Suvita
Introduction
Founded in 2017, Fortify Health is a non-profit organisation committed to combating anaemia, which affects over 52% of pregnant women and 67% of young children. They do this by enabling the fortification of wheat flour (chakki atta) with essential micronutrients like iron, folic acid, and Vitamin B12, an approach that is recognised to be a highly evidence-based, cost-effective, and scalable solution to iron-deficiency anaemia.
Fortify Health set up their initial programmes in Maharashtra and West Bengal. Currently, they have a team of 60 people and are working in more than ten states across India. They have also partnered with a range of organisations, including the Andhra Pradesh Public Distribution System, Feeding India, and the Food Fortification Initiative.
Key result
370K: Metric tonnes of fortified atta produced by their mill partners each month (average across April–July 2024). Real-time figures can be found on their dashboard here.
107: Partnership agreements signed with mills across India (by the end of July 2024).
5,310,000: Beneficiaries reached each month (estimated in July 2024) across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Telangana.
Impact
Cost per child or pregnant woman protected from anaemia: Less than INR 50 ($0.60).
INR 5000: Support Fortified chakki atta for x people.
INR 5000 : Protect 60 children or pregnant women from iron-deficiency anaemia.
INR 10,000 : Protect 120 children or pregnant women from iron-deficiency anaemia.
INR 25,000 : Protect 315 children or pregnant women from iron-deficiency anaemia.
What does Fortify Health do?
Fortify Health collaborates with millers and state governments across India to fortify chakki atta with iron, folic acid, and Vitamin B12, adhering to the standards set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Their work is organised into three key areas:
Open Market Support: They assist millers in fortifying the chakki atta produced for the open market, providing essential equipment, premix, and training to facilitate effective fortification.
Partnership Support: Fortify Health partners with governments, quasi-government entities, and non-governmental organisations in India to integrate wheat flour fortification into social safety-net programs. Their support typically includes monitoring and technical assistance to ensure successful implementation.
Evidence Generation: They conduct thorough monitoring and evaluation to generate evidence on the benefits of food fortification, helping to inform and educate the public.
Why we partner with Fortify Health?
One of our evaluators, GiveWell, has funded Fortify Health three times.
They have demonstrated cost-effectiveness in reducing iron deficiency anaemia.
They have implemented comprehensive processes ensuring effective fortification and distribution.
The organisation has demonstrated transparency in operations and impact measurement.
They have indicated that they have room for funding.
Additionally, they have worked alongside government partners and forged strategic alliances with various other credible stakeholders, including Feeding India by Zomato, IIT Delhi, Food Fortification Initiative (FFI), and the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI). These partnerships demonstrate the high trust that collaborators have in their work.
GIVE to this program specifically or GIVE to our Health and Development Fund that distributes your donations amongst high-impact non-profits based on their current room for funding. 100% of your donations go directly to funding Fortify Health’s initiatives.
Footnote:
More than half of all women of reproductive age and children under five years were anaemic (IIPS, 2017) - Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey 2019.