Malnutrition is an area that needs severe attention in the DRC. Our team supported over 200 malnourished children (age 0-5 years) through the Nutrition Awareness Project in the Lupoto region of Haut-Katanga (2020). This project, launched in 2018, was devised to assist in nutrition and healthcare while offering support to the existing malnutrition programs led by the Government. We have deployed three full-time nutritionists on duty at seven locations as a part of this initiative. The nutritionists offer advice as well as training to mothers, in particular, to follow nutrition plans that optimize the use of healthy local produce. This knowledge supports the underprivileged to choose locally grown foods that add value to a child’s diet plan. This is a step taken to raise awareness in families by sensitizing them in the areas of family planning and how it has an impact on the population, a child’s health, and the overall welfare of the community. Vinmart Foundation also makes provision for regular distribution of food and supplements for children at respective locations.

The lack of healthcare resources for the underprivileged populations of the DRC has been a grave issue. We stepped up to the cause by donating medicines monthly and medical equipment to improve the life of patients from the year 2018 onwards. Our foundation has worked at every level that includes the construction of a well-equipped dispensary in Kitanfya to provide quality healthcare services, an additional dispensary under construction in the region, and a clinic constructed and operated by us. As the pandemic posed challenges, the commutation issues were resolved with an immediate donation of 2 new pick-up vehicles to the Government of the Lualaba province, Haut Katanga, and Kinshasa province. We also sponsored vaccinations against COVID-19 to over 200 staff and population in the DRC. The Vinmart Foundation is working towards enhancing access to quality healthcare, raising awareness of hygiene, and augmenting infrastructure along with financial assistance for surgeries, medicines, and more.

According to the UNICEF, the DRC currently grapples with one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world, with 70 per 1000 live births.  Several provinces have limited access to knowledge of family planning (average of 6.6 children per mother) and reliable information around reproductive health that directly impacts the quality of life.

We are working towards imparting education around family planning to raise awareness in the areas of birth control and dietary requirements for children. Many volunteers worked in the Lupoto region (2020) to address family planning needs and the impact of the rising population on the economy and health of the people of the DRC.

We are proud for having undertaken the responsibility of ensuring free surgical support for the people of DRC. In the past, our Foundation has conducted Eye Care camps that witnessed over 3000 consultations across three different regions. More than 300 surgeries were performed successfully in these. The year 2021 included Eye Care camps across four cities with free consultations and over 600 successful surgeries. The Vinmart Foundation is also offering additional support for other types of surgical interventions for the year 2022, thus strengthening specific areas of the healthcare system in the DRC.