Guatemala has the highest rate of malnutrition in the Western Hemisphere–an estimated 50 percent of the population is stunted, with that number as high as 80 percent in indigenous villages. Like many adoptive parents to children born in Guatemala who have visited the country, I’ve seen evidence of that firsthand: When my daughter and I visited Guatemala in August and met with indigenous Guatemalans from her community, none could believe Olivia was only eight years old. Ten or eleven is what they guessed, her height the result of good nutrition.
That’s why I am excited that ABC News is launching a new series, “Be the Change: Save a Life” this Friday, December 17 at 10 p.m.
From pregnant mothers to newborns, children and adults, “Be the Change: Save a Life” — a special-edition of “20/20” anchored by Diane Sawyer at 10 p.m. ET on Friday — will examine six of the world’s top health problems, and share simple and practical ways the audience can make an immediate difference.
The first challenge presented will be malnutrition in Guatemala, with ABC News anchor Christiane Amanpour reporting from the rural village of Cajagualten. In a related article on the ABC News website, Gwen Gowen and Joan Martelli write:
[S]tunting is not just about height. With malnourishment comes greater susceptibility to disease and infection, impaired cognitive function and even lower IQ. Stunted kids are more likely to drop out of school and grow up to be unskilled workers with little potential for economic success later in life.
“If you want to break the cycle of poverty in Guatemala this is how you do it: Feed kids and feed them early before they get malnourished,” [Peter Rohloff, an American doctor who runs medical clinics] said.
For nutritional intervention to be most effective, [Rohloff] said, it has to be done before the age of two. “Unfortunately, most programs in Guatemala are geared to school-aged kids but by the time they get to school it’s too late,” he said.
Another challenge to adequate and equitable nutrition is the structure of Guatemalan society:
In fact, the Mayan poor get few services from a government that is widely considered to be corrupt and ineffective. And in a country where there is a tremendous divide between the rich and the poor, privately funded NGOs like Wuqu’ Kawoq and Casa Jackson step in to provide much needed social services.
Like many adoptive parents who feel connected to Guatemala, I hope this series will focus attention on finding solutions to the country’s devastating and ongoing problem of hunger.
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