Project: Requesting Support for Cerro Cora: San Francisco de Asis School Kitchen

Location: Paraguarí, Paraguay

Amount Needed: $1056.49 USD

Summary:

The Project Director feels that this is an important, even critical project to the community of Cerro Corá. The community truly values health and healthy eating habits. Community members expressed the positive long-term effects of this kitchen: healthier food will lead to better nutrition in the students and will promote their retention and focus levels. With the ability to cook healthier foods in a kitchen, the community can assure that the proper nutrition is granted to the children. The kitchen project will help the community in promoting healthy eating habits, a theme that our partner agency, Plan is working to publicize widely throughout their communities this year. A formal kitchen (as opposed to the campfire that they currently cook on for their approx. 70 students), would be an example of the importance the community places on healthy eating. Additionally, the community seems very deserving of the Bevil Grant. They organized community meetings directly after receiving information about the Bevil from the Supervisor, Kelly and submitted the application a week in advance with more information than what was required. Volunteers seem very excited about the project and recognize the community’s vision for the kitchen. Volunteers, from the onset, have enjoyed a very strong, participatory relationship with the school teachers, students and the Director. They know that the short and long term effects of the school kitchen will be immediate, positive and long-lasting.

A community kitchen at the school would provide the necessary space to prepare and serve breakfast for the students whose families cannot afford to give their children breakfast each morning.  This project would serve as an example of a healthy kitchen and ultimately improve the overall quality of life by teaching the community’s youth about the importance of healthy eating habits.  

Read the full narrative by 2012 Project Staff Suhaly Bautista and Kelly Vlaskamp.

Support This Project:

Make an online donation here, and please specify Paraguari Bevil Grant in the comments section. Any funds raised above the $1056.49 will go to funding other Bevil Grants unless otherwise specified. Thank you!