Rudy is 13 months old. He lives with his parents and four siblings in a small wood house in Guatemala. To support the family, his father farms corn while his mother cares for the children at home and weaves textiles to sell.
Rudy has acute malnutrition. Because his body is not receiving the calories or nutrients it needs, his immune system and energy are diminished. Due to this, Rudy is frequently sick with a cough and fever.
“As a mother, I just want healthy children, but things are really hard for us,” his mother says.
WK states that without adequate nutrition, Rudy “is at risk of the long term effects of malnutrition that will permanently stunt his physical and mental development. This will negatively impact his life trajectory, as childhood malnutrition is strongly linked to lower academic performance and economic productivity.”
$535 will cover the expenses of Rudy’s care from physicians and nutritionists. To restore his healthy nutrition levels, micronutrient food supplements will be added into Rudy’s diet over a period of three months.
Simultaneously, Rudy’s mother will take part in an intensive nutrition education–giving her the confidence and ability to care for the nutritional needs of her five children.
“This treatment will provide Rudy with micronutrient and food supplementation as well as medication to treat his cough and fever,” WK explains. “He will start to recoup the height and weight he has lost and his immune system will improve. He will consume more high quality calories and this will give him energy to learn from his surroundings.”