The increasing frequency and violence of natural disasters and conflicts has contributed to two trends: an increase in donations to aid organizations and greater sophistication in corporations that want to take advantage of disasters.

To some corporations, recently devastated areas represent new markets.  Infant formula producers have excelled at turning disasters into opportunities to enter markets.  The problem starts even before the disaster strikes.  Producers market formula to the poor as a means of improving the quality of children’s lives.

They target women and persuade them to believe that breastfeeding is inadequate.  Although some women may be unable to purchase formula for their children, marketing changes the way they feel about breastfeeding, creating greater demand for infant formula.

When a major disaster occurs, aid organizations are flooded with donations and contributions.  Most donations are appropriate, but some are rooted in corporate agendas rather than the needs of the affected people.  Since their responsibility lies with their shareholders, corporations are primarily concerned with profits. During the Balkan Wars of the 1990s, infant formula corporations used images of breastfeeding women in the war zone to encourage consumers to donate both money and formula products to help these ‘helpless’ women. However, promoting such products in a time of crisis does more harm than good. A baby must rely on its mother’s antibodies to fight infections, since its own immune system is not fully developed at birth. In the first six months of life, babies are five times more likely to die from pneumonia and seven times more likely to die from diarrhea if not breastfed. When corporations donate formula during disasters, women stop breastfeeding. After the media’s attention fades and donations of infant formula stop, it is too late for women to start breastfeeding again. Women must then purchase the goods on which they have become dependent. What began as an expression of charity translates simply and wholly into corporate profits.

While some suggest that women are unable to breastfeed their children in disaster or conflict zones, this is far from the truth.  In West Darfur during the famine of 1984 and 1985, the infant mortality rate remained stable, while the child mortality rate quadrupled and adult deaths doubled.  Infants were protected by breastfeeding, even while their mothers were undernourished.  In contrast, formula producers persuaded Kurdish refugees in the early 90s to stop breastfeeding, leading to a rise in infant mortality.

As our world continues to confront disasters and violent conflict, we must ensure that our contributions are working for the best interests of those in need.  Aid organizations may claim to operate with the best intentions, but they are not immune to corporate influence.  When disasters strike, good Samaritans all over the world donate.  But if misguided by corporate greed, these donations can take lives instead of save them.

Sara is a junior studying public health.