Several parents in Chiclayo, Peru, voiced their concern about their children and teens’ nutritional health back in 2022. They decided to put forward some of their sponsorship funds to bring in health professionals to run diagnostic tests on the children.
“The result was alarming, and it was evident that many children presented notable signs of malnutrition, anemia, and parasitosis,” says Greta, Chiclayo site director, “which were affecting their comprehensive development, academic performance, and well-being.”
But the root cause was malnutrition, and that clearly needed to be addressed on a community level.
“This is how the nutrition program was born,” Greta says. “From a shared concern of families to improve the health of their children and generate a change in their lifestyle habits.”
Thanks to the generosity of Chalice’s Lunch Buddies, who contribute monthly to the Ladles and Love campaign, their daily lunch program continues to feed 80 children from the communities of Las Portadas de Las Americas and La Ladrillera.
The site opened a soup kitchen and dining hall, where children ate a balanced lunch from Monday to Thursday each week. Staff coordinated teams of volunteers, prepared daily menus, and planned activities with the children. A nutritionist helped them prepare menus. A rotation of mothers who volunteer to cook and serve the meals.
The Chiclayo team also runs biweekly workshops for parents and children on topics such as personal development, emotional management, hand washing, baking, and preparing nutritious foods.
“Families have become aware of the importance of healthy eating,” Greta says. The parents have seen that good mental health and nutrition go together. The staff have also been impressed by the volunteer mothers, who have “developed organizational and planning skills and have learned to prepare delicious, healthy, and accessible foods.”
By the end of the program, 39 boys and 41 girls “have managed to overcome malnutrition thanks to better feeding,” says Greta.
Staff also did home visits, which “allowed for building bonds of trust between the families and the coordinating team,” Greta says. “In addition, it facilitated monitoring for the nutrition program and ensured the continuation of healthy practices within their homes,” she says.
“I didn’t know that my children were sick, I always fed them and that was enough for me,” says Judith, a mother of two sponsored boys in the nutrition program. “But, having participated in the soup kitchen changed their lives and significantly improved their health and nutrition.”
“Thanks to the food that the dining room provides, my children are now active and intelligent, their weight and height are good. They are happier children,” says Judith. “I am very grateful to the soup kitchen and the nutrition program.”
“Their example reminds us of the importance of the fight against child malnutrition,” says Greta. “In this sense, the nutrition program is allowing transformation in the lives of children, giving them the opportunity for a healthier and more prosperous future.”
Your monthly support as a Lunch Buddy means more than meals, it means hope, health, and a brighter tomorrow for entire communities. Become a Lunch Buddy and help fight hunger!