According to the 2000 census, Oaxaca is the second-poorest state in Mexico. The average person in Oaxaca earns less than $5.00 per day and subsequently survives on a very limited diet of mostly corn.  The limited diet of corn does not provide people, especially infants and developing children with the essential nutrients that they need for growth and development. As a result of malnutrition, the whole of Southern Mexico has one of the highest rates of neural tube defects, worldwide. With the aid of proper nutrition and most importantly adequate folic acid intake before and during pregnancy, the risks of an infant developing a defect are reduced by as much as 75%.  Luckily amaranth grain, which is native to the region and has been cultivated for thousands of years since the time of the Aztecs, has a much higher protein and nutritional profile than corn and has been proven to greatly reduced malnutrition in children and women! A large part of this organization revolves around educating women and providing them with knowledge about diet and how amaranth can improve the nutritional status of their families. 

What is the overall goal of the project? The goal of this organization is to encourage food sovereignty and ensure the health and well-being of rural communities in Mexico through the promotion of cultivation, consumption and sale of amaranth.  The organization aims to teach rural communities about sustainability and how they can apply it to the cultivation, consumption and sale of amaranth. Additionally, the association makes it a priority to teach rural communities about the importance of nutrition so that families are able to ensure that their children grow into active participants in the community. 

What's Included

• Homestay with a carefully-screened Mexican family
• Daily meals (you will receive three meals a day)
• Project funding and support 
• Spanish language classes
• Onsite transportation, airport pickup and drop off Health and travel insurance
• Cultural and adventure excursions
• 24-hour support from ProWorld Mexcio staff 
• Access to Casa ProWorld Mexico – unlimited filtered water, wireless internet

What's Not Included

• Airfare, Visa and Airport Tax (if applicable)