GlobeMed at Pennsylvania State University partners with ACUDESBAL in Bajo Lempa, El Salvador to increase self-sustaining agriculture and child development.
GlobeMed at Penn State University + ACUDESBAL
Chapter
GlobeMed at Pennsylvania State University | University Park, Pennsylvania
Partner
ACUDESBAL | Bajo Lempa, El Salvador
Key Fact
Agricultural practices in Bajo Lempa are currently focused on exports like sugar cane, so nutritious and locally grown food for the community is a significant problem.
About the Partnership
ACUDESBAL is a grassroots non-profit organization working with 29 communities in Bajo Lempa, El Salvador. ACUDESBAL was formed in 1998 on the idea that the strength of a community working together is the way to achieve social, economic, political, and environmental justice; all of which are an important part of Bajo Lempa’s history of civil war and devastating natural disasters.
ACUDESBAL focuses on five strategic areas: institutional strengthening, food sovereignty, infrastructure and legalization of land, health and environment, recreation and sports culture. They work with communities to help plan and implement realistic and sustainable solutions. With the majority of the nearly 9,000 people in Bajo Lempa living in poverty, ACUDESBAL plays a vital role in the health and wellbeing of the Bajo Lempa population. Since their partnership with GlobeMed at Penn State started in Fall 2011, the partnership has initiated a number of community gardens at daycares in the Bajo Lempa region.
“The Summit is a breeding ground for fresh, innovative global health ideas that stem from the minds of passionate students all across the nation. The copious knowledge acquired and long-lasting friendships formed cultivate a feeling that makes significant change not only possible, but tangible.”
– Matt O’Donnell, Pennsylvania State University ’12
Project
This year, GlobeMed at Penn State has raised over $10,000 to fund a Daycare Centers Garden Project at three daycares in Bajo Lempa that seeks to promote and ensure food production in harmony with nature, aimed at creating a culture of consumer-friendly products.
Impact
The Daycare Centers Garden Project will provide work for local farmers and nutritious meals for the local children, as well as an education component on nutrition. Together, GlobeMed at Penn State and ACUDESBAL are working to create a healthy and sustainable community.
Get Involved
Read GlobeMed at Penn State University’s annual report and donate to their cause. Interested in joining the chapter? Contact pennstate@globemed.org.
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