In Guatemala 49.8% of children suffer chronic malnutrition, according to UNICEF, this challenging country challenge has led to development in motion to integrate efforts with companies committed to supporting improve the conditions of Guatemalan childhood, which allows them to study, grow and develop in healthy conditions.
The intervention of the support of the DEMOS program, has drawn results through the nutritional evaluations that were carried out to the children at the beginning of the program, the studies of the children’s status: they indicated moderate growth of growth, low weight or overweight risk, severe growth of growth, chronic and severe malnutrition.
The objective of the program seeks to avoid school dropout and promote healthy eating, in safe spaces for children for their development, it promotes the effect of collaboration and leadership with mothers.
We demonstrated school breakfasts in May 2021, in the community of Samac, in Cobán, Alta Verapaz, through the living social organization, and in Piedra Parada, of the municipality of Santa Catarina Pinula, Guatemala, at the Maniga Amiga Educational Center, beneficiary partners of the Food Bank in motion, where they have helped improve the nutrition of 425 children. That year, 50% of the children presented a diagnosis of malnutrition, for October, that percentage was reduced to 20%.
“When I started the program in my daughter’s educational center, I was one of the first moms to receive training on the correct preparation of food and the importance of good nutrition to children. I feel very grateful to the demo program, since the support they give us is reflected in the welfare of the children. At the beginning my daughter had very low weight and this help has been key to her development, now she is in the size and ideal weight for her age. Salay, mother of a student of the Maniga Maniga Educational Center.
The important participation of donors has allowed to increase coverage to 5 educational centers, with demos school breakfasts, it was achieved during 2024 to support 1,325 children, with a total of 391,767 breakfast delivered from 2021 to 2024.
“With the support of school breakfasts, the results 2024 confirmed that 48% of children evaluated, have a normal state of nutrition, being achieved with a comprehensive food health program that involves mothers and families,” said Sofía Aguilar, a development nutritionist in motion.
The social impact, with valuable results in the fight against hunger and child malnutrition of development in motion, has the collaboration The Global Foodbanking Network, the reliable world network of food banks, which seeks to relieve hunger and reduce the carbon footprint emitted by the loss and waste of food. This program has the support of donor companies, volunteers, educational and social entities, integrates fundamental efforts to provide a better life opportunity for Guatemalan children.
“We have also received a lot of support with workshops and training on food preparation. Addition Community, ”concluded Maribel González, in charge of the Communications Department of the Maniga Maniga Educational Center.