Swine Flu: Why only Mexican Mortalities?

Thankfully on May 2, Mexican Health Minister announced that the recent flu pandemic that has had the world on its toes may actually be no worse than seasonal flu.

However, that still begs the question as to why only Mexicans have died. Amongst many of the reasons cited by Louis Sullivan, a physician and former head of Health and Human Services in the US, previous health, sanitary conditions in the neighborhood and home, nutritional deficiencies, and lack of good medical care could all be attributing factors. (CNN.com)

Malnutrition lowers the immune system and also leads to disease complications and thus, unfortunate fatalities. Indeed, studies show that malnutrition is present in nearly 55% of child mortalities worldwide.

Not only does amaranth help fight chronic malnutrition, but it also contains high quantities of nutrients that are good for helping combat disease. Amongst its many properties, amaranth contains protein, vitamin c, iron, and zinc. 

To read an example of how amaranth has reportedly improved a child’s immunity, see the article below…

News from the Field

When we asked Alejandro Cruz Garcia, Puente's Community Promotor in the Mixteca region, why he is interested in Puente’s program, he replied, “Because I like amaranth and the good that it does.”
 
Alejandro is only 25, but this will be the third year that he has participated in Puente’s amaranth production program. He comes from Union y Libertad, an isolated rural village that has to cope with farming in very arid conditions. As a young single man, he still lives with his family, including his sister who is a single mother of two children, Marisol (18 months) and Jesus (9 years).
 
One of Alejandro’s biggest concerns about the health of children in his community is that, in general, when babies stop breastfeeding they start to lose weight. Thanks to Puente’s nutrition workshops he knows that good nutrition in the first two years of a child’s life is vital to ensure a child’s physical, cognitive, and immune system development.
 
Alejandro proudly told us that, unlike most other children in the community, his niece Marisol did not lose weight when she was weaned. Moreover, when she caught a bad flu that was spreading in the village, she recuperated far faster than the other children. Alejandro attributes this to the fact that he advised his sister to give Marisol amaranth porridge every morning. Moreover, because Marisol is lactose intolerant, the calcium and protein provided by the amaranth is a great dairy substitute for her.

Pete's Charity Hike Inspired by the daily mountain treks undertaken by the inhabitants of La Mina, a Oaxacan village where Puente works, Pete Noll, Puente's Executive Director, is going to hike up the 19,000-ft peak, Mt. Kilimanjaro. Pete is taking on Africa’s highest peak in order to demonstrate his commitment to raise money and awareness for Puente. Thanks to everyone who has already sponsored Pete! If you would like to learn more about sponsoring this endeavor, click on the image below.

Puente Receives Prestigious Award Puente is very excited to have been chosen as a winner of the The Clarence H. Moore Award for Voluntary Service. This award calls attention to the achievements of non-governmental organizations operating in Latin America and the Caribbean in public health, and celebrates these achievements. The Pan American Health and Education Foundation, an affiliate of the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), chose Puente as the recipient of the award for 2009. The award will be presented at a ceremony organized by the PAHO/WHO Office in Mexico City. Read more about The Clarence H. Moore Award for Voluntary Service...

 

• Monica Rodríguez Mandujano is our new Logistics Coordinator and does a great job making sure that we are organized and have all the material that we need. 

• Our latest recruit, Sandra Gisela García, has worked for years in the administration of organizations devoted to social change, and we feel very honored to have her on board as Operations and Accounting Assistant.

• Gisela Illescas Palma is an agroeconomist and works with Leticia on the Amaranth Production Program. Gisela joined the team in February and has worked in various institutions related to sustainable development and agriculture in Mexico.

• Leticia Martinez Legaria, Director of our Amaranth Production Program, has more than twenty years experience in community development projects in Oaxaca. 

• Dhaniella Falk joined as Development Director in mid-April and has worked for several non-profit organizations worldwide. 

Puente would like to thank all individuals and foundations that have made our work possible. Please help us invest in the future of many more families with your generous support. Donate now! 

Join Puente's cause on Facebook by clicking here and searching for "Friends of Puente." We look forward to seeing you on Facebook!