Murray Avenue KFWH Chapter Fundraisers Boost Efforts in Guatemala in 2015

The Murray Avenue School KFWH Chapter of fourth and fifth graders held events that raised money for and awareness of Chagas disease. The events included a reading marathon, a pizza sale during a Science Fair event, and a cookies booth at the annual STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Alliance regional gathering.

The Chapter studied the work of Dr. Patricia Dorn, Professor at Loyola University in New Orleans. As their first priority, KFWH students chose to place their funds toward nutritional supplemental packets for women who suffer severe weight loss while undergoing treatment for Chagas disease.

The students felt that helping with these packets would also help unborn children, since Chagas is transmitted from mother to child. Women tend to give their own packets to their children if there is little food or if they are too weak to cook, which creates further need for life-sustaining nourishment.

Look at these photos of KfWH nutritional packets arriving in Jutiapa, Guatemala. Members of the community help to distribute the food bags to women of child- bearing age.