“Loveness is a happy and talkative four-year-old baby girl,” shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “She likes to play with all sorts of toys.” Loveness is her mother’s first child, and the two live alone together in Tanzania. Although Loveness was born a healthy baby girl, “when she was one year old, she developed severe fever and fits,” reports AMHF. “After being treated, her mother noticed that the size of her daughter’s head was increasing.” Loveness was soon diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition where extra cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain. This excess fluid causes Loveness severe discomfort as the fluid presses against her brain. In the long term, if untreated, Loveness’s hydrocephalus could cause her permanent brain damage or death. Surgery can heal Loveness’s hydrocephalus by placing a shunt in her brain that will channel excess cerebrospinal fluid from her head to other parts of the body, where it can be safely absorbed. Loveness’s mother cannot afford to pay for this operation on her single income as a farmer. But for $775, we can make this life-saving treatment a reality for her child. This sum will cover her surgery, as well as the lab tests and five-day hospital stay that she will need to safely recuperate from the procedure. Loveness’s mother and grandmother alike are eager to see their girl have a chance for a healthy life. “What I wish the most is for my granddaughter to be able to walk,” says Loveness’ grandma.

This is Melida, a 13-month-old girl who lives in Guatemala with her family. She is the youngest of seven, and loves to play with her older siblings. Melida is malnourished. That means that she is far below a healthy height and weight for her age. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK), explains, “She has had not access to an adequate diet, and has been deprived of the protein, calories, and nutrients that she needs to grow normally. This lack of calories has left her immune defenses compromised, meaning she is more susceptible to getting fevers, coughs, and diarrhea, all of which are life-threatening to malnourished children.” Luckily, Melida can be treated. Her parents cannot afford the $512 treatment cost, but we can help. After treatment, Melida will be on the path to recovery. Melida's treatment will receive growth monitoring, micronutrients, food supplementation and deworming medication. WK explains, “This treatment will strengthen her immune system, increase her overall caloric intake, and make it so she has more energy to play and learn. Her parents will receive the support they need to feel empowered to give her the diet she needs to grow and develop--they will receive intense and motivational nutrition classes to learn what, when, and how to feed Melida the best diet possible. This will help her start to develop better both physically and mentally, giving her the chance to live a healthy and productive life, escaping the cycle of poverty and malnutrition that is making her sick.” Melida’s mother tells WK, “I want Melida to learn, be able to read one day, and have a professional career.”

Erick is three month old and lives with his young mother, Sindy, in Guatemala. Soon after Erick was born, Sindy caught an infection, and was given strong antibiotics as treatment. While she got better, the strong medicine led to a lack of breast milk production for her new baby. Sindy currently can’t feed Erick enough milk, which has led to malnutrition. Although formula is available as a replacement, it is extremely expensive in Guatemala and Sindy is unable to afford it. She is raising Erick alone, and her family doesn’t have enough resources to assist her. She currently carries Erick on her back while she works as a clothes washer for her neighbors. “Erick is failing to meet normal growth markers and is far below the average height and weight for his age,” shares our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). “His lack of breastmilk or formula not only makes him dangerously malnourished, but since his mother is giving him water instead, deprives him of antibodies, and puts him at risk of seizures and long-term developmental delays, since brain development occurring during this delicate time is compromised- leaving Erick at risk of long term brain damage.” Sindy told WK, “I want my son to grow well and healthy. I have seen that me and my siblings have been malnourished, and I don’t want this to happen to my baby too.” For $1,016, Erick will receive nutritional supplements to enhance his development and his mother will participate in health education. “By supplying the baby with formula and the mother with health education, Erick will receive the calories he needs to grow and thrive,” explains WK. “One-on-one education with Erick’s mother will prepare her for when he needs to start eating solid food, as well as help her watch for further signs of malnutrition and other illness. Erick’s immune system will strengthen and he will grow up to be a healthy, energetic baby with normal mental and physical development.”