Help 80 sponsored children overcome malnutrition and grow up healthy and strong.
In 2022, our sponsor site launched a one-year nutrition pilot program in two under-served communities in Chiclayo city: Las Portadas de Las Americas and La Ladrillera. The pilot aimed to improve 80 children’s nutritional status, and to develop their parents’ abilities to choose, prepare, and provide nutritious diets at home.
The pilot was a resounding success. The parents watched their children become healthier, more energetic, and more attentive in school. “They are happier children,” says one mother, Judith.
Springboarding from this success, the Chiclayo site is partnering with Chalice to extend the program for three more years. As before, 80 malnourished children per year will come to one of the two dining halls for a nutritious lunch five days a week. An example of a typical lunch is lettuce and avocado salad, chicken and spinach rice, passion fruit drink, and a tangerine for dessert.
The site staff, in consultation with the Chalice family circles, will select the participants after considering their age (3-13), their nutritional status, their family size, and other family-level vulnerabilities (i.e., single parents, chronic illness, insecure housing.)
Staff will run nutritional assessments and keep track of their progress in key areas, such as BMI and iron levels. The nutritionist will offer individualized counseling for the parents to understand the family’s unique circumstances and the root causes of their children’s nutritional challenges. Together, they’ll find practical and effective solutions for each child.
Site staff will run nutrition training for parents and children, including workshops on the importance of a balanced diet, preparing nutritious foods, cooking demos, food safety, and eating well on a budget. For the students, they’ll also run workshops like studying tips and time management. They’ll also play games and let the children just have fun, too.
A group of mothers will organize and prepare the menus and cook the lunches on a rotational basis. Accompanied by the nutritionist, they’ll gather for meetings to plan, organize, make decisions, and commit to keeping the nutrition program running effectively. They’ll also organize a community event, such as a nutrition fair or a healthy cooking competition, to motivate and strengthen mothers’ leadership, and promote community participation.
The total budget for the 36-month program is $176,936.61 CAD. This includes all the food needed to cook and serve 56,400 daily lunches across two soup kitchens (80 lunches x 5 days a week x 141 weeks). The budget also includes a monthly salary for a nutritionist and dedicated field worker, dining hall utilities, and cooking gas refills.
Program Location: Chiclayo, Peru
Program Code: HDP-PCP1024
Budget in Canadian Funds: $176,936.61 CAD
DONATEPlease note that any donations that exceed the request will be used to fund other community projects that may arise.