KATHERINNE’S STORY: NUTRITION AND CONNECTION
Katherinne, who turns 5 next month, lives at home with her mother. When she first came to the Center just three months ago, Katherinne spent most of her days crying, since she was used to only spending time with her mother. She was not accustomed to interacting with so many other children and took some time to adjust to the routines. And since she was used to having an unhealthy diet, she only consumed junk food, and did not eat the fruits, vegetables, meats or atoles (drinks made from milk and corn) that were offered.
As the weeks go by, however, Katherinne has been interacting and connecting with the other students and staff. She is adapting to the routines and expanding her favorite activities from solitary play dough and puzzles to more social activities such as playing kitchen and dress up with the other children. Katherinne is also learning to eat the nutritious meals and snacks provided every day. She sometimes asks for another portion, indicating that she likes the food. Reducing junk food and choosing fresh produce and meats have been transformative for Katherinne’s health and wellbeing.
Katherine’s mother has noticed the positive changes as well. She is very grateful for staff member’s guidance with Katherinne’s diet and behavior. For the remainder of the year Katherinne’s mother will continue to participate in our caregiver workshops focusing on parenting skills and child development, allowing her to learn from other caregivers, too.
The Acorn Childcare Center is one of the few institutions that supports low-income families in Guatemala. Because of your generosity, we are able to give young children like Katherinne a safe caring environment, nutritious meals and a better start to their education. Thank you for your continued support.
EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS
Every donation helps ensure that we can continue transforming the lives of families facing extreme poverty.
When you make your donation recurring, you’ll join our Helping Hands Sustainer Circle, a community of extraordinary humans working together to provide monthly support for the children and families at the Acorn Childcare Center. As a member, your monthly commitment provides a reliable and sustainable source of funds we can use to plan programs, create budgets and expand services. For example, your monthly commitment of $25 could provide the children with safe drinking water each month while $50 could provide books and art supplies for the month.
Maya Childcare Inc is run entirely by volunteers, thus 100% of your donation goes directly to the Acorn Childcare Center.