Just another piece to add on Bokaso: stunted growth is a big problem here. While chatting with one of the leaders of the coffee cooperative, Debebe discovered that kids traditionally marry in their early teens. More specifically, girls marry at ages 12 to 15, and boys 15 to 18. Arranged marriage is on the decline- so the kids choose each other these days, but...12?
This usually results in girls giving birth at ridiculously young ages, far too soon for their bodies to nourish another body inside of them. Therefore, their children will suffer from stunted growth. Just about all the children that flocked to me and my dad didn't stand taller than my waist (granted I am 6'4, but still).
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