A recent study of health in Guatemala found:
- 1 out of every 2 children under 5 years old lives with chronic malnutrition
- 13,740 cases of acute malnutrition in children under 5 years old in 2020 (an increase of 200% compared to 2019)
- 49% of Guatemalans have chronic malnutrition
- 50% of the corn and bean crops have been lost due to lack of rainfall
We could write more statistics but you get the point. Father Nick knew Guatemala was one of the Latin American countries most affected by nutritional problems. He knew of the high rates of poverty and illiteracy. He wanted to make a difference in the lives of the children so that’s why he started a program, with a group of Dominican Sisters in Santa Rosa, to support about 20 young girls each year so that they can attend school and live safely on the Convent grounds in a residence/dormitory. Through OCIMA, Father Nick continues to create change from within through education.
Guatemala is a middle-income country rich in natural resources; however, that richness hides a reality that determines the country’s development possibilities. Social and economic inequalities are extreme and condemn a large part of the country’s children to in a rural community a life limited to the effects of malnutrition.
