Josue is almost 22 months old, but he is only the size of a healthy nine-month old. He 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, Josue began malnutrition treatment on November 17, 2016.
Josue lives with his parents and paternal grandparents in an adobe house with a tin roof. He loves to play with his ball and eat black beans. He is an only child, but his mother is currently pregnant with another child. She can no longer work on the plantation with her husband. While Josue’s parents want the best for their son, their resources are already stretched thin. They cannot afford to pay for his $512 treatment.
While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it is also very treatable. Growth monitoring, micronutrients, and food supplementation will help Josue 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 Josue a chance to grow healthy and strong.
“I never had a higher level of education, so I have not been able to work anywhere but the fields,” says Josue’s mother. “I want my son to grow well, so he can study and have a good profession and the opportunities that we have not been able to have.”
