Helping Anemic Communities in Bolivia

Beatriz Ramirez came to Utah to develop teaching materials for helping to educate her countrymen about anemia.

Beatríz Ramírez presents a poster made to aid in teaching Bolivians how to decrease anemia.

Beatríz Ramírez, Ezra Taft Benson Agriculture and Food Institute Bolivian thesis student, worked in the Benson Institute’s main Provo office to help cure anemic communities of Bolivia. In 1999, Ramírez found that 80 percent of the children living in the four communities of Muruamaya, Pan de Azúcar, Copancara, and Jalsuri had iron deficiency anemia. In efforts to reverse this alarming trend, Ramírez began fortifying school breakfast corn cereal with iron.

Test results showed a small decrease in anemia; however, the change was not statistically significant. Ramírez believed better results could be achieved by increasing nutritional education and by fortifying cereals for longer amounts of time. Ramírez noted that her experiment triggered interest among adult community members to learn how to solve and prevent iron deficiency anemia.

In June of 2000, Beatríz Ramírez accepted an invitation from the Benson Institute to come to the United States and work on educational materials for teaching community members what anemia is and possible solutions to iron deficiency. The Benson Institute facilities in Provo provided Ramírez with resources necessary to prepare learning materials such as posters, bulletins, and a manual. In addition, Ramírez learned how to use professionally marketed computer programs such as QuarkXPress, Microsoft Publisher, and the Internet. Says Ramírez, “It really is a dream come true to be here in the United States. I believe that the things I am doing can and will make a difference (in the communities).”

Ramírez finished her project in January 2001 at which time she returned to Bolivia to share her experience with the people.