Meet Tomas, the youngest of five children from Guatemala. He lives with his siblings and parents in a one-room cinderblock house. Tomas loves to play with his toy car that he shares with his older siblings. His mother works at home: cooking, cleaning, and taking care of Tomas and his siblings. His father spends long hours away from their village working as a day laborer on a farm. Although Tomas’ parents want the best for their son, they do 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.
Tomas’s mother has been worried since she has noticed that her son does not want to eat. She did not realize that her son was underweight and malnourished and did not understand what consequences the condition carries. Tomas is malnourished because the diet his parents can afford for him lacks protein, calories, and nutrients. His immune system doesn’t have the fuel it needs to fight off common sicknesses like coughs, colds, and diarrhea—in the past two weeks alone, Tomas has gotten sick with a cough and fever. 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.
Watsi’s medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, can provide Tomas with growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and deworming medication for recovery. With $512 in funding, Tomas will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children his age. His immune system will strengthen with increased caloric intake. This will further increase his appetite and help him to gain motor skills and learn new words instead of fighting frequent illnesses. His mother will receive the support she need to feel empowered to give Tomas the diet he needs to grow and develop healthily, even with limited resources.
His mother shares with us, “We hope that our son can study become a teacher in the community.” Intervention now will give Tomas the chance to live a healthy and productive life and escape the cycle of malnutrition and poverty.
