RECO Industries, Partner of Bethesda-based University Research Co, LLC Wins 2010 Uganda Investment Authority Small Scale Investor of the Year Award

RECO Industries Ltd. was named a 2010 Investor of the Year by the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), for its contribution to the economic and social transformation of Uganda’s community. RECO Industries partners with Bethesda-based University Research Co, LLC (URC) on a project called NuLife—Food and Nutrition Interventions for Uganda, which aims at improving the health and nutritional status of people affected by HIV/AIDS with funding from the US Agency for International Development(USAID).

RECO Industries was the overall winner in the small scale industries category. The winners of the awards were considered for their contribution to Ugandan job creation, environmental management, use of local materials, and social expansion.

An essential partner in the NuLife program, RECO Industries has invested substantially to ensure high quality, nutritious food with locally grown products.

Since 2008, NuLife, managed by URC, has worked closely with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to build the capacity of community and facility health care providers in 54 sites in nutritional assessment, counseling, and treatment and to integrate these services into HIV/AIDS programs.

RECO Industries’ role is to produce and distribute ready-to-use therapeutic food called RUTAFA to treat those with acute malnutrition, especially those with HIV. RUTAFA translates as “will not die” in a local Ugandan language. In the past year, the NuLife has treated over 12,000 patients for acute malnutrition using RUTAFA.

RECO Industries is the Ugandan company selected in a competitive bid by URC to produce RUTAFA locally. The product is similar to Plumpy’nut, a product of the French firm Nutriset. RECO is licensed by Nutriset to produce the product locally, making Uganda one of only 14 countries worldwide with the Plumpy’nut license.

By investing in nutrition, agricultural development, and building sustainable livelihoods, NuLife contributes to the global Feed the Future initiative, which aims to achieve sustainable global food security. The US has committed $3.5 billion over three years to Feed the Future, by working with partners and stakeholders to address the needs of small scale farmers and agri-businesses, and harnessing the power of women to drive economic growth.