Fabretto’s education center in Quebrada Honda, Madriz, serves the local community through access to quality education programs and life-saving nutritional support. When Fabretto first started working here, many of the children who joined the early and primary educational enrichment program displayed signs of stunting and chronic malnutrition. For this reason, Fabretto’s nutrition program was extended to include pregnant mothers and infants through the Early Stimulation Program.

A key instrument to combat malnutrition in young children of this and many other communities has been Mathile Institute’s Chapuditos, a fortified cereal. The cereal is prepared with milk by volunteer mothers and served to the children to complement Fabretto’s school meals. The children enjoy the cereal but also, understandably, like to switch things up. Here is were Francis, a full-time mother of three, comes in.

Francis came up with the brilliant idea to use the dry cereal to bake and was determined to come up with a recipe for Chapuditos cookies. After a few trials, using the cereal to substitute flour and adding sugar, eggs, milk, and baking powder, she finally did it! The children were excited to taste the new delicious cookies. Now, every few weeks, she bakes cookies for the children and mothers who attend the weekly Early Stimulation sessions at the Quebrada Honda education center. She bakes the nutritious snack in fun shapes that greatly appeal to the children. With a full belly, the children are ready to learn!

This May, the month of mothers, we celebrate dedicated mothers like Francis who, with something as simple as a cookie, are making a difference in their community.

Support mothers and infants in Fabretto’s Early Stimulation Program by making a donation today.

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