Meet Jamie, a 16-month old boy from Guatemala and the youngest of four children. Jamie “mostly enjoys playing with his oldest sibling Karina, but his mom reports that even while he is playing alone, he is a peaceful gentle baby. He plays with little toy cars belonging to his oldest brothers, and likes to eat beans when it is mealtime,” says our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK).
Jamie is acutely malnourished, and he’s far below the average weight and height for his age. “His immune system is weak … and he is at risk of the longterm effects of malnutrition. While he is by character a calm child, his energy is also low. We worry that without intervention his height and weight will continue to fall and his immune system will crash, putting him at risk of serious illness such as pneumonia,” says WK.
For $535, we can give Jamie a multifaceted treatment for his malnutrition. The treatment includes “growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and medication for him to recoup some of the weight and height he has lost, strengthen his immune system, and increase his overall caloric intake. His parents will receive intensive nutrition education thus building their confidence and ability to care for Jamie and his siblings throughout their childhood,” says WK.
“Intervention now will prevent the future devastating effects of malnutrition, and give Jamie the chance to live a healthy productive life,” WK explains.
In the words of his mother, “With the help of Wuqu’ Kawoq and Watsi, Jamie will be able to grow up well and become an intelligent boy.”