Two million children will die this year from diseases that could have been prevented by inexpensive vaccines. More than 30 million children are not immunized because vaccines are unavailable or inaccessible, or because parents are uninformed regarding the life-saving benefits to their children

Immunization is essential to keeping children alive.

In addition to the loss of life, lack of immunization also affects the health of the overall community, thereby weakening the economic base and contributing to chronic poverty.

Children's Hunger Relief Fund has funded immunization programs in sub-Saharan Africa since 1992 -- both in our children's homes and via mobile clinics which travel between "immunization centers" in various villages. The travel team administers vaccines and maintains records on the children, providing health education and advice to parents.

In addition to immunization, we also sponsor shipments of vitamins. Vitamin A deficiency is a major cause of blindness and a contributing factor to childhood deaths from measles and diarrhea.