Bananas, Books, and a Hungry Mind

“My favorite fruit is bananas.”

Antony and Norma– El Bejucal, Guatemala

“I like going to school,” says seven-year-old Antony, “because I always learn new things.”

Every day of learning starts with a long walk. School is far from Antony’s home in El Bejucal, so he leaves early. Most mornings before he goes, there’s time for a cup of atol (a warm drink made from corn). But there’s not time for much else.

Along the road, he meets other children from his community, and they walk together, talking and laughing. By the time they reach school, the morning already feels long.

Antony is in first grade, and he’s already beginning to read and write. His family couldn’t be more proud. He loves painting and turning pages through his schoolbooks, and his curiosity is as big as his dreams.

But in El Bejucal, food insecurity shapes every choice. At the start of each school year, money runs short. Families buy food first. School supplies come later, if they come at all.

Antony’s mother, Norma, is 30, and Antony is her first child. Before the school year began, she often worried her son wouldn’t have what he needed to start school.

Then his teachers shared the good news that Feed the Children was providing the supplies children need to begin the year. Norma felt her worry lift because Antony could start school ready to learn.

Now Antony’s favorite moment of the day is recess, when he can play, eat, and rest. Through its school feeding program, Feed the Children provides fruit for the children. For a small boy who walks so far on a cup of atol each morning, that’s no small thing.

“I enjoy eating the fruit they give me at school,” Antony says. “My favorite fruit is bananas.”

Norma now attends Care Group sessions in her community where mothers learn about health, nutrition, and caring for their children. Watching Antony grow and learn, she says, is the reason she keeps attending.

At noon, Antony walks home for lunch. He does his homework, plays with his cousins and neighbors, and helps his mother tidy the house. At night he washes his face, brushes his teeth, and goes to bed, ready for another day of learning.

That’s what providing food and essentials can do. Fruit at recess and school supplies can keep a curious boy reading, painting, and dreaming. And Antony isn’t alone. This year, 102 other children in El Bejucal are going to school with what they need.

This holiday season, you can help make sure a child like Antony keeps dreaming big. Join our global movement, and let’s end holiday hunger for children everywhere.