Creating a mother’s organization against malnutrition in Catahuasi

Nutre-Perú is a voluntary organization created and sustained by undergraduates, its main objective is to fight against malnutrition in children under 5 years old in Peruvian rural communities through a program that looks up to create a local organization, constituted by mothers from the community, capable of identifying, evaluating and combating risk factors that endanger the nutrition of the local children. We are currently working in Catahuasi and 3 nearby communities located in the sierra of Peru, we’ve identified 4 problems inside this communities that affect children’s nutrition: lack of basic hygiene; lack of exclusive breastfeeding practice; imbalanced food proportion intake and family dynamics related problems (the latter has proved to be a strong predictor in children nutrition). After 2 years of working with the community of Catahuasi, we’ve measured a reduction of the prevalence of malnutrition by 7% and have built a trustful relationship with the community.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/NutrePeru

Photo of Ricardo Lewis, Nutre Perú volunteer, reading the story of “El Escuadron Clorito” to a family during a home visit at the family's orchard.

Ricardo Lewis, Nutre Perú volunteer, reading the story of “El Escuadron Clorito” to a family during a home visit at the family's orchard. It’s the second volume made by the volunteering, where is told the story of a group of friends using chlorination as a form of hygiene in the community to prevent disease. It is an interactive way of teaching the children the importance of hygiene.

Photo of Ricardo Lewis, Nutre Perú volunteer, hugging Misleny and Daylin children from Catahuasi.

Ricardo Lewis, Nutre Perú volunteer, hugging Misleny and Daylin children from Catahuasi. This picture represents the affective bond that has been formed with the community, which has been built and strengthened over time and with activities focused on combating malnutrition.

Photo of the volunteer team with the children from Catahuasi after the Nutriolimpiadas (Nutre “Olympics”).

The volunteer team with the children from Catahuasi after the Nutriolimpiadas (Nutre “Olympics”). This is the first activity that takes place on reaching the community in order to approach the children and their mothers to let them know us.

Photo of Gabriel Torres, Nutre Perú volunteer, having fun with Richard a child with cerebral palsy from Catahuasi.

Gabriel Torres, Nutre Perú volunteer, having fun with Richard a child with cerebral palsy from Catahuasi.

Photo of a mother breastfeeding her child using a portawawa (porta = carry, wawa=quechua word for baby) adapted by the volunteering Nutre Peru, in order to improve the rate of exclusive breastfeeding.

A mother breastfeeding her child using a portawawa (porta = carry, wawa=quechua word for baby) adapted by the volunteering Nutre Peru, in order to improve the rate of exclusive breastfeeding.