At 11 months old, Sandra is the youngest of 11 children. Her family lives in a one-room adobe house with a tin roof in a rural community in the mountains of Guatemala. Her mother works hard cooking and cleaning for the family. Her father wakes up before dawn every day to collect firewood to sell. Since the whole family has to survive on a couple of dollars per day, there is not enough money to go around to provide Sandra with even one egg, vegetable, or piece of fruit to eat each day.
Sandra's mother noticed that Sandra was not growing as fast as the other kids, so she got worried and brought her to Clinic Panajachel for evaluation and treatment.
Doctors determined that Sandra is severely malnourished, and her height and weight are far below normal for her age. Her immune system is weakened from inadequate calorie intake, making her more likely to get sick, and she has experienced frequent coughing and diarrhea. Dehydration from diarrhea can be life-threatening, so it is dangerous for her when she does get sick. Without medical intervention, Sandra could face permanent consequences such as a low IQ, difficulty focusing, and increased risk of chronic diseases.
For $512, Sandra will receive growth monitoring, food supplementation, and deworming medication to help her gain weight and grow taller. Her mother will also receive intense nutrition education to ensure that Sandra is receiving the foods she needs to grow healthy and strong.
Once Sandra's body is receiving adequate calories, she will have enough energy to play, her appetite will improve, and her immune system will become stronger, and she will have healthier mental development.
"I hope that my daughter gains weight and can study," shares Sandra's mother.