Ajinomoto International Cooperation for “Nutrition and Health” Support Program Five New Projects to Start in April 2008

March 28, 2008 - Tokyo - The Ajinomoto Group is engaged in international cooperation activities in the areas of food, nutrition, and health. The Ajinomoto International Cooperation for “Nutrition and Health” Support Program was launched in 1999 on the occasion of Ajinomoto Co., Inc.’s 90th anniversary and has so far supported a total of 28 projects in 10 countries in Asia and South America. The Group solicits applications from non-profit organizations (NPOs) both in and outside Japan and selects projects based on deliberations by outside experts and site visits by the Ajinomoto Group employees. Support for five new projects in the areas of nutrition improvement and guidance will begin in April 2008. An example of the new projects starting in 2008: Nutrition Guidance to Improve Symptoms of Arsenicosis Patients in Bangladesh The contamination of underground water with arsenic is a major social problem in Bangladesh. Regularly drinking arsenic-contaminated water leads to the appearance of poisoning symptoms, such as dermatosis all over the body, and can even cause liver cancer. Over 40,000 people in Bangladesh are registered as arsenic poisoning sufferers, but inadequate testing of residents has led many observers to suspect that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Prevention requires ensuring that residents have access not only to safe water but also nutritious foods, especially with rich proteins and vitamins. Despite being a rich source of vitamins, vegetables tend to be regarded as the food of the poor in Bangladesh, and readily available ingredients are often overlooked. This project will involve practical activities with a direct impact on people’s dietary habits, such as disseminating accurate information about nutritious vegetables.

Implementing organization:  Asia Arsenic Network (based in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan) Period: April 2008-March 2010 (two years) Beneficiaries: About 1,000 people (arsenicosis patients and their families in villages in Chuadanga, Jhenaidah, and Satkhira districts) Activities supported by the Ajinomoto Group: (1) Classes on nutrition and cooking; (2) planting of home vegetable gardens using organic farming methods; (3) dissemination of project results. In supporting projects, the Ajinomoto Group places priority on the development of human resources and mechanisms that will take root in the targeted communities and enable them to continue improving their nutrition and lives after the end of the support project. The Ajinomoto Group aims to work hand-in-hand with local communities through its corporate citizenship activities, in line with the Group’s philosophy “to contribute to significant advances in Food and Health on a global basis and ultimately to create a better life for all.” Reference: Projects Supported in 2008 (10 Projects in 7 Countries) (Total grants provided in 2008: \16.2 million)

Country Project Organization Duration Amount (\/yr) India Project for Improvement of Nutrition and Mother and Child Care in Periphery Villages ASHA = Asian Sustainable Holistic Approach  2 years  2,000,000 Bangladesh Nutrition Guidance to Improve Symptoms of Arsenicosis Patients in Bangladesh Asia Arsenic Network  2 years  2,000,000 Vietnam Utilization of Home Garden and Model Construction of Nutrition Care for the Elderly in Rural Vietnam Thaibinh Medical University  3 years  2,000,000 Brazil Nutrition Improvement Project Through School Activities in Amazon Rural Communities HANDS (Health and Development Service)  2 years  1,000,000 Peru Ecological Cooking Recipes for Kids and Amazon Rainforest Conservation ARCO IRIS  1 year  1,000,000 ＜Support Projects That Began in 2006-07＞ Country Project Organization Duration Amount (\/yr) Thailand Nutrition for Brain and Body Terra People Act Kanagawa  2 years  1,700,000 Indonesia The Spread of Community Nutrition Administrative Team Medicine for Healthy Nutrition/Dietary Habit PH-JAPAN FOUNDATION  2 years  1,000,000 Indonesia Community Based Disability Prevention Program Through Nutrition and Health Education for Pregnant Women, Mothers and Children Under Five in Posyandu Community Based Rehabilitation Development and Training Center (a local NPO in Indonesia)  2 years  2,000,000 Bangladesh Livelihood Improvement Program Through Improvement of Nutrition for the Disadvantaged People SHAPLA NEER = Citizens’ Committee in Japan for Overseas Support  2 years  1,500,000 Peru Project for Community Empowerment on Nutrition and Maternal and Child Health AMDA MINDS  3 year  2,000,000

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