“I dream that my daughter grows well and studies to become a secretary,” shares the mother of 16-month-old Gleymi.
Gleymi lives with her mother, father, and two siblings in Guatemala. She loves to play with her toy tea set, listen to music on the radio, and dance. Her father works as a day laborer, often making only one or two dollars per day, and her mother works at home, cooking and cleaning for the family.
Gleymi is suffering from malnutrition, meaning that she is far below a healthy size for her age. Her mother is worried because she is not growing as well as the other kids in their neighborhood. Since they do not have their own land to cultivate, buying fruits and vegetables is a luxury Gleymi’s family cannot afford. Thus, she does not receive the nutrients she needs to grow and develop.
A weakened immune system is one of the symptoms of malnutrition, leaving the child more prone to diarrhea, severe coughs, and fevers, which can reducing their appetite and cause dehydration. If left untreated, the negative effects of malnutrition could affect Gleymi for the rest of her life - she could have a higher risk of chronic disease, have a hard time focusing and doing well in school, and be less likely to have a well-paying job as an adult.
Gleymi will receive growth monitoring, food supplements, and deworming medication which will help her grow, develop healthily and overcome malnutrition. Her parents will receive motivational nutrition education so they can learn how to best feed Gleymi, even with the little resources they have. This treatment, which includes supplements, nutritional consultations, and food, costs $512 and will be administered by Watsi’s medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation. If she receives immediate treatment, Gleymi will have a more successful and healthy future.
