Plenty Bulletin Summer 2003

Plenty Belize Update

School kids eat a little better thanks to Plenty donors

Plenty Belize was able to provide assistance to the school feeding programs at the Barranco and Laguna village schools thanks to Plenty donors responding to an article in the Winter Bulletin. Through the efforts of these donors, both schools have been able to increase the numbers of meals fed by an additional day each week for these last 2 months of the school year! Barranco Principal Angie Nicholas expressed her excitement about the additional nutritious lunches for her students: “It is wonderful to see how Plenty and your friends in the states are committed to helping our children here at Barranco School.”

In addition, Plenty’s local Nutrition promoter, Barbara Nightingale, was asked to help the cooks at these two schools learn ways of incorporating the school garden vegetables into the children’s meals, and provide a refresher on making soymilk and okara.

School Gardens Help Students

As part of the GATE project, Plenty Belize has been assisting Punta Gorda Methodist School in a “container gardening” project. Leah Cho, Plenty’s office assistant, interviewed the school principal, Jane Locario, about the changes that she has seen due to the garden activities. Some of the most important benefits she sees are that “the students learn that they can grow things even if they don’t have a big yard”, and also that “they can play a part in improving their nutritional status.” She also sees the children learning team spirit, responsible behavior, and commitment. The students express an interest in these activities as well. One student, Mario Sanchez, says that he “enjoys watering the plants and knowing how to take care of them.”

Village Midwife Project

Canadian midwife Christina Kalou has returned to Belize to work with the Village Midwife project this summer. Christina arrived in early May along with project intern Katie Townes from Oregon State University. They will manage the project activities over the next several months, including organizing Continuing Education classes, village visits to each midwife, and weekly literacy classes. Our thanks and appreciation go to Mary Kroeger and Reva Kidd for their work and dedication to this project through the fall and spring, and to Plenty’s donors for their support of these much needed health workers.

View previous School Feeding Program article, Summer 2002
View next School Feeding Program article, Spring 2004
View previous GATE article, Spring 2003
View next GATE article, Fall 2003