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It is with sadness that we announce the passing of our Senior Advisor Anna Verster, a much loved colleague of the IF family and founding mother of the Smarter Futures partnership. Anna was a much-valued and stalwart supporter of the International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus and the Smarter Futures partnership over many years and will be greatly missed. Our heartfelt sympathy and thoughts are with her family and friends.

During the week of January 9 to 15 2021 IF celebrated the World Folic Acid Awareness Week (WFAAW). This is an annual recurring week in IF’s calendar to focus on additional awareness activities for folic acid and prevention all over the world.

To promote the availability of good quality wheat- and maize flour enriched with at least iron and folic acid, the Food Fortification Initiative (FFI), the International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (IF), Helen Keller International and the then AkzoNobel, now Nouryon, created the Smarter Futures partnership some 10 years ago. Now, it is a much larger partnership with a Steering group comprising of FFI, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Muehlenchemie, Buhler, Nutrition International (NI), Nouryon (formerly AkzoNobel), HKI, World Food Programme (WFP), IF and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

IF will kick off the annual World Folic Acid Awareness Week (WFAAW) on Saturday 9th January 2021.

IF recently published a position paper with recommendations to ensure that the implementation of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) of the EU advances the rights of individuals with SBH within and beyond the EU. 

Within the current emergency situation due to COVID-19, IF has adapted the format and content of its European workshop. IF will meet its European members online!