It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.
–Mohandas Gandhi

Why Nutrition

Peru is a third-world country where 10 million people (36.2% of the total population) live under the poverty line, and almost three million (12.6%) in extreme poverty. In rural areas, the percentage of people living in extreme poverty is 25; nearly double the national average (World Food Programs). In addition, according to the National Institute of Statistics, more than 18% of Peruvian children under the age of five suffer from chronic under-nutrition, and over 37% have anemia.

Peruvian Hearts' Nutrition for Change (NfC) program works to give children the nutrition they need to help them concentrate in school. By supplying children with a nutritious lunch and a multi-vitamin, Peruvian Hearts is trying to help eliminate malnutrition among school children and improve overall attendance and achievement.

Without proper nutrition it is difficult for children to take advantage of educational opportunities. Our NfC program provides lunch and a multi-vitamin to hundreds of schoolchildren each day. Many of these children walk 1-3 hours each way to and from school and this is the only nutrition they receive during the school day. Since implementing Nutrition for Change in different schools in the Sacred Valley region as well as in Colca Canyon, directors have noticed a dramatic increase in overall attendance and grades have improved as well, now that the children are able to stay awake and attentive during class.

Click here to read 10-year-old, Sindy Ruth's letter of thanks to Peruvian Hearts. Sindy is one of hundreds of schoolchildren who receive lunch and a multivitamin every day in the Lamay NfC program.