In Guatemala, a staggering statistic reveals that one out of every two children experiences chronic malnutrition (1). Globally, Guatemala ranks sixth for chronic malnutrition rates, with approximately 47 percent of children affected (2). In indigenous areas of Guatemala, the prevalence drastically increases to around 70 percent. The prevalence of stunting, or low height-for-age, tends to rise with age, likely due to inadequate complementary feeding and poor hygiene and sanitation practices (2).
Through their education projects, ConnectED Fellows are actively tackling critical issues, such as nutrition. Fellow Verónica Sic, a member of the 2022 cohort, shared her impactful project was created to combat malnutrition within her rural community. Verónica’s journey started in 2000 when she started at a new school and noticed an underutilized kitchen. She quickly identified a concerning correlation between students’ diarrheal illnesses and rainy weather. During lunchtime, students would place their meals on the wet lunch tables. Their inability to frequently wash their hands before eating after partaking in recess increased the risk of illness.
Verónica recalls, “I vividly remember one of our students placing her lunch roll directly on the table that had sitting water from the last storm and then consuming it.”
Verónica recognized that such illnesses hindered students’ attendance and learning. While the school prioritized classroom renovations, the neglected kitchen remained a pressing issue. Despite plans by the mayor to replace the kitchen with classrooms in 2016, Verónica advocated for its utilization to provide nutritious meals to the students.
City officials eventually constructed a smaller kitchen, inadequate for the school’s 400 children. Verónica emphasized the importance of educating students and mothers on nutrition’s significance, garnering support from a parental advisory group.
“The kitchen built would probably only accommodate a two-person household, let alone all the children.”
Verónica emphasizes the importance of prioritizing healthful ingredients and promoting healthy eating habits among students, rather than allowing them to snack on non-nutritious foods. She highlights the importance of educating both students and mothers about the benefits of a nutritious diet, leveraging the existing parental advisory group’s support. As mothers in the group expressed eagerness to contribute, Verónica recognized the need for a proper kitchen to prepare and serve meals to the students. This space would facilitate the provision of nutritious meals and ensure an environment conducive to healthy eating habits.
“ConnectED was a light in this journey, I found their support which is different from what other organizations were able to do, so we started with the remodel of the kitchen”
When Verónica joined ConnectED, she saw an opportunity to address this challenge through her education project. After community assessments with key community stakeholders including parents, teachers, and students, they agreed to focus on creating a kitchen that could support all students to receive nutritious meals. With the support of ConnectED’s seed funding and the tools to rally her community, the renovation became a reality, overcoming manpower shortages with community support. Despite previous challenges due to inadequate funding, the project was able to come to life.
Since implementing her project, Verónica has seen its impact on students and mothers.
“One significant impact is the improved cooking conditions for mothers. With better ventilation from the newly added chimney, cooking no longer brings tears to their eyes.”
Additionally, children now learn cooking skills in a well-equipped space integrated into their curriculum. Verónica shared a memorable incident of students making pizzas on their desks due to the lack of a functional kitchen, highlighting the importance of the newly established cooking space. Ultimately, ensuring students receive proper nutrition in the right environment stands as a major achievement.
“The parents are overwhelmed with joy about the fact the school now has a kitchen.”
Verónica extends gratitude to ConnectED for its instrumental role in launching and supporting the project. Their commitment to supporting the initiatives of indigenous women and rural schools with diverse needs has contributed to food safety and nutrition education within communities.
Author: Rachel Gonzalez (ConnectED Intern)
1. Escobar L. In Guatemala, the search for cases of child malnutrition are hidden by the pandemic [Internet]. www.unicef.org. 2020. Available from: https://www.unicef.org/lac/en/stories/guatemala-search-cases-child-malnutrition-are-hidden-pandemic#:~:text=In%20Guatemala%2C%201%20in%20every
2. USAID. Guatemala: Nutrition Profile [Internet]. 2018 Feb. Available from: https://2017-2020.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1864/Guatemala-Nutrition-Profile-Mar2018-508.pdf