Since 2017, EPIC has been working with a health promotion program for youth in Honduras. However, when Covid cases began raging in Honduras, the program had to be creative and flexible. Gatherings were held outside, masks worn, and preventing Covid added as a new health class.

A very serious result of the Covid pandemic has been its effect on the poorest families. Veronica Lopez, one of the 2 young women directing the program, noticed severe malnutrition among their youngest participants. Veronica has a doctorate in microbiology and started testing the children for anemia and parasites. An astounding number tested positive. Health services in Honduras were hardly available before the Covid pandemic and are now worse. The program wants to continue testing and do what they can to treat underlying causes of sickness and poor growth in these children.

A Basic Diagnostic and Treatment Kit includes: Hemoglobin test for anemia, Stool test for parasites, Deworming medicine, if needed, and Vitamins with iron, if needed

Since all of the families are extremely poor, classes teach how to eat as well as possible with very little money, and how to avoid the junk food sold everywhere.