In an ever-expanding China, parents from poor rural communities leave their villages to go to work in the cities. Infants are often entrusted to their grandparents. It is the reason why the breastfeeding rate is low and anemia (mostly iron deficit) affects 10 million children, especially in rural areas among children under 2-year-old.
Mrs Chen and Mr Zhu, two Professors, decided to tackle this issue by developing Ying Yang Bao – a nutrition supplement pack that is enriched with essential micronutrients and can be sprinkled on rice, noodles or beverages of kids.
After a successful pilot, YingYang Bao is now sold by the social business Nutrigo in Eastern & Central China. Encouraged by the positive impacts from Ying Yang Bao, the Chinese government started to distribute it in the 300 poorest districts and joined forces with Nutrigo to educate health workers.
A dose of Ying Yang Bao provides at least 25% of a kid’s daily micronutrients needs
the product is sold in 2 provinces and 85 000 babies benefit from it (2021)
Grandmother, Bengbu, Anhui Province
Mrs Xiao story is a story of many grandmothers in her town. With her husband they are taking care of their grandson while her daughter and her husband are working in a city. There is no work available in her town, so many young people are forced to move and search for earnings in big cities.
One of the main concerns Mrs Xiao has, is how to guarantee good nutrition to her grandchild. She is aware that adequate nutrition plays a crucial role in her grandson development. It was a few months ago when a village health practitioner introduced YingYang Bao to her. She went to talk to her, as her grandchild was often tired and sick.
Now she is regularly adding Ying Yang Bao to the meals she is preparing for her grandson and she is seeing he is much more active and not so sickly.
