Project Launch:

This project will take place in Tugusa, a community situated in the northern mountains of Cajamarca, Peru. Within the district, 25% of the children under the age of five suffer from chronic malnutrition. Chronic malnutrition, if not improved, will negatively affect children both developmentally and intellectually. In addition, less than 10% of the households use an improved cookstove, allowing smoke to accumulate inside. Indoor air pollution causes adverse health effects on all members of the household, especially in children under the age of five as their lungs are still growing at a rapid rate.

 

The goal of the Healthy Homes project is to improve the physical and intellectual development of children under the age of five in the three communities of Tugusa. Mothers will be educated on topics regarding child health and development, such as proper and adequate nutrition, breast-feeding, prevention of respiratory and diarrheal illness, early childhood stimulation, and the benefits and maintenance of improved cook-stoves and latrines. Each month, volunteers will educate health promoters on a specific topic and accompany them on house visits to each mother in the program. During the fifth and sixth months of the program, all of the participants who have shown active participation and behavior change improvements will receive an improved cookstove. Every family that receives an improved cook-stove will also receive information on how to clean and maintain the stove properly.

 

Project Update

40 improved cookstoves have been built and the mothers have gone through trainings regarding nutrition, development, early childhood stimulation, prevention of diarrhea, hand washing, prevention of upper respiratory infections, and maintenance of improved cookstoves. With new improved cookstoves, harmful smoke is filtered outside of household, therefore improving the health of every family member. Additionally, many participating mothers have made changes to their eating habits, helping to improve nutrition in their households and promote healthy lifestyles. Nurses at the local health post will continue to encourage mothers to prepare nutritious balanced meals in order to reduce malnutrition and support healthy childhood development.

Testimonials

"Seeing how happy the families were after their cook stoves were built was one of the most rewarding feelings I have ever experienced. I feel like the moms earned their cook stoves for all the hard work they put into improving the health of their homes and the nutrition of their children." - Hannah, Peace Corps Volunteer

 

"I learned a lot about how to care for my child. I am very grateful to have received a new cook stove as it will improve the health of my whole family." - Emilina, Project Participant