Victor is a 23-month-old baby from Guatemala’s rural highlands. He is a friendly child who loves to eat his favorite foods, which are watermelon and rice. Victor’s father works as a day laborer, and his mother takes care of the family’s household needs. Victor’s parents do all they can to provide all that their son needs, but they still do not have the resources to pay for Victor’s malnutrition treatment.
Although he is 23 months old, Victor is only the size of a healthy eight-month-old. He has malnutrition, a dangerous condition that results from consuming too little protein, calories, and nutrients. In the short term, malnutrition means Victor has little energy to grow and that his immune system is weak. He may also face malnutrition’s long-term consequences, such as increased risk of chronic diseases, low IQ, and higher likelihood of dropping out of school.
While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it is also very treatable. Growth monitoring, micronutrients and food supplementation will help Victor recover. He will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children his age, and his immune system will grow stronger with the increased caloric intake. Community health workers will teach his mother about creating a nutrient-rich diet with limited resources.
Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, is requiring $492 to fund Victor’s malnutrition treatment, which is scheduled to begin on April 27.
Victor’s mother says, “I am grateful to be a part of the program. For us, it is a great help since we are of scarce resources and cannot give Victor all that he needs. We wish for our son to one day grow up to become a professional.”
