Fight Malnutrition in Rural Guatemala

In the village of Paraxquin, in Tecpán, Chimaltenango, where jobs are scarce, some families are able to afford food thanks to money sent home by their relatives working in the United States. Others, such as María’s family, are not as fortunate. María, now 26, became a mother for the first time at 17, and now has four children. Her husband works hard in the fields, through intense sun and drenching rains, while María takes care of the children at home and occasionally weaves to earn extra income. Still, they are not able to earn enough money to meet their food needs and support their children's education.

In addition to their economic difficulties, the family faces other challenges, including the lack of access to clean drinking water. They must go to a contaminated pond to get water for drinking, bathing, and washing clothes.

These challenges and resulting health problems led the community health center to reach out to our Family-Centered Nutrition Program to support the youngest son of this family, 13 month-old Wilson. Wuqu' Kawoq Nutrition Technician Johana searched and found their home, and Wilson entered the program. After an evaluation in July 2024, it was determined that Wilson had a moderate growth delay. 

Since then, the nutrition team has visited monthly to work with Wilson’s parents to support his growth and development. The family's usual diet consists primarily of beans, eggs, herbs, and instant soups. During the monthly visits, the nutrition team has focused on  nutritional education, with the goal of helping the family include fruits, vegetables, and other essential foods in their diet. In addition, the program provides eggs, beans, and nutritional supplements for Wilson.

Despite the efforts, after six months of support, Wilson still had not significantly improved. The family’s lack of economic resources continued to make it difficult to provide a diverse diet of healthy foods, and an episode of diarrhea set Wilson back further, putting him at risk for acute malnutrition. While patients typically finish the nutrition program in eight months, in cases such as Wilson’s, the team continues to partner with the family, adding nutritional formula and trying other strategies until his health improves.

María dreams of seeing her son grow up healthy and attending school. Despite the hardships, she holds onto the hope that, with the right support, her family can improve their quality of life and have a better future.

Aly, two years and three months old, is a source of joy and inspiration in her household. She loves playing with her dolls, toy dishes, and cars. Her creativity shines as she imitates cooking and “sells” her meals, delighting her mother, Rosa. When Lucrecia, a nutrition technician from Wuqu' Kawoq, arrives at Aly's home, the first thing she notices is how excited the little girl is to be weighed.

When Aly entered our Family-Centered Nutrition program in February, an evaluation revealed growth delays. From that point, Lucrecia began monthly home visits, providing nutritional counseling and encouragement to Rosa. During one of these visits, she observed that Rosa had difficulty getting her daughter to eat nutritional supplements with her meals. Lucrecia provided recommendations on how to incorporate the supplements and improve Aly’s diet.

Thanks to this guidance, Rosa now provides the supplements daily and offers a variety of nutritious foods. Rosa has been motivated by seeing the improvements in diet reflected in her daughter’s health; Aly has gained height and weight. Her mother looks forward to seeing her continue to grow healthy and strong, and makes an effort every day to provide her with the best nutrition possible.

Child malnutrition remains one of the most significant health issues in Guatemala, with rates approaching 70% in some rural, Maya communities. Malnutrition and stunting in the first years of life not only pose immediate health threats, but can also compromise future education, employment, and health prospects.

We partner with caregivers of 800 children a year in the first 1,000 days of life to foster children’s growth and development. Nurses and nutrition technicians work with families to watch for key developmental milestones and to find sources for healthy, diverse nutrition using locally available foods. Thank you for standing with us in the fight against malnutrition. With your help, we will keep working to ensure that every child in Guatemala has the chance to grow, learn, and thrive.