Melany is a one-month-old baby girl who lives with her family in Guatemala.
Melany’s mother is unable to produce breastmilk and has resorted to feeding her warm sugar water to fill her up. This limited diet is insufficient and has dangerous implications for Melany’s health. Lactation failure can lead to starvation, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalances that cause seizures. Brain development during this period is particularly sensitive and continued malnourishment could put Melany at risk for long-term damage.
Our medical partner Wuqu’ Kawoq is asking for $1,162 to fund Melany’s treatment. By supplying Melany with formula and her mother with health education, Melany will receive the nutrients she needs to grow and thrive. One-on-one education with Melany’s mother will teach her how to provide a nutritious, inexpensive diet for her daughter. Her mother will also learn to check for signs of malnutrition and other illness.
Melany’s mother says, “We don’t have money to buy my daughter formula because we are already a family of scarce resources. For this reason I searched for help for my daughter because she is not receiving enough nutrition and I am worried that she will get sick and not grow well. I want to thank you with my whole heart for the help that my little one will receive. I wish to see her grow up to graduate from school and in the future become a nurse.”