Nutre-Hogar works in the prevention and recovery from infant malnutrition in Panama. In the National Recovery Centers located in Panama, Veraguas, Chiriqui, Cocle, Los Santos-Herrera and Bocas del Toro, pre-school age children with severe malnutrition receive assistance which includes access to a balanced nutrition, early stimulation and integrated attention until they are fully recovered. To date, more than 4,000 children have been assisted; after receiving specialized treatment for three to six months, they have managed to overcome a severe early childhood crisis.

Meal time at a Nutre-Hogar Recovery Center

2. Distribution of Nourishing Cookies

Since 1997, the "Sus Buenos Vecinos" (Your Good Neighbors) and Nutre-Hogar have coordinated the "Food, Nutrition and Health" project, which is targeted at 6,000 pre-school children from the country's poorest districts. The program is based on the daily distribution of nourishing cookies and cream, which complements children's poor nutrition.

Beneficiaries are periodically weighted and measured and given vitamins, parasite medicine and other drugs, according to their needs and nutritional requirements.

3. National Community Centers

Community Centers are the basis for the prevention of malnutrition in difficult to access communities and where the beneficiary families are also the organizers and managers of the Centers. Several projects are carried out at the Centers, such as sewing workshops, literacy activities, childcare, orchards, fish and bird breeding and other training activities such as seminars and workshops. Also at the centers, the nourishing cookie is distributed and a common diner and community shops are set up. Proceedings from the latter are
reinvested in the Community Centers and used to face emergency situations such as snake bites in children, which entail transportation, drug and food costs.

Community Centers Projects
	Child growth and development monitoring
	Training and education on health and nutrition issues
	Dining rooms for pre-school children
	Community orchards
	Birds and animal breeding
	Sewing workshops
	Adult literacy
	Experimental day care centers
	Community shops

Nutre-Hogar has designed a permanent training and skill-development system in areas such as proper farming techniques, organic fertilizer, nutrition and food handling, project management, breastfeeding promotion and adequate child care, among others.

4. Dining rooms

With donations made by private businesses and the Panamanian people to the annual fundraising event "Children First" organized by TV's Channel 4, and with sponsorship from Delta and Super 99, two balanced meals are distributed daily to 2,550 children and additional Community Centers are built and maintained in the country's different zones.

Preventive assistance, language stimulation, promotion of breast-feeding, distribution of complementary foods and emotional support are part of the assistance that children and women need to improve their nutritional well being. The Association's programs are geared towards the achievement of these goals.

5. Education Campaigns

Through a project with Unicef and the Health Ministry, Nutre-Hogar permanently carries out radio education campaigns, which promote the consumption of micronutrient-rich foods.

With the Canada-Panama fund and the First Lady's Office, education material is being developed in Spanish and several indigenous languages: gnobe, kuna and embera.

Between 1989 and 1998, 4,000 children have recovered in National Recovery Centers; Community Centers have benefited 2050 families; 100 adults have been trained as health promoters; 3,052 children have benefited from Diners and between 1993 and 1998 6,673,828 Improved Nourishing Cookies have been distributed