Background
Vietnam has been shifting from extreme poverty to remarkable economic growth since the 1980s. However, many households still hover near or below the poverty line. Most of them reside in rural regions and engage in agriculture as a primary source of food and income. These small-scale farmers struggle to grow enough food for their families and generate surplus for other needs. Challenges such as geographical isolation, inadequate access to education, and malnutrition, especially among children, perpetuate the cycle of poverty. And despite Vietnam’s rapid growth, one in four Vietnamese children are malnourished and experience stunting, which limits their future potential to escape the poverty cycle and contribute to society.
Probiotics have shown promise in improving child growth in undernourished children, but, especially in rural areas, access is often limited. The B.Kind project aims to improve health and reduce poverty by developing a locally produced probiotic product.
Objectives & approach
The projects aims to reduce poverty through better health and increased wealth. We seek to achieve this by enhancing health through the development of a locally produced probiotic soy yoghurt by locally trained micro-entrepreneurs. This is expected to:
- Build the capacity for community-based agriculture and stimulate non-agricultural economic activity
- Ensure affordable access to locally produced probiotics for low-income families
By collaborating with local communities to develop the probiotic product, the B.Kind project will create jobs and provide a more diversified income model for impoverished communities to reduce the cycle of poverty.