“Otni is a playful little boy who lives with his parents in a small adobe mud house in rural Guatemala,” shares our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). Otni is 18 months old and due to malnutrition, has experienced difficulties with his health since birth.
The effects of malnutrition affect Otni’s overall development and immune system. WK informs us his height and weight measure at far below the average of a healthy boy his age. In addition, he is prone to illness. Without intervention, his health will continue to decline, compromising his mental and physical development.
To support their family, Otni’s father works in the fields near their home while his mother takes care of housework and weaves textiles to sell. However, their combined income is not enough to afford the costs of Otni’s treatment.
With $535, Otni will receive nutritional therapy. “This treatment will supply Otni with the growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and de-worming medication needed for him to increase his overall caloric intake, overcome his cough, and recoup some of the weight and height he has lost,” explains WK.
Otni’s mother will also receive intensive nutrition education, providing her with the skills and confidence to care for Otni throughout his childhood. “I want to make the difference in his life that he needs to grow better and become healthier,” she shares.