We were very fortunate to receive a second grant from Vitamin Angels to continue our vitamin distribution project in Xieng Khouang Province.

Our current distribution program is concentrating on two districts in Xieng Khouang Province, NongHed and Khoun Districts, and targeting children from one to five years along with pregnant/lactating mothers.  Our grant provided 8,700 children and 1,700 pregnant/lactating mothers with daily multivitamins for one year.

The vitamins are making a substantial difference in the health of the children and mothers, the district hospitals and health centers as well as the parents report less sickness, more energy, better appetite, improved alertness at school, improved memory and weight gain as some of the positive impact of taking daily multivitamins.

We have requested another grant to continue the project into the next year.

Vitamins Arrive in Laos – Nearly 4 Million of Them

August 1, 2014

Half of the vitamin shipment of nearly 4 million tablets from the USA will be dropped off at the NongHet District Hospital, located in eastern Xieng Khouang Province in northern Laos.

Vitamins will be distributed to children from ages 1 to 5 years old as well as pregnant/lactating mothers. With the gracious support from Vitamin Angels, who donated the vitamins (www.vitaminangels.org), we are going to have healthier preschoolers in Nong Het.

This project is a continuation of the vitamin distribution project to 24,000 preschool children from 2010 and 2012.

The hard work will commence soon. GCAC will be working with the Public Health Department, District Hospitals, and the local clinics’ doctors and nurses, who will be reminding the teachers, village leaders and families of the vitamins benefits as part of their efforts to make sure the vitamins are taken everyday, which is a major undertaking.

Posters on good eating habits and the importance of taking vitamins will be printed and distributed to the preschools, health clinics as reminders for children to take their vitamins. District doctors and nurses will be trained.

Thanks to Rob Carpenter and his family for assisting GCAC with the vitamin project’s posters and other distribution expenses.

GCAC will continue to work closely with the Xieng Khouang Public Health and District medical staff to ensure a successful distribution as well as to monitor the children’s acceptance and health progress.

Second 2 Million Tablets Traveled 10,000 Miles

August 3, 2014

Congratulations to Give Children A Choice’s Debbie Davis and Thongchanh Vilayvong, Vitamin Angels’ staff Austen Musso, Catarina Sales, and those behind the scene. 4 million tablets of daily multiple vitamins for preschoolers and pregnant/lactating mothers have found their destinations in Laos.

We reported recently that 2 million tablets were delivered to the Nong Het District Hospital on July 31st. Today (August 1st), the second 2 million tablets were delivered to the Khoun District Hospital, 125 kilometers from Nong Het. It’s a wonder how 18-wheeler rigs can carve their way through the mountainous roads with dozens and dozens of hairpin turns. It was a beautiful driving day, a blessing during the rainy season, where landslides and disappearing road sections are commonplace.

The 4 million vitamins hopped into a 20-foot container and hitched a ride from Colorado, USA to California. The container was hoisted on a container ship to Haiphong, Vietnam. From Haiphong, the 18-wheeler drove the container to the Lao-Vietnam, Nam Kham border. Custom clearance was effortless (but with countless hours of preparation, documentation prep, government approvals to make it effortless).

The vitamins were transferred from the container to a smaller porter truck with special help (See picture). The hospital staff lined up and quickly transferred the vitamins to the Khoun District Hospital storage room.

Stay tuned for updates!