Nearly 1000 malnourished Peruvian children and pregnant/nursing mothers in 23 communities are being helped with malnutrition screenings, university-developed health lessons. nutritional supplements, and regular followup.
While the well-known ruins of Macchu Picchu may come to mind, Latter-day Saints should know that as of 2022, more than 600,000 people in Peru were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Peru is home to the third largest population of Latter-day Saints in South America.
According to Wikipedia, “Peru has a population of over 32 million, and its capital and largest city is Lima. …According to 2015 data, 19.3% of its total population is poor, including 9% that lives in extreme poverty” World Health Organization statistics for 2022 indicate that over 11% of Peruvian infants and children in Peru were malnourished severely enough to cause stunting.
The living conditions for many families in the program have been difficult. It can often be difficult to find a steady job. There are also many single Moms in the Bountiful program. Food supplements for the pregnant/nursing mothers and the children are distributed monthly (see picture below), and followup screenings are conducted every six months.
Peruvian mother of malnourished child with her home behind her
Bountiful’s local coordinators serving in Peru continue to share some wonderful pictures of the children they are helping with health lesssons, food supplements, and followup through the Bountiful program.
Some children in Cajamarca enjoy a hammock in front of their home.
A mother with 6 children visits with the missionaries
A little boy enjoys drawing on the whiteboard
at the church meetinghouse
A little girl enjoys reading a book outside her home
Some children try out a drum set along with
some other electronic instruments in the church building
A big thank you to all of you for providing a safety net for those in need!
Such beautiful children! Thank you for sharing their stories.