Reduction of the rate of malnutrition and empowerment of women in the western highlands of the country

La Prensa de Occidente, 2019

The Juan Bautista Gutiérrez Foundation, the social arm of Corporación Multi Inversiones (CMI), trained several women from that municipality in three areas that the program has. The first line aimed at training in matters of Food and Nutrition Security, which has had an impact on the reduction of chronic malnutrition in children under one year of age by 46 percent.

The second pillars aims to provide food assistance to the communities, prior to an induction to the mothers of families to know their body, learn of risks during pregnancy, review indicators of malnutrition in children and how to combat them, for which more than 80 thousand received pounds of fortified flour, with the support of Molinos Modernos, one of CMI’s companies.

In addition to promoting business training, with which the Mer-K-dito Express, 4 Casas del Pollo, 23 Rincones del Pollo were formed, all with the support of CMI’s Livestock Industry, and gave access to more than 157 thousand pounds of meat products to the communities, thus generating more than Q215 thousand in profit for the 30 new entrepreneurs.

The third pillar promotes the economic self-sustainability of women, it is formed with about 76 new entrepreneurs in the areas of crafts, who were linked to export chains in the United States, China and Europe, increasing the income of women by 200 percent through strategic partnerships.

Directors of the Juan Bautista Gutiérrez Foundation attended the graduation event; Isabel Gutierrez de Bosch, president of the foundation, pointed out that the completion of the project is a satisfaction for the progress made in reducing child malnutrition.

“I feel at home, I was born here. I am happy to contribute to see malnutrition rates go down, see women become empowered and manage to improve their economy”, says Isabel Gutiérrez de Bosch.

And she added: “I am very happy because, in the past, the girls here were given up for marriage, they only reached the third year of primary school, but now they study and collaborate to reduce poverty and malnutrition.”

Totonicapán is one of the seven departments prioritized by the Government to combat malnutrition, where 70% of children under 5 years of age suffer from chronic malnutrition. The municipality of San Cristóbal, Totonicapán, has nine populated centers: the center of San Cristóbal, the Nueva Candelaria village and seven cantons: Patachaj, Pacanac, Chuicotom, Xetacabaj, Xésuc, Xecanchavox and San Ramón. According to the Development Plan of San Cristóbal, Totonicapán, and the Juan Bautista Gutiérrez Foundation, six of these have been served.

“We do not come from elsewhere, we are from here and seeing this process completed is emotional for us and our families, because we know that fighting chronic malnutrition improves  conditions in the country. We are producing generational impact, we are no longer going to talk about chronic malnutrition but about nutrition and empowerment,” said Juan José Gutierrez.

“As a participant in this process, it is extremely satisfying. Now we know that, if we train, our families change and if families change, communities change. Now I know that if women of childbearing age, pregnant and breastfeeding, are well nourished, children are born healthy and strong”, said Ana Morales, one of the beneficiaries.

Amalia Tayun Mejía, president of the organization of Utzil artisans, said that at the beginning they had only ten artisans, but now there are 30 women. They started making artisan bracelets, which are exported by Wakami International.

María García Velásquez is another of the beneficiaries, who received business instructions. On July 31 of last year, she opened her own business, now she has a mini-store with meat products and daily consumption items. “I received training in the express market, the foundation supported me to do the paperwork, I am attached to the SAT, I have my health license and now I have my own Mer-K-dito Express,” explained García.

“We are proud of all the women who have participated in the program. We believe that, if we impact communities, we can change the country, we hope to bring the nutrition pillar to the entire country with the distribution of fortified cereal grits, but the Ministry of Health needs to approve it, ” said Isabel Gutiérrez de Bosch, president of the Juan Bautista Gutiérrez Foundation.

In addition to promoting business training, with which the Mer-K-dito Express, 4 Casas del Pollo, 23 Rincones del Pollo were formed, all with the support of CMI’s Livestock Industry, and gave access to more than 157 thousand pounds of meat products to the communities, thus generating more than Q215 thousand in profit for the 30 new entrepreneurs.

The program promotes the economic self-sustainability of women, trained about 76 entrepreneurs in crafts, and linked them to export chains in the United States, China and Europe.