“I am worried about my son’s health,” Mynor’s mother, a native of Guatemala, shares.
Her seven-month-old boy has malnutrition, meaning that a calorie deficiency has left him underweight and small for his age. In the short term, Mynor’s malnourished state makes his immune system weak, leaving him vulnerable to illnesses. But Mynor also risks facing malnutrition’s long-term consequences, such as an increased susceptibility to chronic diseases, a low IQ, and a higher likelihood of dropping out of school.
While Mynor’s mother and father are very worried about their son, they do not have the financial resources to pay for him to undergo medical treatment for his malnutrition. The majority of the money that they earn from day labor and collecting firewood already goes towards meeting the daily needs of their four children.
Fortunately, for $492, we can connect Mynor with the medical care he needs. Beginning March 13, he will receive micronutrients and food supplementation to help get him back to a normal weight and height. Community health workers will monitor his growth and teach his mother about creating a nutrient-rich diet with limited resources.
Mynor’s mother says, “I hope for him to grow up healthily so that he can be a good student in the future.”