Jose is eight-months old and an only child from Guatemala. He lives in a rented one-room adobe house with his mother, who is raising him alone. His mother makes crafts which she sells in the market to be able to cover the costs of the family. Although his mother wants the best for her son, she does not have the resources to feed him even one vegetable, piece of fruit, or egg—the minimum that he needs to be able to overcome malnutrition.
Jose’s mother did not realize that her son was far too underweight for his age. He is so small because his parents have not been able to afford to give him fruits, vegetables, and protein-rich foods. As a result, he is malnourished and unable to grow, develop, and play. He has low energy levels and his immune system is weak from the lack of a healthy diet.
Growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and deworming medication will help Jose recover from malnutrition. All of this treatment and medication costs $512. 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 increase his appetite and help him use the extra calories to gain motor skills and learn new words instead of those calories being wasted on getting over frequent illnesses. His mother will receive the support she needs to feel empowered to give Jose the diet he needs to grow and develop healthily, even with limited resources. Intervention now will give Jose the chance to live a healthy and productive life.
Jose’s mother shared, “I dream that my son will be a lawyer when he’s big.”