Reporting & Reducing CO2

In 2017, 80 percent of children under the age of five in the highlands above Lago de Atitlán were chronically malnourished, a higher rate than in most regions of Guatemala. Together with 250 families in the villages of Pajomel, Chuitzanchaj and Laguna Seca, Vivamos Mejor set out to improve food security with a project called "More than Corn," the country's original food staple. The focus of the project is not calories, but a diverse diet and clean water. In implementing this, they rely primarily on on-site consulting in the farmers' fields. Experienced agrotechnicians use training centre facilities for courses, which, together with other organisations, Vivamos Mejor finances the operations for. In addition to a lecture hall, the centre houses a nursery, a composting plant, a greenhouse and a chicken coop.

Vivamos Mejor's consultations and courses have literally borne fruit. A survey of the 250 families in the project shows that their diets have become more diverse as a result of the project. The survey was based on the ten food groups defined by the FAO - from cereals and legumes to animal proteins, vegetables and fruits. 

Based on Vivamos Mejor’s calculations, working with Fairpicture saved 3.4 tonnes of CO2 compared to if they had sent Hanspeter from Switzerland to Guatemala (and back) for the project. He was still able to roam the project region for the report, conduct interviews, and research background information - without ever setting foot on Guatemalan soil. For the families who took part in the reportage, it was an opportunity to appear as protagonists of their own story, which they said was an empowering and impactful experience.

The images created by Morena were used both for the report on global nutrition itself and to share their virtual approach with their audience on their various channels, including a dedicated blog post. What can we say; it was a communication project that will hopefully bear further fruit.