Patrick Brown and his team from Samaritans International unloading 48 cases of fortified rice!
November and December were signal months for Education Plus: we built three new partnerships, with Omprakash.org, Vitamin Angels, and Samaritans International Nicaragua.
In November Vitamin Angels provided us with a grant of a years supply of Vitamin A and multivitamins for 250 children under the age of 5, as well as a year’s supply of multivitamins for 94 pregnant and lactating mothers. While Education Plus works on a daily basis with children ages 3 – 15, we know that the proper nutrition necessary to grow and learn begins in the womb. Vitamin A is essential to immune function especially in children under five who are most vulnerable to common infections and diseases. However, the national Vitamin A coverage in Nicaragua is a mere 7%. Our first shipment of vitamins arrives mid-December and we are excited to start with a Vitamin A campaign, for the health of our children, present and future!
On December 5th we were honored by a visit from Patrick Brown and his team from Samaritans International Nicaragua. Samaritans International is an amazing Christian organization that aids hungry children all over Nicaragua through grants of fortified rice. Each serving of these Mana Soy Rice packets contains a days supply of multivitamins – essential for the healthy development of our students. After being taken on a tour around the barrio, Mr. Brown and his team surprised us by proceeding to unload no less than 48 boxes of fortified rice packets – enough to feed 100 children per day for two months! This is a huge blessing for us as it will now have freed up our food funds to buy more fruits, vegetables, eggs, and milk – and no matter what, to provide a balanced meal to all of our students.
Valeria helping to carry in one of the Manna Rice cases
