the time we have been giving SaiSure to children, we noticed improvement in terms of height & weight. Their weight is getting increased by 200 to 300 grams every month. We wholeheartedly thank the Annapoorna Trust for this.”

Another teacher Ms. Gayathri spoke as, “In our Kathriguppe Anganwadi centre, there is a SAM child by name Ayush. We have been giving SaiSure to the child since the month of July. There has been a significant improvement in his weight by at least 200 to 300 grams every month. Noticing these changes, the medical doctor enquired on his routine check-up about what had changed over the 3 months for the child to have overcome stunting & wasting significantly. We conveyed about SaiSure product provided by Annapoorna Trust which was the reason for the noted improvement. We are looking forward to extending these services to other two MAM children who are newly inducted & to other normal children as well so that they are benefited.”

Some parents expressed their views –

Ms. Ashwini shared her earlier experiences of taking her child who was under weight, to hospital regularly. Post giving SaiSure to her child, it has led to improved height & weight and resulted in good health overall.

Ms. Lakshmi Devi said she has been giving SaiSure to her child since the last three to four months regularly thrice a day with milk & has noticed her child gaining weight. She is looking forward for these services to be continued from the Trust.

Ms. Pavithra from Thammanayakanahalli, said the doctors in hospitals used to convince her to focus more on the health of the child & not to look towards only the weight of the child. But her child Brinda has shown good development in terms of weight as well, along with good health since SaiSure was provided regularly.

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An Anganwadi teacher, Ms. Shantamani of Dibbur village said there have been improvements noticed in three MAM children since SaiSure has been provided. The parents have also been giving positive feedback about the effect of SaiSure. She requested Annapoorna Trust to extend this initiative to other children as well so that they are also benefited.

Ms. Kalavathi is working as Anganwadi teacher at Dibbur village since the last fourteen years. She said, “There are three MAM children in our centre. Children are improving well in their overall growth. Their weight has increased by three hundred grams within a span of one month due to SaiSure consumption, which is exceptionally good. We are incredibly happy about this positive impact. We request SaiSure to be distributed to other normal children as well.”

Ms. Parimala Devi is working as Anganwadi teacher at Keshavara village since the last thirty years. She said, “Population is more in their village and there are many children who come under SAM & MAM categories. Parents cannot financially afford to take measures for the development of their children. Despite convincing & guiding the parents during home visits, we did not notice any significant improvements. But SaiSure has proved to be a boon for four out of five SAM & MAM children, who have come out of malnutrition and become normal and healthy children. Hence, we request the Government & Annapoorna Trust to keep continuing this noble initiative.”

A parent, Ms. Sindhu of Dibbur village requested for this initiative to be extended to all children as well along with SAM & MAM children.

Another parent, Ms. Venkatalakshmi of Keshavara village said she has been giving SaiSure with milk twice a day for last two months and her child has grown well. When asked if this should be continued, she immediately replied saying, “Need to be continued regularly since there has been improvement on health parameters on the child due to SaiSure only.”

With their primary mission, ‘Relieve poverty’, Divine Will Foundation – Canada in collaboration with Sri Sathya Sai Annapoorna Trust works towards nourishing the poor school going children in India. With distribution of SaiSure to the children, a remarked improvement is being seen in their health parameters. The positive impact seen has been very promising and heartening.