Salvadoran American Humanitarian Foundation's Hunger Reduction Work

Leveraging over 40 years in the healthcare and social work fields, Dr. Patricia Lynn Hough worked four years as a director of projects for Proyecto Salud, where she was responsible for the administrative work behind numerous health-related projects in Central America and the Caribbean. Prior to accepting the position, Dr. Patricia Lynn Hough served three years as a medical volunteer for the Salvadoran American Humanitarian Foundation (SAHF).

Since its creation in 1983, SAHF has fostered a tradition of supporting El Salvador's hospitals with medical supplies and volunteer hours, as well as working to reduce hunger rates in the Central American country. The foundation launched Libras de Amor, which translates to Pounds of Love, in 2004 to fight malnutrition, primarily targeting families with children under five years old, as well as expecting mothers.

There are currently 18 communities being served by teams consisting of a doctor, nurse, nutritionist, agronomist, entrepreneurial technician, and two nutritional promoters. The program started in Apaneca, a community that had malnutrition rates as high as 47 percent. Over time, malnutrition rates have dropped significantly in most of the 18 communities, including Apaneca, which has now reached a low of 11 percent.