Hello!

I'm pleased to share our Fall 2022 update.

We have been busier than ever this summer. Fighting malnutrition continues to be a major focus. We are attacking this crisis on all levels: working one-on-one with families, launching a nutrition master class to train health workers across Guatemala, and advocating for national policy changes to prioritize better nutrition for our children. In June, the team spent a day planting trees to help nurture the health of our planet, another key to reducing food shortages and addressing many other health issues.  

Read on for details about this month's Nourish the Future Campaign. One of our wonderful supporters has offered up to $20,000 in matching funds! We need your help to raise a total of $40,000 to help 550 children recover from malnutrition. Join us in this important effort!

Warm wishes,

- Anne Kraemer, Executive Director

PARTNERING WITH FAMILIES TO END HUNGER

Rising costs of food, fuel, and fertilizers are driving basic expenses beyond the reach of most families; some 4.6 million Guatemalans cannot access enough food. More than 40 percent of children in the regions where we work are suffering from acute malnutrition, according to a report published August 17 in Prensa Libre, one of Guatemala’s major newspapers.

In the past, most of the children we care for have had chronic rather than acute malnutrition. While chronic malnutrition is a significant concern, as it can limit brain development and have lifelong consequences for a child’s health, education, and future prospects, acute malnutrition is also life-threatening.

Our nutrition technicians are in the field doing everything they can to help families find ways to keep their babies fed and healthy. They offer one-on-one counseling for caregivers and develop personalized plans for each child. In response to feedback from mothers, our nutrition technicians are now using common household items such as mugs, bowls, and different sized fruits to make it easier to understand recommendations for portion sizes. This is just one example of the importance of partnering with families to help achieve the best possible results. Find out more below about this month’s fundraising campaign to help more children recover from malnutrition. 

PRESENTATIONS & PUBLICATIONS

Health Update to G13 Executive Director Anne Kraemer and Medical Director Dr. Waleska López Canu, along with Health Minister Dr. Francisco José Come Martín, provided an update on the health situation in Guatemala to a convening of G13 ambassadors at the home of US Ambassador to Guatemala William Popp. G13 is a forum of countries and multilateral organizations representing the largest donors to the development of Guatemala.

UN Scaling up Nutrition Research Manager Dr. Gabriela Montenegro presented at Guatemala's July meeting of experts and policy makers for Scaling Up Nutrition, a global initiative to address malnutrition. Presenters underscored the need to develop a coordinated response to this growing problem, especially in the first two years of life. 

Using Social Media to Increase Vaccine Confidence in Marginalized and Underserved Communities Awards and Partnerships Manager Emily López shared learnings from our work providing Covid vaccine information in Mayan languages via social media at this August Insights Dialogue sponsored by the Sabin Vaccine Institute and Bay Area Global Health Alliance.

Rural-Urban Differences in Diabetes Care and Control in 42 Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Cross-sectional Study of Nationally Representative Individual-Level Data. Flood D, Geldsetzer P, Agoudavi K, Aryal K, Caldeira L, Brian G, Dorobantu M, Farzadfar F, Gheorghe-Fronea O, Gurung M, Guwatudde D,Houehanou C, Adelin,  Kondal D, Labadarios D, Marcus M, Mayige M, Moghimi M, Norov B, Perman G, Quesnel-Crooks S, Rashidi M, Moghaddam S, Seiglie J, Karaireho S, Steinbrook E, Theilmann M, Ware L, Vollmer S, Atun R, Davies J, Ali M, Rohloff P, Manne-Goehler J. Diabetes Care. September 2022.

Engaging the Guatemala Scientific Diaspora: The Power of Networking and Shared Learning Bonilla K, Romero-Oliva C, Arrechea S, Ortiz N, Mazariegos F, Alonzo M, Orellana-Corrales G, del Valle A, Montenegro-Bethancour G. Frontiers in Research Metrics and Analysis. 7:897670.

Thank you so much for your ongoing support!

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