Former President Joyce Banda has been appointed into the board of directors for Canada-based Micronutrient Initiative (MI), an organisation that provides different perspectives to end micronutrient deficiencies across the globe.
The institution announced the appointment of JB and Phyllis Costanza, Chief Executive Officer of the UBS Optimus Foundation into its fold on Monday through its website (http://micronutrient.org/).
MI’s chairperson Strive Masiyiwa said Joyce Banda and Phyllis bring a wealth of experience in international development, diplomacy, policy development and business to the board.
“It’s an honour to welcome such accomplished leaders to the MI Board of Directors. With their support, MI will continue to broaden its impact on a global scale to ensure the most vulnerable people in the world can, through good nutrition, reach their full potential,” said Masiyiwa.
According to Masiwiya, board of directors provide leadership to MI as it expands its current programming in the areas of child survival, child health, growth and development and women’s and newborn survival.
JB expressed gratitude for the appointment and stressed the need for organisations like MI to help scale up nutrition programmes.
Banda said she is looking forward to joining a group of committed and influential board members from all over the world to put an end to hidden hunger.
“I am joining the MI Board because there is great need in the world for dynamic organizations like MI to help scale up nutrition and because I am impressed by the results MI has achieved on the ground for the world’s most vulnerable women and children,” said Banda.
MI has been working for more than 20 years to prevent micronutrient malnutrition among the world’s most vulnerable citizens in developing countries, especially women and children.
It provides more than 75 percent of the vitamin A required in developing countries. Since 1997, MI has provided more than 8 billion doses of vitamin A to the world’s most vulnerable, according to information on its website.
