Blanca is an 18-month-old girl from Guatemala. Her parents cannot afford to give her the calories, protein, and nutrients she needs to grow. For this reason, she is only the size of a health nine-month-old. She also falls ill often. Blanca has been diagnosed with acute malnutrition. She has little energy to grow, and her immune system is weak and vulnerable to illness. She is also at risk of chronic disease and delayed development. Fortunately, she began malnutrition treatment on November 24, 2016.
Blanca loves to play with her doll and eat oranges and bananas. She lives with her family in a one-room adobe house with a tin roof. Her father works as a day laborer, harvesting crops on a local plantation. Her mother is a weaver of traditional Mayan textiles. They cannot afford this $512 treatment.
While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it is also very treatable. Growth monitoring, micronutrients, and food supplementation will help Blanca recover. She will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children her age, and her immune system will grow stronger. Community health workers will teach her mother about creating a nutrient-rich diet from limited resources. Treatment will give Blanca a chance to grow healthy and strong.
"I am so grateful for this support for my daughter," says Blanca's mother.