Alejandra, a nine-month-old baby, lives with her parents and her older in a one-room adobe house in Guatemala. Her favorite thing to do is to play with her dolls. Her mother works at home, cooking, cleaning, and taking care of her and her siblings as well as helping Alejandra’s father cultivate corn in the nearby mountains. Although her parents work hard, they do not have the resources to feed her even one vegetable, piece of fruit, or egg—the minimum that she needs to reach a healthy height and weight.
Alejandra’s parents are worried because they have noticed their daughter is not growing as well as the other children in their village, and almost never has an appetite. This is because she is malnourished, and her diet lacks the nutrients, calories, and protein she needs to grow and be healthy. If Alejandra does not receive treatment, she could face the consequences for the rest of her life—such as short stature as an adult, lower IQ, a harder time focusing, and trouble in school--all making it more likely that she will have lower-paying job as an adult and have children who face the same challenges.
For $512, Watsi's medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq, will provide Alejandra with growth monitoring, food supplements, and deworming medication which will help her grow, develop normally both mentally and physically, and overcome malnutrition. Her parents will receive nutrition education, so they can learn how to best feed Alejandra, even with the little resources they have. If she receives treatment now, she will be able to have normal mental and physical development, giving him a better chance to be a successful student and to one day be qualified for a well-paying job.
"We hope that one day, she can have a university degree," says Alejandra's mother. With our help, this treatment will give Alejandra a better chance of escaping the cycle of malnutrition and poverty.