Maria, a 17-month-old girl from Guatemala, loves to play with a doll lent to her by a neighbor. “Maria is a generally happy child,” shares our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). “Maria is the youngest of five children and her mother is pregnant with a 6th. She is cared for by her 10-year-old sister who generally watches over all of the children, while their father works on a committee for the government health center and their mother works weaving textiles to sell.”
Maria has acute malnutrition, and in the last several months she has been sick often with diarrhea and a cough. “Maria is weak and she is far below the average height and the average weight for her age,” says WK.
With another child on the way, Maria’s mother does not have the resources to take Maria to a doctor. Her family fears they cannot afford the protein rich foods and the medicine Maria needs to recoup her weight and height.
Childhood malnutrition has serious consequences that persist into adulthood. “Her immune system will continue to weaken and mental and physical development will be compromised which will, in turn, affect her ability to succeed in school and the work force,” explains WK.
With $535, Maria will be provided with micronutrients, food supplements, and medication to treat her diarrhea and cough. After treatment, she will have more energy and her risk for chronic diseases later in life will be reduced. Lastly, her mother will enroll in WK’s nutrition education courses.
Maria’s mother shares, “Parents want what is best for their children, but without money we just simply cannot achieve this.”
