Nine-month-old Kenneth is far below the healthy height and weight for his age. His parents do not have the resources to buy him the varied and nutritious diet he needs to grow. His diet lacks fruits, vegetables, and protein-rich foods, leaving his immune system weak. This means that diarrhea, fevers, and respiratory illness can be life-threatening if he does not receive treatment. In the long term, he could face stunted neurodevelopment, increased risk of chronic diseases, and subsequent low earning potential as an adult. Kenneth lives in a one-room adobe house in Guatemala with his family. He is a twin, and his parents have been unable to afford to feed their two children the foods they need. This is because they live on only a couple of dollars a day--his father works as a day-laborer who often doesn't have work and his mother works at home, taking care of him and his brother. For $512, Kenneth will receive growth monitoring, micronutrients and food supplementation, which will help him recover from malnutrition--saving his life and putting him on track to live a better life in the future. He will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children his age. His immune system will grow stronger with the increased caloric intake, preventing him from having any life-threatening situations with diarrhea and fevers. This will further increase his appetite and help him use the extra calories to develop mentally instead of those calories being wasted on getting over frequent illnesses. His parents will also receive the support they need to feel empowered to give Kenneth the diet he needs to grow and develop healthily. Intervention now will prevent the future devastating effects of malnutrition, and give Kenneth the chance to live a healthy and productive life, finish school, get a good job, and escape the cycle of malnutrition and poverty that made him sick in the first place.

“I just want her to grow normally,” share the parents of Christy, a 13-month-old girl living in Guatemala. Christy is currently afflicted with acute malnutrition and, as a result, is much below the healthy height and weight for a girl her age. Due to her weakened immune system- a symptom of malnutrition- Chrisy has been getting sick often. Although Christy loves playing with her favorite toy - a play dish set - she has had trouble reaching other developmental milestones, including walking and talking. If not treated soon, the negative effects of malnutrition could affect Christy for the rest of her life and she will have a greater chance of developing chronic diseases as an adult. Christy lives in a rented adobe house with her parents and two older siblings. Christy’s father works as a farmer, cultivating corn and coffee on the plot of land that they own. Christy’s mother takes care of the family and occasionally weaves traditional Mayan textiles to earn extra money for the family. Although Christy’s parents work very hard, they do not have the resources to provide Christy or her siblings with the fruit, vegetables, or eggs that they need to be healthy. For $512 Christy will receive treatment for her malnutrition. This treatment will provide food supplementation and deworming medication that she needs to gain weight and grow taller. Additionally, her parents will receive nutrition education so that they know which foods to buy for Christy and her siblings in the future.

"One month ago a bird bit Theary's left eye and caused a traumatic cataract," our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), shares. Theary, a four-year-old boy from Cambodia, has been unable to attend school since the incident. He also experiences pain and irritation in his eye. For $150, Theary will receive surgery to replace his cloudy left eye lens with a clear lens implant. His vision will be completely restored after the procedure. As a young, active boy, Theary enjoys playing with his toy cars and with his older sister. His mother is hopeful that after the surgery she will no longer have to worry about his eye having other issues. "I hope my son can see everything clearly again, so he can go back to school and play with his sister and friends like before," Theary's mother shares.