Ep 184 - Combating Malnutrition through Food Fortification with Felix Brooks Church: A Journey to Creating Lasting Impact

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Felix Brooks-Church, the co-founder and CEO of Sanku, an innovative organization dedicated to combating malnutrition and fighting hidden hunger in East Africa. With a mission to make nutrition a basic human right, Sanku is working at the intersection of food security, sustainability, and social impact to transform lives across some of the world’s most underserved communities.

Felix takes us through an inspiring journey of how Sanku is tackling the global challenge of malnutrition—one that persists despite the availability of sufficient food. Often, people are full but still undernourished, a phenomenon known as “hidden hunger,” which affects millions, especially children and women of reproductive age. This form of malnutrition is more than just a lack of calories—it’s a lack of vital nutrients that are essential for healthy growth and development.

As Felix unpacks Sanku’s mission to fortify staple foods, like flour, maize, and rice, we learn how this simple yet groundbreaking approach is making nutritious options more accessible, affordable, and scalable in communities where the impact of malnutrition is most severe.

But the road to lasting change is never without its challenges. Scaling operations in low-resource settings, navigating logistical hurdles, and shifting local behaviors are just some of the obstacles Felix and his team face daily. Yet, it is within these challenges that true resilience is forged. Sanku’s innovative solution—a portable, local flour fortification machine—is transforming small mills in remote communities, enabling the production of nutrient-rich flour for millions of people. This localized approach builds resilience by reducing reliance on external resources and empowering local communities to take charge of their own nutritional needs.

Felix shares his vision for Sanku’s future as the organization plans to expand into Ethiopia, where they aim to reach 40 million people. With a focus on sustainability, Sanku is working toward a future where their impact is self-sustaining, with reduced reliance on donations and increased local involvement in the food fortification process.

Throughout the conversation, Felix also emphasizes the critical role of mothers in ensuring their children receive the proper nutrition. Empowering women to take charge of their families' health is key to combating malnutrition effectively. But as Felix points out, true transformation requires more than just nutrition—it requires community engagement, trust-building, and local leadership.

In this episode, you’ll learn how small, thoughtful actions—from food fortification to community engagement—can create ripple effects of change that drive sustainable, long-term impact. Felix’s call to action is clear: by supporting organizations like Sanku, we all have a role in building a more resilient, healthier world. Whether through donations, spreading awareness, or simply sharing the message, you can help foster lasting change that impacts both individuals and communities in profound ways.

Connect with Felix Brooks Church

Linked In https://tz.linkedin.com/in/felixbc

Donate to Sankuhttps://projecthealthychildren.org/

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