A Noon-Day Meal For Hungry School Children in Rural Mexico

Home

Are you using a browser that doesn't support JavaScript? If your browser does not support JavaScript, you can upgrade to a newer browser, such as Mozilla Firefox (recommended), Microsoft Internet Explorer or Apple Safari. If you have disabled JavaScript, you must re-enable JavaScript and reload the page to better access this site.

A Noon-Day Meal For Hungry School Children in Rural Mexico

Written by The Prem Rawat Foundation

Wednesday, 08 December 2010 07:02

It is a sobering paradox. In the Mexican economy, ranked the twelfth largest in the world, many rural populations struggle to survive. The small community of Kunché, in the coastal state of Yucatán, is one such place.

Yucatán was once the center of the ancient Maya civilization, and is still home to many of these indigenous people. The inland settlement of Kunché has 600 Mayan residents who grow corn as their main livelihood and source of food. Unfortunately, the crop has failed to support their families in recent years, and despite efforts of the women to do handywork to bring in extra income, the 200 school children of this village often go hungry.

Education is very important for poverty-level children. Yet, it is routine for Kunché students to leave for school without any breakfast or to drink only a “coffee” from ground burnt tortillas, water and sugar to get them through the day. The evening meal is also very meager.

The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF), which began supporting another breakfast program in the Yucatán in 2008, learned of these undernourished children and was moved to help. Its grant of US$24,000 will provide each student with a balanced mid-day meal every school day for the next ten months. (Amazingly, the cost is only 60 cents per day per child!)

The grant will be administered by the nonprofit organization Compartimos Bienestar y Salud Para Los Niños Mayas I.A.P. This group is dedicated to helping Mayan families who live in abject poverty in the Yucatán, and has been working in Kunché since 2006.

A healthy variety of food ingredients will be provided, which will be a new experience for the Mayan women. To help with this, the program will include training for the mothers on how to prepare their children’s meals. This will also encourage variation in the daily menu.

7 Comments

Anna makes this comment

A Noon-Day Meal For Hungry School Children in Rural Mexico

Thursday, 30 December 2010

Thank you TPRF for this insightful report. Please keep up these wonderful small projects. Like so many other endeavours, they are a testament to human kindness and the good will to give children and their families a better life.
Roobesh Barath makes this comment

A Noon-Day Meal For Hungry School Children in Rural Mexico

Tuesday, 14 December 2010

I feel happy to know that my little contribution is making a differnce in these people's lives. Thank you TPRF.
umesh pandey makes this comment

A Noon-Day Meal For Hungry School Children in Rural Mexico

Monday, 13 December 2010

It is very noble job. Thanks to TPRF.
Kamalampigai Srikandakumar makes this comment

A Noon-Day Meal For Hungry School Children in Rural Mexico

Friday, 10 December 2010

Really Fantastic
Katie Gray makes this comment

A Noon-Day Meal For Hungry School Children in Rural Mexico

Friday, 10 December 2010

Thank You TPRF for making my donation do such wonderful things. I am grateful for your steadfast commitment to making the most out of what little I can do on my own. Love, Katie
Tina Pease makes this comment

A Noon-Day Meal For Hungry School Children in Rural Mexico

Friday, 10 December 2010

I am very touched to learn about the need, and see so much need all around the world despite all the riches there are. I appreciate greatly the efforts of TPRF to help with bringing food and making education possible to the very remote areas. Best wishes for ongoing support around the world.
HARMONY RAY makes this comment

A Noon-Day Meal For Hungry School Children in Rural Mexico

Thursday, 09 December 2010

I am so proud for TPRF taking on this initiative. Thank You!