Board member reflects on a visit to Los Chiles

In May of 2011 I traveled to Nicaragua with the president of Self-Help’s Board. We spent special time at the children’s feeding centers where we provide nutritious porridge with vitamins to alleviate malnutrition. During one of the visits, the president noticed one little girl who stood out from the rest. She sat in a corner, showing all the physical signs of malnourishment. As we went to leave the president brought this to my attention, wondering why our program wasn’t having a favorable impact on her. We went back inside and spoke with the educators about the child. We learned that she was not one of the children participating in the feeding program, but rather a child from a remote mountain village. She had come with her mother who had business to attend to in Los Chiles. Her mother stopped at the center, asking the staff to watch over her daughter while she did so.

As we left Los Chiles, we couldn’t help but remember how virtually all of the children were once malnourished like this little girl, and thankful that Self-Help is making a difference. We were pleased to see healthier children at the feeding center, yet reminded that our work continues. Thank you for being a part of our efforts to alleviate malnutrition among youngsters in Nicaragua.