Anabely, 11, is often found climbing trees and exploring the outdoors. She even writes poetry about her love for nature and animals. At home, she looks after her little grey cat called Nema, and lots of chickens. A connection with nature is part of daily life in rural Guatemala, where Anabely lives. The region is called ‘Quiche’, which means ‘many trees’. The lush green landscape is framed by rolling hills and mountains. Families here rely on growing food to eat and sell. But due to climate change, the weather is getting more extreme, making it difficult for farmers to grow food. When a huge storm struck the region, many families lost their crops. Anabely remembers the event clearly, “The storm made me very sad because many people died, many others lost their homes.” Save the Children provided the families with cash transfers. This gave families who had lost their harvest a lifeline. Farmers have also been provided with flood and drought resistant seeds. This helps reduce the risk of their crops being destroyed. To boost the local economy, farmers are providing fresh produce to local schools - including Anabely’s. This produce is used to cook healthy lunches for children, so no child goes hungry. Anabely explains, “When my belly is full, I feel like doing things! For example, when I am given work in class.” Roxy, her teacher, says Anabely and her best friend and cousin Maria Elena, 11, “motivates the entire group” with their energy. “They are very active, incredibly competitive. They compete a lot between them to see who will stand out, each of them wants to be the best.” Anabely’s story in her own words - Introduction: My name is Anabely, I'm 11 years old, and I live in Guatemala. I live here with my mum, my dad, my sisters, my aunt. I'd like to be a lawyer and a painter, and a nurse, to save many people. Food/ education: When my belly is full, I feel like doing things - for example, when I am given work in class. When the teacher calls us, we bring our book; she gives us homework and explains it a little bit. I like doing my homework and drawing. Traditional Mayan clothes: My clothes have a meaning because they're typical and beautiful. Sometimes I don´t want to wear them, and sometimes I do. COVID-19 pandemic: Many things have changed since the emergence of COVID, for example, I'm very sad because people have died, others are sick now, and now that the end is near, Ukraine and Russia are fighting. The storm/ the environment: The storm made me very sad because many people died, many others lost their homes. Rains that are usual here scare us. People are mourning their dead relatives, they were given some food to eat because they no longer had a home, and they had run out of food. I like playing in the trees. Although I'm an only child, I like playing alone anyway. I live in a beautiful planet that gives us water, air, sun every day, and many other things. Sports/ basketball: I like playing basketball with my friends and playing in teams. Even if boys tease us, we don´t do that when they play basketball. It's good for girls to play sports because it's good exercise, to increase our blood flow, instead of being lying idle or sitting. According to Catarina, 43, Anabely’s mother - In previous times we have always been planting corn, but during the storms experienced here in our community there was no longer so much harvest because the whole crop was damaged by the heavy rains that occurred. And now people don't sow [plant] anymore. In the month of May we are going to sow again, God willing, the same thing does not happen and that this time we will get good harvests. Luisa Dörr / Save the Children