Ji Young

About First Steps

First Steps is a Christian humanitarian organization whose purpose is to prevent childhood malnutrition in the DPRK (North Korea) through programs which provide essential nutrients to young children. North Korea, with a population of about 23 million, has suffered acute food shortages for more than a decade. United Nations and World Food Programme reports show that between two and three million North Korean children (infants to age five) consistently fail to receive the nutrients vital to their physical and mental development. The result has seen the emergence of almost an entire generation of youngsters whose growth is stunted.

Activities 

First Steps' current focus is to supply specially-designed VitaCow machines to urban food production centres. Operating like over-sized pressure cookers, these highly energy-efficient machines process soybeans into protein-rich soymilk. Each machine can produce enough soymilk daily to meet the vital protein (growth) requirements of more than 2,000 young children.

Programs

First Steps' food-aid programs are currently providing protein-rich, growth-promoting soymilk to North Korean children (infants to primary school) who are not receiving the nutrients so vital to their mental and physical development. They are now (Oct. 2007) reaching more than 45,000 children in orphanages, daycares and schools located in the cities of Nampo, Wonsan and Hyongjesan (see map), as well as three co-operative farms.

For the past 4 years, First Step have been focusing on their VitaCow/VitaGoat program. They buys some of its soybeans in China and has them shipped to North Korea by train. North Korean partners have taken responsibility for distribution of the beans to the VitaCow sites, as well as for soymilk production and delivery. They have also made a commitment to grow and supply their own beans as conditions allow.

First Steps has also initiated a Sprinkles program in North Korea. Sprinkles is the acclaimed micro-nutrient for Sick Children. It comes in a paper sachet and the powder is simply sprinkled on food, adding vital nutrients to help combat malnutrition and promote growth. It has been widely tested and proven to be very effective.

http://www.firststepscanada.org/index_english.php