Emily is a ten-month-old baby girl from Guatemala. She is an active child, and she loves to play with her toy ball. She is the eighth child in her family. Her father works as a day laborer, while her mother takes care of the family.
Emily has malnutrition. It’s a dangerous condition, resulting from consuming too little protein, calories, and nutrients. In the short term, malnutrition means Emily has little energy to grow. As a result, her immune system is weak. This leaves her vulnerable to illness that further compromises her growth.
While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it’s also very treatable. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, is requesting $492 to provide Emily with the nutritional supplements she needs. She will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children her age. Her immune system will grow stronger with the increased caloric intake. Community health workers will teach her mother about creating a nutrient-rich diet with limited resources.
Emily’s mother says, “Because we are of scarce resources, it is often difficult to provide our daughter with enough food. I hope my daughter grows well, and in the future can study, so that she can have a better life.”