According to UNICEF, more than one in three children in Benin under the age of five show signs of chronic malnutrition. The NGO Jeunesse Sans Frontières (Youth Without Borders) Benin is launching activities aiming to combat this malnutrition, notably by popularising nutritionally rich plants and vegetables.

An educational project on the benefits of using the leaves of the moringa oleifera was launched for women and medical personnel in particular at the end of December 2011. It aims to inform the population and make them aware of the micronutrient potential of the moringa oleifera and its many uses. This could also increase production of moringa oleifera and spread its production into other regions.

Consumption of the leaves of this leguminous plant provides a high level of iron, proteins, copper, various vitamins and essential amino acids. This represents a nutritional supplement especially recommended for these malnourished populations, in particular children and pregnant women.

This is a project supported by the Louis Bonduelle Foundation in the framework of its Summer 2011 call for proposals.