Edesia is a non-profit, social enterprise that makes life-saving ready-to-use foods to help end the global hunger and malnutrition crisis. Since 2010—through our partnerships with UNICEF, the World Food Programme, USAID/USDA, and others—we have nourished over 16 million children across 60 countries.
In 2007, Navyn Salem traveled to her father’s birthplace, Tanzania, and discovered that malnutrition — a 100% preventable global health crisis getting very little attention — was responsible for the deaths of 5 million children each year. After she learned about Plumpy’Nut, a fortified peanut paste endorsed by the World Health Organization as a cure for acute malnutrition, she founded Edesia.
Edesia is the Roman Goddess of food who presides over banquets and plenty. Mythology states that she ensured that feasts went well and the food was excellent. Her name comes from the Latin verb edes, which means “to eat.” Navyn Salem chose the name as a symbol of the company’s commitment to nourishing the world.
This 60 Minutes segment by Anderson Cooper about Plumpy’Nut saving lives in Niger inspired Navyn Salem to widen the reach of this life-saving ready-to-use therapeutic food.
