Planet Hope: Solving hidden hunger with Felix Brooks-Church
Jun 15, 2024
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Social entrepreneur Felix Brooks-Church discusses combating hidden hunger in Africa through food fortification, scaling up nutrient fortification in East Africa, and the impact of being a Rolex Laureate. He reflects on utilizing technology for fortification monitoring in Tanzania and shares hope for creating positive change in global health.
Rolex's Perpetual Planet Initiative supports projects with significant environmental impact through rigorous selection processes.
Felix's personal experience with his son's improved health proves the effectiveness of fortified food supplements.
Deep dives
Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative: Protecting the Planet and Supporting Explorers
Rolex's Perpetual Planet Initiative continues the legacy of protecting the planet by supporting modern explorers dedicated to preserving Earth. Rolex evaluates projects based on history, results, and potential contributions to environmental preservation. The initiative's selection process includes peer review, internal assessment, and interviews, prioritizing projects with significant impact.
Combatting Hidden Hunger in Africa: Innovative Solutions by Sanku
Sanku, a social enterprise founded by Felix Brooks Church, focuses on ending hidden hunger in East and Southern Africa. Hidden hunger, caused by vitamin and mineral deficiencies, affects over a billion people in Africa, leading to malnutrition and health issues. Sanku's innovative solution involves fortifying maize flour with essential nutrients to combat hidden hunger and improve health.
Impact of Fortified Food: Personal Experience Reinforces Success
Felix shares a personal connection to Sanku's work by mentioning how his son's health improved through fortified food supplements addressing nutrient deficiencies. His experience affirms the effectiveness of fortifying food to combat health challenges, highlighting the tangible impact of Sanku's mission.
Addressing Challenges and Achieving Scale: Technology and Business Model
Sanku utilizes an IoT approach with SIM cards to remotely monitor machines, reducing operational costs and enhancing efficiency. Implementing a nutrient premix factory in East Africa has significantly lowered costs, accelerating scale and aiding sustainability. The innovative business model focuses on incentivizing millers through cost-effective solutions.
Future Prospects and Global Impact: Hopeful Outlook for Health and Environment
Felix expresses optimism for the future, driven by the impactful work of Sanku in combating malnutrition. Despite global challenges, he remains hopeful, citing the positive change witnessed over the years. Felix's belief in mission-driven optimism and collective efforts underscores the potential for progress in health and environmental preservation worldwide.
This is Planet Hope, a podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative, hosted by The Story as a bonus weekly series each Sunday.
Amidst a population of 8 billion, a staggering quarter silently live with hidden hunger every day. And with over a billion people living in Africa struggling to afford a healthy diet, a crucial question remains - how can hidden hunger be eliminated? Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan is joined by social entrepreneur and Rolex Awards for Enterprise Laureate Felix Brooks-Church to hear how his ingenious system is on track to eliminating hidden hunger.