Andy is an 11-month-old boy living in Guatemala with his parents. “He loves to play with a little toy car that he has,” shares our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). “He is just now starting to walk with his parents’ help.”
Andy has acute malnutrition. “His appetite is limited and his mother says that it is a fight to get him to eat any sort of food regardless of if whether it is healthy or not,” says WK. Andy is underweight and below the average height for his age; he only eats around a tablespoon of food at each meal time. “Without intervention,” explains WK, “Andy is at risk of starvation, dehydration, and defective physical and mental development.”
For $535, Andy can receive the necessary interventions he needs. “Andy’s mother is dedicated to caring for her child but simply does not make enough money to buy him the food he needs to grow,” shares WK.
Treatment will provide Andy with micronutrients and food supplements to boost the quantity and quality of calories he consumes. His mother will also receive an education in nutrition. “This information will help her care for her child…as well as prevent malnutrition in other children that may be born in the future,” says WK.
“The interventions will prevent Andy from suffering the long term effects of malnutrition and will treat the acute illness he is currently battling,” explains WK.
His mother is very happy to be part of Watsi. “We do not have a place to live and have no money to pay for many things for our son,” Andy’s mother says, “but my dream is that he will grow up healthy and strong.”