Ending an epidemic that has killed over 40,000 workers within the last decade.

The Worker Health and Efficiency (WE) Program is a collaborative initiative aimed at preventing the epidemic of chronic kidney disease of non-traditional causes among workers.

Led by La Isla Network, WE brings together the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), leading occupational health experts, policy-makers, universities and sugar producers to find and execute solutions to the problem of CKDu.

The WE Program provides the foundation for the Adelante Initiative, a multi-sectoral collaboration to improve workplace practices and ensure learnings from the WE Program are applied in the agricultural sector and beyond.

What is CKDu?

Chronic kidney disease of nontraditional causes (CKDu) has killed over 40,000 people in Central America and Sri Lanka alone over the last decade—most of them sugarcane workers. More people are dying of CKDu in El Salvador and Nicaragua than of leukemia, AIDS, and diabetes combined.

Learn more about CKDu

What’s the cause?

Dehydration and heat stress are believed to be the drivers of CKDu among cane workers and other heavy laborers. The WE Program addresses these factors by introducing water, rest, and shade into the workday. As well as developing more efficient and ergonomic tools.

Learn more about the cause

Take action now!

SUGAR MILLS
Bring the WE Program to your work place.

SUGAR BUYERS
Demonstrate supply chain responsibility.

GOVERNMENTS
Develop policies based on WE Program’s findings.

CERTIFIERS
Work with us to bring safe practices to cane harvesting.

Partner with us >>