Leonardo is a 23-month-old boy from Guatemala. He is frequently ill, and he has not learned many words. His mother is worried because he has not been growing as well as other children.
Leonardo has been diagnosed with acute malnutrition. This means he has little energy to grow, and his immune system is weak and vulnerable to illness. He is also at risk of chronic disease and delayed development. Fortunately, he began malnutrition treatment on November 24, 2016.
Leonardo and his family share a one-room adobe house with a tin roof. They live in a rural mountainous community in Guatemala. Leonardo loves to eat carrots and bananas. His mother works at home, cooking, cleaning, and collecting firewood. His father works as a day laborer on a local plantation. They cannot afford this $512 treatment.
While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it is also very treatable. Growth monitoring, micronutrients, and food supplementation will help Leonardo recover. He will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children his age, and his immune system will grow stronger. Community health workers will teach his mother about creating a nutrient-rich diet from limited resources. Treatment will give Leonardo a chance to grow healthy and strong.
“We are so appreciative of the support, so our son can grow better,” says Leonardo’s mother. “I hope that in the future, he can become a professional and have better opportunities than we did.”