Remember way back in early May when the World Soy Foundation (WSF) first introduced a new, exciting project called “The Youth We Feed Can Lead?”  If you don’t, be sure to get up to speed by watching this brief VIDEO to learn what the project is all about. Today, we’re excited to provide you with an update from the field!

Below, you’ll see a photo of a packed auditorium at Proximos Pasos, the all-girls elementary school where the project is taking place. Proximos Pasos provides the opportunity of education for girls who otherwise would not have the chance and is home to a SoyCow that’s fed by soybeans donated through the WSF. The girls and their mothers joined a nutrition education training program hosted by the World Soy Foundation and Mission Impact, featuring Alimentos Nutritionist Lucky Portillo and the Leader of a Guatemalan grassroots movement for improved nutrition Alejandro Bigurio. You’ll also see a photo of one of the five video teams, as they celebrate completion of their first day of interviews. The first day of filming was about the importance of better nutrition, including protein. The second day included interviewing community members to learn about their diets. Specifically, the teams interviewed diabetic women to understand how diets affect their health. A new study shows that “generally, replacing carbs with protein is beneficial” for diabetic diets. (Read the study summary HERE)

The diabetic women described how they feel better after they drink soymilk—which they receive from the SoyCow at Proximos Pasos. One mother told the teams that she wanted to learn more about new ways of eating as there are two diabetics in her family and she wanted to prevent the disease from affecting any other members.

At the end of the week, the girls will premier their videos to their families, school and community members to share how soy is benefiting them at school and how it can benefit the entire community. These girls are learning to be nutrition leaders and agents of change for a malnourished, impoverished population in Guatemala. Stay tuned for more updates to come as the project continues!