This is Neymar, a 12-month-old baby boy who lives with his older brother and his parents in a rented one-room house made of cinderblocks in Guatemala. His mother works at home and takes care of the children while his father is a day laborer in the fields. Although his parents work hard, they do not have the resources to feed him even one vegetable, piece of fruit, or egg—the minimum that he needs to reach a healthy height and weight.
Neymar’s mother has been worried that her son has not been eating well and growing like he should. This is because the diet his parents can afford for him lacks protein, calories, and nutrients, leaving him malnourished. If he does not receive treatment, malnutrition could cause permanent consequences such as a low IQ, trouble focusing in school, and a greater risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension as an adult. All these factors make it less likely he will have a well-paying job as an adult, meaning the cycle of poverty and malnutrition would continue if he decides to have kids.
For $512, Watsi’s medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, will provide Neymar with the treatment he needs to address his acute malnutrition. Growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and deworming medication will help Neymar recover–saving his life now and putting him on track to live a better life in the future. He will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children his age. His immune system will grow stronger with the increased caloric intake. This will further help him to develop mentally. His mother will receive the educational support she needs to feel empowered in providing Neymar the diet he needs to grow and continue developing healthily, even with limited resources.
His mother shares with us, “We hope that our son will grow up and be smart, so that he can be a good student and have a profession.” Intervention now will prevent the future devastating effects of malnutrition and give Neymar the chance to live a healthy and productive life, finish school, get a good job, and escape the cycle of malnutrition and poverty. Let’s support Neymar and his family!
