The Bon Sel initiative

The Bon Sel Initiative (BSI) in Haiti addresses significant nutrition and public health challenges, particularly iodine deficiency, which affects over 70% of children and women of childbearing age. This deficiency poses severe risks, including cognitive impairments and increased vulnerability to diseases like lymphatic filariasis.

BSI, launched by the University of Notre Dame’s Global Center for the Development of the Whole Child, supports local salt producers by purchasing their raw salt, which is then cleaned, iodized, and packaged in Port-au-Prince. This ensures a consistent supply of iodized salt while offering competitive prices to local producers. The initiative distributes iodized salt through school lunch programs, processed foods, and the retail market, and sustains its operations by selling industrial salt to the beverage industry.

BSI has significantly reduced the risk of iodine deficiency among school-aged children, meeting WHO standards. This model could be replicated in other countries facing similar challenges, providing sustainable solutions to public health issues while supporting local economies.

The Bon Sel Initiative demonstrates how socially equitable and effective provisioning of iodized salt can improve health outcomes and empower local communities in Haiti.

Read the full article in the IDD Newsletter Volume 51 Issue 1