“Aldo is a calm little boy who often plays with his toy cars with his older siblings at home in Guatemala,” shares our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK).
Aldo was diagnosed with acute malnutrition, a condition that has drastically stunted his body’s growth and weakened his immune system. Because of this, Aldo is often sick—especially with diarrhea, which he has had almost constantly since his weight dropped. “Diarrhea is especially dangerous due to the fact that it makes him lose more weight, dehydrates him, takes away his appetite, and prevents him from absorbing what little nutrients he is able to eat,” explains WK.
If Aldo’s malnutrition is not addressed, his mental health could suffer as well: adults who were malnourished as children tend to have lower IQs, perform poorly in school, and obtain lower-paying jobs than their healthy counterparts. These conditions, in turn, make it more likely that Aldo will raise malnourished children, continuing the cycle of illness and poverty.
Aldo’s parents both work hard to provide for their family, with his mother caring for their household and children while his father collects and sells firewood. However, “they are unable to earn enough money to sustain a healthy diet for Aldo, meaning he only gets eggs, fruit, and vegetables occasionally, instead of every day,” says WK.
Fortunately, there is hope for Aldo. For $512 we can enter him into an intensive program: six months of micronutrients, three months of food supplements, and nutritional monitoring will ensure he returns to a normal weight as soon as possible. Furthermore, this money will also pay for Aldo’s parents to consult with a nutritionist so that they can learn how to feed Aldo healthily on their budget.
“We are so appreciative for this program, for the support that my son will get,” Aldo’s mother tells us. “We just don’t have the resources.”
