Meet William, a 22-month-old boy from Guatemala who lives with his mom and two siblings. William loves to laugh and eat noodles, chicken, and bananas. His older brother, Eswin, takes care of him so that his mother can weave textiles to earn money for their family.
“William is acutely malnourished,” our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK) shares. “The lack of nutrients has made his body weak and unable to grow. He often suffers from stomachaches and diarrhea, since his immune system has been weakened. In the long term, William could end up with stunted development and a great risk of chronic diseases if he does not receive treatment now.”
William’s mother was not aware that he was malnourished before WK’s medical team came to visit. “Even though his mother does her best, she does not have the resources to buy him a single egg, fruit, or vegetable each day, making it impossible for Esvin to get the nutrition he needs,” WK explains.
$512 will cover the cost of William’s treatment. “Growth monitoring, micronutrients, food supplementation, and deworming medication,” WK explains, “will help William gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children his age.”
“I am grateful that this program will bring treatment to my son, and I am hoping that he will gain weight and grow taller,” William’s mother shares.