What We Do
Founded in 2014, Lesotho Nutrition Initiative (LNI) was created with the desire to see every child in Lesotho reach their full potential.
In an assembly line fashion, LNI packs nutrient rich meals for children under 5 that contain rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables, and a nutrition supplement containing 32 essential vitamins and minerals.
We are a volunteer-run organization created to address the humanitarian crisis of childhood malnutrition in Lesotho.
Our meals not only halt stunting, but also reverse the long term effects of malnutrition.
Our Story
After a 2014 study abroad trip to Lesotho, where Wittenberg University students learned 80% of children suffer from malnutrition and witnessed the effects of stunting firsthand, the group was motivated to help.
Following extensive research, a feasibility study, and another trip to Lesotho, they identified a need for consistent access to nutritious meals, thus leading to the formation of LNI.
LNI works with local schools, businesses, and churches to pack these life-changing meals that feed over 3,000 children, daily. To date, over 10,000 volunteers have helped us pack over 4 million meals.
LNI provides meals containing nutritional supplements to children under 5 in Lesotho.
We target this age group as they constitute the most vulnerable segment of society. 95% of cognitive development occurs during the first 1,000 days of life; without proper nutrition, a child’s brain will not fully develop, robbing them of their full human potential. Our meals are often the only meal these children will have in a day.
Many of the children who receive our meals are also HIV+. These children require a nutritious diet in order for their medications to be most effective.
Our meals are proven not only to halt malnutrition but also to reverse its long-term effects.