Efrien is a 13-month-old boy from Guatemala, but he is only the size of a healthy nine-month-old. He is behind in his motor and cognitive development. He has been diagnosed with acute malnutrition. This means he has little energy to grow, and his immune system is weak and vulnerable to illness. He is also at risk of chronic disease and delayed development. Fortunately, Efrien began malnutrition treatment on November 24, 2016.
Efrien loves to play with his toy car. His favorite food is chicken. He lives with his mother and older sister, Tomasa, in a one-room adobe house with a tin roof. His father works as a day laborer on a local plantation, and he has difficulty providing for all of the family's needs. He cannot afford this $512 treatment.
While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it is also very treatable. Growth monitoring, micronutrients, and food supplementation will help Efrien recover. He will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children his age, and his immune system will grow stronger. Community health workers will teach his mother about creating a nutrient-rich diet from limited resources. Treatment will give Efrien a chance to grow healthy and strong.