Many mothers in rural Guatemala must work hard to keep their children healthy. Since Guatemala has one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world, this task can be a major battle. This reality is no exception in the community of Acul.
Anita was a new mother in Acul, doing her best to keep her one-year old daughter, Elena, well-fed. But no matter what she did, her baby girl continued to lose weight. She was sure that the mashed tortillas and beans she fed her daughter would be enough to keep her healthy. But they weren’t.
Concerned about her daughter’s health, Anita met with FH staff to ask for help. FH staff suggested supplementing her daughter’s diet with fresh vegetables, which would provide the vitamins and nutrients necessary for growth and development. Anita knew that her neighbours had fresh vegetables she could buy, and she began to incorporate those into her young daughter’s diet.
It worked! Anita’s daughter’s health returned, and Anita knew that growing her own vegetables would be the key to her family’s nutrition. FH helped Anita set up a family garden, supplying her with seeds and gardening training to go along!
“Now I prepare Elena's food with the recipes that the staff of FH taught me and I use the vegetables I grow in my garden. I make radish salad, carrot patties, chard patties, cauliflower shrouded in egg, and broccoli salad,” Anita describes.
Today Elena is thriving in kindergarten. Her teacher says she’s an intelligent and active girl, who brings life and energy into the classroom! It’s thanks to a nutritious diet of fresh fruits and vegetables and to a mother who’s worked hard to provide it.
Support mothers like Anita by giving seeds:
FRUIT & VEGGIE SEEDS
