Emergency relief for Rural Communities in Paraguay

During the last couple of months, we have been able to fulfill all the dietary requirements of the students of the Belén Agricultural School. In order to maintain a healthy diet and give the students all the nutrients they need to keep up with their studies, the funds were invested in the purchase of flour, rice, noodles, oil, yerba mate, and salt, among others.

Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the young students originally from San Pedro, Pedro Juan Caballero, Tacuati, Concepción, and others, are now full-time at the internship, and can receive the full benefits of the Belén Agricultural School.

As the school slowly recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, the students finally have the opportunity to do in-person classes again. This return has had a major impact on the students, as they got to meet their peers again and start to reduce the impact that COVID-19 had on their education. With the funds received this month from our GlobalGiving donors, we were able to keep on complementing the dietary requirements of our students, motivating them in their studies. The 51 students attending the Belén Agricultural School come from different areas of Paraguay, such as San Pedro, Tacuati, Pedro Juan Caballero, and Concepción. They receive quality education training in Rural Promotion, which is later transformed into skills that they can put into use in their own families.

Thanks to the generosity of our GlobalGiving donors, we were able to feed all 51 students who attend the Belén Agricultural School. These students come from poor, rural areas such as San Pedro, Tacuati, Concepción, and Pedro Juan Caballero, with the goal of receiving quality education to escape from poverty. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, classes were being held virtually for most of the past two years. As COVID-19 cases decline in Paraguay, students are finally able to do in-person classes again. For many of them, this means having access to a nutritious meal for the first time in a while.

Egg carton boxes have been delivered to the Community of Santa Lucía -Belen Department, where 10 families have been directly benefited. These vulnerable families have had limited opportunities to generate income. Therefore, the egg donations have been meaningful and contributed by adding a healthy component to their food intake since protein is a crucial part of a balanced diet.

With this activity, we helped supply the basic nutritional needs of 10 families from the Community of Santa Lucía -Belén Department. Mrs. Petrona, a 78-year old lady lives alone in a house made of Karanday (Trithrinax campestris, a very rustic South American palm) material and she suffers from age-related diseases. She was one of the beneficiaries of the donation. She can no longer work and only depends on the help he receives from his son who works on a farm.

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the entire country, and in particular, the rural sector. The low levels of health service coverage, as well as the reduction in purchasing power, have led to an increase in poverty rates in the country. As an example, “ollas populares”, which refers to a very large meal made with ingredients contributed by multiple people, have become extremely popular in rural areas of the country. This practice is crucial to feed large numbers of people, making it a viable option when entire families have been left without any source of income.

A food kit has been delivered to one family with this donation. The food kit contained staple foods such as flour, sugar, noodles, tomatoes, green peppers, beans, yuca, eggs, and rice. This food kit has allowed Mrs. Irma and her family (originally from a town called Hugua Ybañez) to eat for one month. Mrs. Irma is unable to work and lives with her daughter, who has limited opportunities to generate income because she has to dedicate her time to caring for her elderly mother.

Links:

• Mrs. Irma receiving the food kit
• Mrs. Irma with her daughter and caretaker