Fight Child Malnutrition in Rural Guatemala

The aroma of delicious lunches being prepared travels throughout the school hallways while primary school children wait patiently in line, with their personal plates and cups in hand, ready to receive a healthy and nutritious meal.

Hundreds of kids benefiting from Pueblo a Pueblo’s School Lunch project look forward to going to school, not only because they receive daily hot lunches through the project, but because they are able to better enjoy learning with full bellies.

Aside from improving food access and tackling malnutrition in the Santiago Atitlan region, the School Lunch Project teaches children and the community an important lesson about waste reduction and the conservation of resources. By bringing their own cups and plates to school each day, students reduce the unnecessary waste of non-recyclable, single-use utensils.  Through this experience, children learn about sustainability and the value of embracing an eco-friendly attitude towards their own environment.

The goal of the  School Lunch  Project is to nourish the bodies as well as the minds of elementary school children.

The fresh produce harvested from our school gardens is  used to prepare healthy school lunches, and any food waste is deposited in worm bins that provide rich soil and fertilizer for the garden.

Maintaining a sustainable connection between school gardens and school lunches is integral to Pueblo a Pueblo’s School Health and Nutrition Program.  It is through enabling school children to understand the process of growing their own food organically, cultivating an appreciation for diverse fresh produce, and teaching about the value of waste reduction and sustainable habits, that we are able to work together to strengthen local communities in a meaningful way.