A Lifetime of Change in Six Months

In the community of El Bejucal, Guatemala, a vast majority of children do not have access to adequate food. Education surrounding nutrition and hygiene practices is also scarce, often leading to recurring intestinal and respiratory illness in young children.

Junior was no exception. From birth to two years old, he was malnourished and, it seemed to his worried parents, almost constantly ill.

When a Feed the Children-supported Care Group program opened near Junior’s home, his mother Maria brought her young son. There, an on-staff nutritionist assessed Junior and found signs of chronic malnutrition. Poor hygiene was also identified as a likely cause for his recurring sicknesses.

Not only was the nutritionist able to immediately put Junior on a supplemental feeding program, but she was able to schedule home visits to check in on the young boy. During these visits, program staff showed the family some simple improvements they could implement to ensure Junior had a cleaner, more hygienic space to live and play.

After just six months of participating in the Care Group, the staff monitoring his growth and health were noticing some major improvements! He was starting to gain weight, catching up to his peers in height, and – to his parents’ relief – no longer suffered from constant bouts of sickness.

When Junior’s little brother was born, Maria and her husband continued to participate in the Care Group and use what they’d learned.

“It gives me great joy to see my children healthy,” says Maria. “Not only Junior, but my whole family now know how to take better care of ourselves and eat better.”

Now four years old, Junior is a bubbly, social child. No longer at the mercy of poor health, he’s eager to explore the world, make new friends, and try new things. As he continues to grow, he’ll keep the good nutrition and health habits now used by his family, passing them along to his own children some day!