Glendi is an 18-month-old girl from Guatemala who loves to play with her plastic tea set. She has been diagnosed with acute malnutrition. She has little energy to grow, and her immune system is weak and vulnerable to illness. She is also at risk of chronic disease and delayed development. Fortunately, Glendi began malnutrition treatment on October 28, 2016.
Glendi lives with her family in a cinderblock house with a tin roof. Her father works as a day laborer, earning only a couple dollars per day. Her mother stays home to care for the family and weaves textiles to sell. While Glendi’s parents want the best for their daughter, their resources are already stretched thin. They cannot afford to pay for her $512 treatment.
While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it is also very treatable. Growth monitoring, micronutrients, and food supplementation will help Glendi recover. She will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children her age, and her immune system will grow stronger. Community health workers will teach her mother about creating a nutrient-rich diet from limited resources. Treatment will give Glendi a chance to grow healthy and strong.
“I am excited to see my daughter grow better,” says Glendi’s mother. “I hope that one day she will be a good student, have better opportunities, and be in good health.”