Maria is a 19-month-old girl from Guatemala. Her family cannot afford to give her a nutritious diet filled with protein, calories, and nutrients, so she is not gaining weight or growing. She is only the size of a healthy 11-month-old.
Maria has been diagnosed with acute malnutrition. She has little energy to grow, and her immune system is weak and vulnerable to illness. She is also at risk of chronic disease and delayed development. Fortunately, she began malnutrition treatment on November 24, 2016.
Maria loves to eat apples, oranges, black beans, and scrambled eggs. She lives with her mother and her grandparents in an adobe house with a tin roof. Her mother cleans neighbors’ homes to make a living. She cannot afford this $512 treatment.
While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it is also very treatable. Growth monitoring, micronutrients, and food supplementation will help Maria recover. She will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children her age, and her immune system will grow stronger. Community health workers will teach her mother about creating a nutrient-rich diet from limited resources. Treatment will give Maria a chance to grow healthy and strong.