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463 million school-age children are anemic. The solution costs less than a dollar. Here is how we are delivering it.
Equal Vitamin Access: 2025 in Review
Anemia affects children's energy, focus, and overall health — making it harder for them to learn and grow. Weekly iron and folic acid treatments, delivered through schools and community outreach, help children stay healthier, attend school more consistently, and reach their full potential.
In 2025, we helped prevent an estimated 1 million cases of anemia across five states in India, reaching 26 million children with all recommended doses. In Malawi, we scaled the program to 15 districts, expanding our reach to more than 1.3 million adolescent girls. Here is what the program means to those delivering it:
"It gives me immense joy to counsel mothers about the importance of iron — how iron and folic acid syrup supports the mental and physical development of children, and how iron is vital during pregnancy for the health of both mother and baby. Being able to share this knowledge with my community is deeply fulfilling."
— Sarita Devi, ASHA Health Worker, Jharkhand
By layering iron supplementation onto our existing deworming program in Malawi, we deliver both interventions through the same trained teachers and distribution systems — reducing costs by 12% while expanding reach. Across India and Malawi, coverage reached new highs in 2025.
Iron supplementation reduces anemia risk in children by 49% and is associated with a 4.6 point IQ increase in anemic children. The biggest challenge was never finding a solution. It was getting it to the children who need it.
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