How do pineapples grow?
That question and many others were answered for six dietetics majors on our fifth annual trip to El Salvador with our host, Convoy of Hope. For the past five years over spring break, students have participated in BMS 400 Malnutrition in Developing Countries by traveling to El Salvador and working with the Convoy nutritionists with the Children’s Feeding Initiative there. Students assist in taking anthropometric measurements (height, weight, arm circumference) of students to monitor their progress in these feeding programs. Visits to the World Food Programme, a home for malnourished children called Love Links, a trip to Pounds of Love which is the Salvadoran version of Women, Infants and Children, an AIDS home, orphanage, mother’s club, old folks care home and many other facilities that Convoy helps with food were made during the week. During these visits, students were able to see firsthand the effects of malnutrition.
Students also toured CENTA which is kind of a combination of our USDA and Cooperative Extension Services. This tour is always very interesting as students learn how the government works with the people to improve their food supply and agricultural practices. We toured their food technology areas where we saw their work with different types of flours – really different types of flour like fish flours – and with preserving foods in different ways to assist in improving the diets of families. For example, hibiscus (the flower) is made into jelly and jams and many fruits such as carambola (star fruit) are dehydrated. Both are good sources of vitamin C and contain a number of antioxidants. A visit to the new greenhouses provided an understanding into the technology needed to be able to grow many foods we take for granted (like tomatoes) that simply don’t grow as well in the more tropical climates. As it is a joint project with South Korea, one also gets a glimpse into some of the politics of the country, too. A trip to their fields and orchards showed us how cashews grow (do you know?) and of course, how pineapples grow. If you don’t know, we won’t spoil the surprise!
Our culminating event was our last evening in San Salvador when we met with a 2005 Missouri State graduate, Andrew Dougherty, who is the UN Director for Outreach for El Salvador and his wife Jude who is the Programs Director for USAID in El Salvador. We had dinner with them at the World Trade Center‘s Plaza Futuro at Bennigan’s and they told us about their work in El Salvador and their paths getting there. It was very interesting talking with them and learning even more about El Salvador. We were so glad they were able to join us! Many thanks to Andrew and Jude as well as our dear friends from Convoy for making our week spectacular!