Meet Mabelyn, a 15-month-old baby from Guatemala.
Mabelyn is suffering from acute malnutrition. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK), reports, “Her weight and height are far below the average for her age, and she is at for the risk for long-term negative effects of malnutrition. If left untreated, Mabelyn will not develop to her full potential physically and mentally and will hit developmental milestones far after her peers.” Furthermore, doctors warn that acute malnutrition during infancy may put Mabelyn at higher risk for chronic illness and complicated pregnancy later in life.
Though she tires easily, Mabelyn is a happy girl. “During the height of the day, she sits on the floor of her house and plays with her dolls or a small plastic ball given to her by her cousins,” shares WK. “Her favorite time of day is bath time, when she stands in a bucket while her mom pours water from a hose over her head. She also loves to mimic her mom washing clothes in their outdoor sink.”
$535 will supply Mabelyn with growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and medication to recoup some of the weight and height lost. Additionally, the funding will provide Mabelyn’s parents with intensive nutrition education.
“Her mother is dedicated to Mabelyn’s health and wants to learn all she can to help her baby,” WK adds.