About us

Leadership Team
Dr Klaus Kraemer

Director

Dive into Klaus’s biography and discover how he has grown Sight and Life over the past twelve years… find out more here.
Kalpana Beesabathuni

Global Lead, Technology and Entrepreneurship

A savvy business woman devoted to advancing science, Kalpana is successfully creating opportunities for Sight and Life… find out more here.
Breda Gavin-Smith

Global Public Health Nutrition Manager

As an experienced dietitian and public health professional, Breda brings a wide breadth of experience to Sight and Life… find out more here.
Peiman Milani

Global Lead, Public-Private Partnerships

With a background rich in diverse business experiences and a fresh view on the world of nutrition, Peiman looks to take Sight and Life to the next level… find out more here.
Srujith Lingala

Manager Technology and Entrepreneurship

A welcomed addition to Sight and Life, Lingala’s command of technology and eye for opportunity has quickly translated into actions… find out more here.
Kesso Gabrielle van Zutphen

Knowledge and Research Manager

Driven by innovation in nutrition, Kesso pursued an education in public health and was drawn to the forward-thinking mindset of Sight and Life. Here she will drive new advances in nutrition… find out more here.
Laura Prestel

Global Coordinator

Laura is a connecter who will hold the diverse Sight and Life team together while managing the daily operations of the organization including financial, administrative, and legal tasks… find out more here.
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Madhavika Bajoria

Manager, Nutrition Integration

Madhavika joins from India as an important driver for Sight and Life to successfully achieve our goals for the future. Find out more about her passion for nutrition here.
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Yana Manyuk

Social Marketing Specialist

Yana brings an extensive amount of experience in behavior change communications and social marketing boosting Sight and Life to the next level… find out more here.
Nola Martin

Communications

With 15 years of experience in marketing and communications, Nola will elevate Sight and Life communication and grow our recognition as thought leader… find out more here.
Daniel Amanquah

Food Fortification Specialist, Obaasima

Daniel is dedicated to improving the nutritious food products available for women in Ghana and with his passion and expertise in food science he is sure to move the needle. Find out more about this endeavors here.
Anne Milan

Architect and Design Specialist

Anne’s eye for design brings a fresh perspective to Sight and Life’s projects and goals. Find out more about her and why she is passionate about nutrition here.

Strategy

Sight and Life delivers value in the nutrition sphere by accelerating the translation of research to innovative solutions at scale. Our work begins with a profound understanding of the biological factors that influence the nutritional status, how to add nutrition value to food value chains, and ends with research on healthy choices for consumers. We translate our scientific knowledge to build sustainable business models and public-sector programs that deliver best possible strategies to communities.

Our current partnerships expand into agriculture, academia, social protection, WASH, and social business. We are deeply committed to facilitating knowledge transfer, functional capacity and leadership on nutrition.

These ambitions are realized through our four strategic goals that focus on the challenges we see as critical over the next 5 years.

Goal 1: Recognized as a catalytic leader in micronutrient, protein, and lipid science

Our core focus of micronutrient science now expands to protein (essential amino acids) and lipids (essential LC-PUFA) due to the scientific evidence that protein and lipids are critical nutrients for growth. We are working to improve knowledge and awareness for sustainable protein and lipid sources.

Goal 2: Recognized as an innovator in implementation research

Implementation research is indispensable to design and deliver nutrition services and programs. There have been significant advances in products and technologies for nutrition; however, there are few strategies to take these innovations to scale. At Sight and Life, we work with partners to apply research and tools to improve the design and implementation of nutrition programs and services at scale. In addition, we specialize in delivery model validation for products and services in nutrition.

Goal 3: Prominent role in nutrition capacity building

As more sectors seek to integrate nutrition into their programs, there is a need and demand for nutrition information and expertise. Currently, knowledge in nutrition is fragmented, incomplete, and erroneous resulting in myths, taboos and beliefs that are unscientific, which negatively hamper our ability to eradicate malnutrition. Our goal is to disseminate nutrition knowledge based on scientific facts and to develop and strengthen capacity of professionals to deliver nutrition.

Goal 4: Recognized as a go-to partner for nutrition integration

The SDGs and climate change agenda will result in nutrition being increasingly positioned as an outcome of food security and agriculture policy. Greater attention is now placed on food systems and the participation of the private sector, entrepreneurs, and innovation throughout the value chain. Sight and Life has expertise to integrate nutrition into existing agriculture platforms and food value chain.

Within a dynamic nutrition landscape, we aim to achieve our goals through three approaches; advance research, share best practice, and mobilize support.

Advancing Research: initiating and supporting research

Sight and Life contributes to the latest evidence, advancing nutrition through initiating and supporting research. We stimulate and participate in discussions with eminent researchers and other stakeholders to highlight urgent topics for nutrition research. Sight and Life contributes to growing new evidence for nutrition interventions, and supports thought leadership – discussion and debate on key nutrition issues amongst stakeholders. A key focus is to actively explore innovative implementation platforms, and support leadership development.

Sharing Best Practices: a pledge to share and increase nutrition knowledge

Sight and Life develops and disseminates information on best practice relating to micronutrients and malnutrition, which incorporates the latest research, for a wide variety of audiences. We support and engage in relevant conferences, workshops, and symposia, and disseminate knowledge and best practice through publications, books, and manuals.

Mobilizing Support: advocacy and partnerships for nutrition awareness

Sight and Life is dedicated to accelerating the uptake and impact of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions towards improving the lives of the most vulnerable. We believe that it is critical that nutrition remains high on the global development agenda, and that multi-sectoral linkages are grown and strengthened. We therefore partner with others to advocate for nutrition at all levels – global, regional and national.

Sight and Life accelerates the uptake and impact of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions on the most vulnerable lives. Nutrition must remain high on the global development agenda, and multi-sectoral linkages must grow and strengthen. We partner with others to advocate for nutrition at all levels – global, regional and national.

We seek product and technology innovations in micronutrients, protein, lipids that have a measurable impact on nutrition or health status. Our work portfolio combines innovations with delivery strategies while our unique know-how places us as a thought leader and catalyst for positive change.

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History

Ever since its creation in 1986, Sight and Life has been at the forefront of global efforts to improve vitamin A nutrition. Originally a purely humanitarian program, today we serve as a nutrition think tank.

1986

Sight and Life, Logo RF Hoffman-LaRoche Ltd. launches the Sight and Life Task Force to help combat xerophthalmia, and reduce child death rates. The task to force was originally set up for three years.

1989

Over three years, Sight and Life’s vitamin A intervention programs supported 52 projects in 29 countries, reaching thousands of children.

The decision is taken to continue Sight and Life’s work.

Sight and Life receives the Spirit of Helen Keller Award in recognition of its work towards eradication of vitamin A deficiency in developing countries.

1994

Sight and Life, Nutrition Sight and Life’s first Secretary-General Dr John Gmünder steps down, having seen the organization provide 16 million doses of vitamin A. He is replaced by Dr Martin Frigg.

2003

Sight and Life receives the IVACG Award for 15 years of contributions to global vitamin A deficiency and control.

Sight and Life transfers to DSM, a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials, after the acquisition of Roche’s vitamins and fine chemicals division.

2005

Sight and Life, Dr Klaus Kraemer Dr Martin Frigg steps down as Secretary-General, to be replaced by Dr. Klaus Kraemer.

2007

Sight and Life catalyzes the formation of a public-private partnership between the World Food Programme and DSM, and becomes the partnership’s nutrition science hub.

This same year, the Micronutrient Forum acknowledges Sight and Life for its longstanding commitment to the alleviation of micronutrient malnutrition.

2008

Sight and Life, Malnutrition, nutrition Together with its partners, the World Food Programme and DSM, Sight and Life is the recipient of the UK’s Chemical Industry News & Intelligence ICIS Award for Best Innovation, for the MixMe™ Micronutrient Powder Supplement.

2009

Sight and Life supports the creation of the Home Fortification Technical Advisory Group (HF-TAG), comprising stakeholders from the public, private, academic, and non-governmental organization sectors.

2010

Sight and Life signs on to and supports the creation of the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement (SUN).

2011

Nutrition, Malnutrition, Sight and Life Sight and Life celebrates 25 years of service to science and humanity, having donated $36 million USD and supported some 3,350 projects in over 80 countries.

2012

Sight and Life Leadership award, Dr David Navarro Sight and Life awards its 1^st Nutrition Leadership award to Dr David Nabarro, representing the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.

2013

Sight and Life Leadership award, Dr Robert Black Sight and Life becomes the principal technical partner in the Affordable Nutritious Food for Women (ANF4W) project in Ghana, established by the Deutsche Gesellschaft for Internationale Zusamenarbeit (GIZ), to increase the local supply and demand of affordable nutritious foods and focusing on women of reproductive age.

Sight and Life awards Dr Robert Black, as chair of the Lancet Maternal and Child Nutrition Study Group, the 2nd Sight and Life Nutrition Leadership award during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

2014

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and DSM announce a renewed commitment to prevent micronutrient deficiencies with the launch of the Sight and Life Global Nutrition Research Institute at Johns Hopkins University.

Sight and Life broadens its focus as a think tank, to include implementation science, capacity building, and leadership development.

Dr Anna Lartey, Director of Nutrition at the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is honored with the 3rd Sight and Life Nutrition Leadership award.

2015

Sight and Life Leadership award, Dr Shawn Baker Sight and Life evolves its status to that of a Swiss foundation.

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s director of nutrition, Dr Shawn Baker, receives the Sight and Life Nutrition Leadership award during an event celebrating dedicated leadership and nutrition driving implementation at the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Global Gathering.

Together with DSM, Sight and Life incubates Sizanani Mzanzi, a micro-franchising-focused business, dedicated to bringing affordable, nutritious foods to vulnerable children and reproductive age women in South Africa.

Member states agree to develop a set of sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to build upon the MDGs and converge with the post-2015 development agenda. Food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture is one of the SDGs, and is recognized as being at the heart of the development.

2016

One of our recent collaborations with PATH is in Karnataka India, where we are working with local partners to improve nutrition status and build healthy hygiene habits amongst schoolchildren. The program provides a nutrient-rich meal of fortified rice while promoting good hygiene habits through peer role models, games, and problem-based learning. It aims to encourage positive attitudes towards sanitation and healthy eating in 2,600 schools in the Indian state of Karnataka, with the prospect of including all schools in Karnataka.

Sight and Life also co-edited the book “Good Nutrition: Perspectives for the 21st Century” a book detailing global nutrition from leading experts.

Alongside scientists from Johns Hopkins University, Washington University, and the National Institutes of Health, Sight and Life has also been busy advancing research. Discovery research has showed that protein and essential amino acids are key to eliminating stunting. This work has placed the intake of high-quality protein such as animal-source foods back on the global agenda. We provided further insight regarding stunting, essential amino acids, and micronutrients, find out more in the Huffington Post.

We are proud to be part of the success of the Micronutrient Forum this year in Cancun, Mexico. Along with the Society for Implementation Science in Nutrition, we held a symposium exploring ways in which implementation research could not only improve program coverage but also make better use of programs. In addition, at the Micronutrient Forum, we hosted an Elevator Pitch Contest, a unique forum for young innovators to make their case for why their ideas deserve funding.

2017

Sight and Life proudly presented two winners of the Sight and Life Nutrition Leadership award at the SUN Global Gathering in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Dr Shilpa Bhatte and Dr Ellen Piwoz were recognized as great leaders in the nutrition field who have a vision of an improved world and inspiring others to do the same.

Sight and Life announced a new partnership together with Royal DSM, a global science company active in health and nutrition, and UN children’s agency UNICEF to deliver better nutrition to at-risk children and mothers in Nigeria. The partners will also advocate on a global scale for micronutrient supplementation.

Our continued efforts to advance research lead to release of The Biology of the First 1,000 Days. From conception to two years of age, this is a critical period of growth and development during which exposures to dietary, environmental, hormonal, and other stressors during this window have been associated with an increased risk of poor health outcomes, some of which are irreversible. The book, The Biology of the First 1,000 Days, addresses this crucial interval of early life across biological disciplines, linking concepts related to all biological fields to outcomes during the first 1,000 days and beyond. The strength of this book lies in its cross-disciplinary nature.

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About us

Leadership Team

Board Members

Vision

Strategy

History

Leadership Team

Dr Klaus Kraemer

Kalpana Beesabathuni

Breda Gavin-Smith

Peiman Milani

Srujith Lingala

Kesso Gabrielle van Zutphen

Laura Prestel

Madhavika Bajoria

Yana Manyuk

Nola Martin

Daniel Amanquah

Anne Milan

Board Members

Benedikt Suter

Emorn Udomkesmalee

Fokko Wientjes

Vision

Strategy

Goal 1: Recognized as a catalytic leader in micronutrient, protein, and lipid science

Goal 2: Recognized as an innovator in implementation research

Goal 3: Prominent role in nutrition capacity building

Goal 4: Recognized as a go-to partner for nutrition integration

Advancing Research: initiating and supporting research

Sharing Best Practices: a pledge to share and increase nutrition knowledge

Mobilizing Support: advocacy and partnerships for nutrition awareness

History