Most experts agree that one in nine people go to bed hungry every night. Most also agree that hunger and malnutrition pose special challenges for children. A child who is chronically hungry doesn’t thrive physically or intellectually and may suffer from serious long-term health issues.

Our team working in Masatepe, Nicaragua saw that most of the 800 preschoolers were not getting the adequate nutrition, calories, or protein they needed to thrive. Because research shows that animal protein plays a critical role in healthy development for preschoolers, they began looking for a solution.

In 2015, our team began working with the organization OneEgg to establish a chicken farm that could produce enough eggs to address the protein deficit children have in Masatepe. By the end of the first year, enough eggs were donated each day to feed 250 preschoolers. Just one egg a day is having a profound impact on these children.

Meet Gustavo

Before the egg donation program, a 3-year-old boy named Gustavo arrived at preschool malnourished and anemic. Each morning he was fed a serving of beans and rice provided through a government program.

When his school became recipients of eggs from the chicken farm, he and each preschooler received one egg a day. Now 4 years old, Gustavo is a healthy little boy and thriving. His teachers and parents are thrilled with his noticeable progress and improvement.

Just One Egg

Teachers testify that children eating just one egg has improved attendance and attention. Parents are working harder to make sure their children attend a school where they’ll receive a healthy, balanced breakfast. Additionally, now with their bellies full and content, the children are paying better attention to the lessons without fighting headaches and stomach aches due to nutritional deficits.

When these eggs are delivered to the school, smiling little faces surround the truck as crates of brown eggs are unloaded. What a difference an egg in the hands of a child has made.

Learn more about our work in Masatepe.