About
SUNDAR SERENDIPITY FOUNDATION

The mission of Sundar Serendipity Foundation is prevention and alleviation of multiple micronutrient deficiencies and hidden hunger. Hidden hunger is caused by deficiencies of micronutrients ( vitamins & minerals) in the human body. Micronutrients are needed in very small amounts, yet their deficiencies causes a catastrophe which is hidden hunger.

Sundar Serendipity Foundation is a Research Foundation committed to the cause of combating micronutrient deficiencies in India. Technology for common cooking salt fortified with multiple micronutrients has been developed by Sundar Serendipity foundation after years of intense research.

Sundar Health Salt is a revolutionary Cooking Salt that provides the most important Micronutrients for your family namely Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Iron, Iodine, and Zinc on a daily basis. Sundar Health Salt is a white free flowing salt and tastes like normal cooking salt. Thus you have the benefit of taste and nutrition. The multiple micronutrient fortified salt has been scientifically proven to reduce hidden hunger.
Thus Sundar Health Salt provides a revolutionary alternate pathway to provide the required daily allowance of the above vitamins and minerals for the entire family in best absorbable form at the lowest cost. It is available in crystal and powder form. The crystal salt is enriched with 5 micronutrients. Scientifically proven:
The multiple micronutrient fortified salt has been scientifically proven to improve memory in children, improve growth in children, reduce the prevalence of anaemia in the population, improve productivity or work performance in adults and improve the levels of the micronutrients in the blood.

Chennai

Maternal health and Child care (for e.g. Maternal and child micro-nutrient/ dietary supplementation/ Food fortification for children, women and general population/ Iron Folic Acid supplementation/ Vitamin A supplementation)

Karnataka, Tamil Nadu

Karnataka- Tumkur district, village Brahamasandra and Chinnenahalli Tamilnadu- Chennai, Tenkasi, Dindugal, Kodaikanal, Poompuhar districts

The objective was to reduce the prevalence of Hidden hunger and anaemia in particular in the populations. This was done by giving the multiple micronutrient fortified salt free of cost to the populations through NGOs and schools for a period of one year. Since in the past the fortified salt has improved the micronutrient status in the blood in several clinical trials, it was decided that the wellbeing and fatigue levels in the population will be measured through questionnaires in the current interventions.

CSR

NA

An awareness campaign on Hidden hunger would be first conducted. An educational film on hidden hunger, role of micronutrients in human health and how the multiple micronutrient fortified salt could fight hidden hunger, would be shown to the population. The fortified salt would then be distributed to the population through NGOs and schools. The fortified salt would be given every month for a period of 1 year.
The NGOs catered to either self help groups or entire villages. The school was another way of reaching the families in the villages.

The target group would be the entire household. Currently the fortified salt is being used by a population of 50,000.

Yes

NGO

BAIF in Karnataka, Gandhigram trust in Dindugal, MSSRF in Poompuhar, Amar Seva Sangam in Tenkasi,India Nirman Sangh in Kodaikanal, Ekam in Chennai, Sevalaya and Kaveri schools in Chennai

No

NA

The well being of the population improved and their fatigue reduced.

Yes

Collaborations with other NGOs for implementation and with companies for funding so that the fortified salt can be given free of cost to the deserving populations

"Currently a population of about 50,000 in about 12000 households are being given the fortified salt free of cost in the above mentioned districts in Tamilnadu and Karnataka.
Our earlier clinical studies has proven that the fortified salt has brought down the prevalence of anaemia, Vitamin A deficiency, iodine deficiency and zinc deficiency significantly. It has also improved the levels of B12 and folic acid in the blood. It had improved the memory in children and productivity in adults. All the scientific data have been published in peer reviewed journals and can be accessed from our website www.freedomfromhiddenhunger.org.
The movement for freedom from hidden hunger was started to give the fortified salt free of cost to the deserving populations through out our country. "

The movement for freedom from hidden hunger was started to scale up the initiative to give the fortified salt free of cost to deserving populations all over the country since it would be tackling hidden hunger caused due to multiple micronutrient deficiencies at the cheapest cost of just about 35 paise per person per day. We need to collaborate with NGOs as well as donors for this.

The people have readily accepted the multiple micronutrient fortified salt. The entire families benefit, since the fortified salt is used in cooking. The national levels of anaemia have not changed much over the last 70 years since we got our independence, but our studies have shown a significant reduction of anaemia as well as other micronutrient deficiencies. This shows that targeting entire households and entire communities by the use of the multiple micronutrient fortified salt is the way forward to fight hidden hunger and anaemia.

"Our main challenge is to get funding so that the fortified salt can be given free of cost to the deserving populations. Since all our collaborations have been with reputed NGOs, we have never faced any problems in implementation of the projects. Since it takes a few months for the anaemia to be alleviated, and for the population to feel healthy and experience the benefits of the fortified salt, it is necessary to give the fortified salt free of cost for a few months.

Though the fortified salt is the cheapest way to deliver multiple micronutrients to the population, it is more expensive than the salt which is purchased by the villagers which is not packaged. It was a challenge to explain to them that the fortified salt could not be compared to the unpackaged salt they were currently using."

The multiple micronutrient fortified salt has improved the micronutrient levels in the blood and lowered the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies in the population in the past. All the scientific findings have been published in peer reviewed journals and can be accessed from our website www.freedomfromhiddenhunger.org. The movement for freedom from hidden hunger was started to take the fortified salt to the deserving populations all over our country. The fortified salt is being given free of cost to a population of 50,000 in about 12,000 households currently. Since salt is used universally by everyone, and in about the same amounts every day, it is an ideal vehicle to deliver the multiple micronutrients to the entire family. Since the method is fortification, it can be used for long periods, and hence a sustainable way to fight hidden hunger.

It gives me immense satisfaction that the multiple micronutrient fortified salt is being currently used in a population of 50,000 from about 12,000 households. However since more than 50% of the women, 25% of men and 60% of young children suffer from anaemia , we have a long way to go to reduce anaemia and hidden hunger in India. We need the collaborations of many NGOs as well as donors to help us achieve our goal. I am inviting all to join our Movement for freedom from hidden hunger so that we can eventually create India without Hidden hunger. Dr Malavika Vinod Kumar Managing Trustee Sundar Serendipity Foundation