Three-month-old Andent lives in southern Ethiopia with his mother and father. He is very cute and loves to play and laugh. His father does not have a permanent job and works as a daily laborer with a low income. Andnet's mother is a house wife. Andnet was born with Hirschsprung's Disease, or an abnormally functioning segment of the bowel. He has suffered with partial bowel obstruction & severe constipation. The problem was temporarily solved after Andnet underwent a colostomy. Now, doctors at our medical partner will conduct a pull-through procedure. Done with an endoscope, the surgeon removes the blockage and tissue. The healthy sections of bowel are then reconnected. Because of their low financial status, Andnet's parents cannot afford the medical care their child needs. Treatment and surgery will cost $1,500. His condition is troublesome and both his parents are affected as a result of it. “My daily income is very low and for this reason we can’t pay the bill by ourselves and get our child the treatment," shares Andnet's father. "This worries us a lot.”

Linda is suffering from malnutrition and as a result her appetite and energy are low. Her weight and her height are far below the average for her age, and without intervention she is at risk of the long-term effects of malnutrition. Her mental and physical growth will be permanently stunted, preventing her from reaching her full potential. Her family already struggles to afford the most basic necessities, so if her health declines further, they will be unable to afford a hospital visit or doctor appointment. Her mother told our staff that she wants to do all she can for her daughter, but is just unsure at times what would be best and where their money is best spent to buy the most nutritious foods possible. Linda loves to play- she especially likes to pretend to cook, and imitates her mom making tortillas. She likes to eat beans and eggs, although eggs are difficult for her family to afford often. She lives with her parents and two siblings (ages 6 and 4 years old) in a small concrete block and wood panel house, with a metal lamina roof. This treatment will supply Linda with the growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and medication for her to recoup some of the weight and height he has lost. Her parents will receive intensive nutrition education thus building their confidence and ability to care for Linda and her siblings throughout their childhood. Intervention now will prevent the future devastating effects of malnutrition, and give Linda the chance to live a healthy productive life.

Meet Samuel, a 12-month-old boy who lives in Ethiopia with his parents and siblings. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF) tells us that Samuel has Hirschpsrung’s disease, which is a condition of the colon that causes difficulty passing stool. "Samuel was born with stooling difficulty and as a result he developed bowel obstruction. A colostomy, creating a temporary hole in the surface of the abdomen for the intestine to drain stool, was done to Samuel when he was a newborn," AMHF explains. "Samuel has been using the colostomy to pass stool for the last year and is still waiting for the reconstruction of a stooling hole." His parents have other children to care for, making it difficult to cover the expenses of Samuel's care. For most kids, death or severe growth retardation will develop without surgery. $1,500 will provide Samuel with a Hirschsprung pull through procedure. Little children like Samuel require a two-stage procedure, first with the removal of the paralyzed part of the colon followed by re-attaching the colon and closing the colostomy. After the surgery, AMHF shares, "Samuel will be able to pass stool normally. Samuel's family hopes that once he is well, he will be able to go to school."

Johana is a nineteen-month-old girl who lives with her young parents in Guatemala. Recently, Johana has been losing weight and getting frequent respiratory infections. Our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq (WK), diagnosed Johana with acute malnutrition. "Her height is far below the average of her age and if intervention does not occur her health will continue to decline and she will be at risk of the long term effects of malnutrition." These long term effects include physiological and cognitive developmental deficiencies. "Each time her mother has to buy medicine it takes a financial hit on the family, and the government health center never had medication to supply her," WK adds. To prevent the future negative effects of malnutrition, WK recommends that Johana enroll in a nutrition program that costs $535. "This treatment will supply Johana with the growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and medication for her to recoup some of the weight and height he has lost, overcome her respiratory infection, and increase her overall caloric intake," WK shares. "Her mother will receive intensive nutrition education thus building her confidence and ability to care for Johana throughout her childhood." “Thank you for this program. It is going to give us a lot of much needed help,” says Johana's mother.

Rosario is a newborn baby girl who lives with her family in Guatemala. Rosario’s father is a day laborer on a farm nearby, and her mother helps her mother-in-law take care of the house and land. “Rosario is suffering from acute malnutrition due to lactation failure,” shares our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). “When examined by our medical team, Rosario had very little energy. Her mother does not have enough money to pay for formula, and if intervention does not occur soon Rosario will be in danger of permanent mental and physical damage or death.” Rosario’s mother is 18 years old and had a very complicated pregnancy and birth, in which Rosario required critical care. Despite these previous complications, Rosario’s mother is extremely dedicated to the health of her baby. “When she realized she could not produce sufficient breast milk, she immediately came to our clinic asking for help,” explains WK. “She cries because she is hungry and there is nothing I can do,” shares her mother. “I feel so helpless and embarrassed. She is my first child and I just want the best for her.” Fortunately, treating lactation failure is easy and effective. With our support of $1,220, WK will be able to work with Rosario and her family to prevent future threats of malnutrition. Doctors will provide a combination of milk formula supplementation, growth monitoring and intensive nutrition education to give Rosario and her mother the tools Rosario needs to survive and thrive. “We believe our treatment plan will allow Rosario to recoup the weight she has lost and start to develop normally,” explains WK. “She will avoid the loss of developmental milestones, and grow to her full mental and physical potential.”