People have long known that malnutrition is a problem, but few realize that it’s responsible for half of all child deaths under age 5. COVID-19 has made matters worse. What’s so infuriating – and promising – about this issue is that we have the tools to solve it. Kids really don’t have to die from it – we just need to generate the will and the funds to end it.
There are 144 million children around the world who are malnourished, but 50 million are in immediate danger of death – their bodies are so depleted of nutrients that they literally start to consume themselves. At this point, food is no longer an option, which is why RUTF is so important. RUTF – a relatively simple paste made of peanuts, powdered milk, and multivitamins – is a lifesaving medicinal food that can bring severely malnourished children back from the brink of death in a matter of weeks.
We’re launching LifePack to save the children we can directly reach through our donations. Every one of those lives matter, and banding together as a community of gamers to save a million lives is pretty remarkable.
But we believe we can do even more than that. Our intent is to spark innovation, bring new changemakers into the nutrition sector, and ultimately set an example for fellow donors and governments to follow our lead and do their part in this fight. Not only can we combat the terrible impacts of COVID-19, which have left many additional children without lifesaving care, we can spark a movement to combat severe malnutrition once and for all.
Each LifePack partner game tailors the experience to authentically fit their own story. Video game partners integrate LifePack-badged microtransactions into game play, directly raising funds for the purchase and distribution of RUTF. Whether LifePack manifests itself as fuel for a player, life-saving medicine for a fallen comrade or a powerup for a team, with each LifePack microtransaction, the player not only gains a benefit in the game, they are also truly saving a life. Every 25 cents generated will purchase a packet of RUTF. On average, it takes $40 worth of RUTF to save one life.
100% of the funds raised through LifePack will go to partners working in East Africa to get RUTF to kids in need. Our first partner is Action Against Hunger, an internationally recognized non-profit (registered 501c3) with a longstanding commitment to fighting global malnutrition. They will be distributing RUTF to communities most in need in eastern Africa.
Action Against Hunger is committed to working with us to provide regular updates on the real-life impact of LifePack. We will be tracking the number of kids we reach and capturing stories about their lives. We’ll report back to gamers, sharing this information via social media and other platforms to communicate the impact of their actions.
We’re glad you asked. We encourage you to drop us a line - we’d love to discuss the potential for collaboration.