17-month-old Edwin lives with his family in Guatemala’s rural highlands. He loves to play with his toy car and eat beans, his favorite food.
Edwin is underweight and small for his age due to malnutrition, a dangerous condition that results from consuming too little protein, calories, and nutrients. As a result, Edwin has little energy to grow, and his immune system is weak. He may also face malnutrition’s long-term consequences.
Edwin’s family is very worried about him, but they do not have the resources to pay the $492 needed for his malnutrition treatment. His father works as a day laborer, while his mother stays at home, taking care of the family’s household needs.
Fortunately, we can help. Edwin is scheduled to begin our medical partner’s treatment program on March 30. Growth monitoring, micronutrients, and food supplementation will help Edwin recover. He will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children his age, and his immune system will grow stronger with the increased caloric intake. Community health workers will teach his mother about creating a nutrient-rich diet with limited resources.
Edwin’s mother says, “I am grateful to the organization and the donors who worry for malnourished children in our community because our children often suffer for lack of resources.”