Food creativity: healthier families in Guatemala

Focusing on oral hygiene through food!

We understand clearly, that, where our food enters, must be clean and safe. That is why our founding member, Celeste Aída, strongly advocates for oral hygiene. We've had hundreds and hundreds of toothbrushes and toothpastes handed out, along with workshops of better ways of cleaning our teeth with cool techniques. That's why they are an integral part of our Improved Food Baskets, providing even more toothbrushes for all family members. We aspire to keep delivering them with a stronger partnership. One comment we got from the families, is that it was their first time seeing (and owning) a toothbrush with a cap or cover. They were really excited!  We are now reaching 200 families, nearly 1000 people, and aspiring for more, all whilst having cleaner teeth!

We had wonderful visiting volunteers!

It was brilliant to have a UK family visit us to be volunteers in the food deliveries. From accompanying in purchasing the produce and hygiene products, to preparing the Baskets (the daughters were fascinated by the shape, size, and color of the vegetables), to interacting with the families in the community, and to experience this wonderful social connection and learning on so much more than food. A complete Wa'ik life included our edible garden growing even more, exploring and eating from our crops, such as maize, guisquil, perejil, and many more! 

Made it to the front page on the paper and a two-pager wonderful interview

"Wa'ik: in the eye of the world" is how, Ingrid, the article's journalist portrayed our work in fighting as promoters against malnutrition. The two-page interview in Prensa Libre depicts the story behind Wa'ik and our purpose. It also made it to the newspaper's front page! In addition, we are highlighting how elPeriódico, who has been an incredible supporter of our work, is now facing a political backlash: freedom of press is being jeopardized.

50Next Ceremony (finally!)

Remember that Bibi, our Founder and Director was named one of the 50Next in it's inaugural class in 2021 in the category Trailblazing Activists? It's a initiative of The World's 50 Best Restaurants to recognized all individual under-35 shaping the future of gastronomy. Well, we immensely thank Social Gastronomy Movement for the nomination, and for the follow up of all the team in Bizkaia. The award ceremony was finally held in Bilbao, where we attended. Also, the class of 2022 was revealed, where our current board member, Debora Fadul, was also selected in this year's class, for her work as within the Hospitality Pioneers, congratulations!

Invited sessions 

We had the pleasure of being in the panel for GoodFoodForAll's session on food and biodiversity. We also spoke on the Chevening Alumni session on food security, and to the Rotary Club of Guatemala de la Asunción on our work with creativity and food. One fantastic and grateful opportunity was to meet Ambassador Cindy McCain (US Ambassador to the UN agencies in Rome) along with US Ambassador to Guatemala, W. Popp, on current food issues, nationally and globally. 

Summit of the Americas 2022 press release with Bibi, Founder of Wa'ik, as an example to follow

In the eve of the Summit of the Americas, multiple newspapers in Latin America and the Caribbean published this press realase by Brian Nichols - US. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, where we are blown away how the wonderful team within the US. State Department considered us in such a magnitude, thank you, an immense honor!

"Bibi La Luz González, a Guatemalan alumna of the State Department’s Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative, launched a non-profit in 2016 that promotes food security, working alongside low- and middle-income families and building a more inclusive food system. She was named a Trust Changemaker by the Thomson Reuters Foundation in 2019.

Together, we want to create more stories like hers. Too few aspiring change makers and entrepreneurs in the Americas can realize their dreams because inequitable public institutions, corruption, insecurity, poor healthcare, the effects of climate change, and limited access to financing stifle their ideas before they can get off the ground.

President Biden will welcome the leaders of the Western Hemisphere to Los Angeles from June 8-10 for the Ninth Summit of the Americas, with a simple but ambitious goal: help the entire hemisphere – including the United States – realize its potential as a region where democracy delivers for everyone, and people can realize their aspirations no matter where they live."

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We have more news to come, but we'll keep it until the next report! ¡Gracias!
WERE ARE HALF WAY TO MEETING OUR PROJECT'S GOAL, PLEASE KEEP ON DONATING! :D