Archie is a three-year-old child living in the Philippines with his parents and six siblings. His father is a construction worker, and he earns the only income for the family.
Archie has been diagnosed with moderately acute malnutrition by our medical partner, International Care Ministries (ICM). One out of five children under five in ICM communities is either severely or moderately acutely malnourished. Worldwide, poor nutrition is associated with nearly half of all deaths in young children. In remote communities and urban slums of the Philippines, the lack of clean water and unclean environments add risk to potentially fatal childhood diseases.
Archie began malnutrition treatment on October 19. ICM’s Home-Based Feeding program provides nutrient-enriched food packs to ensure malnourished children get additional food to regain normal weight and achieve optimum physical and mental development. After identifying a child as malnourished, staff and community volunteers make weekly visits to monitor this child’s progress. To help sustain the health of the child, ICM’s professional staff educate the mother, guardian, or other family members about proper nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, and organic vegetable gardening.
The total cost of the support and resources Archie needs is $184, and his family is unable to afford this cost on their own. Following his treatment, Archie’s nutrition will improve, and his risk of complications and fatality will significantly decrease.
“I hope that Archie will be able to go to school and finish his studies” shares Archie’s mother.