Kian is an eight-month-old baby boy from the Philippines. He lives with his family in a small house made of bamboo. They have no access to electricity, and they get their water supply from a well. Kian’s father works as a fisherman, but he does not have a permanent income. Kian loves to roll on his bed and listen to nursery rhymes with his mother.
Kian has been diagnosed with moderately acute malnutrition. Fortunately, on February 23, Kian will begin $184 malnutrition treatment.
Kian will be treated by International Care Ministries (ICM), a Watsi medical partner. One out of five children under five in ICM communities is either severely or moderately malnourished. Worldwide, poor nutrition is associated with nearly half of all deaths in young children. In remote communities and urban slums of the Philippines, the lack of clean water and unclean environments add risk to potentially fatal childhood diseases.
ICM’s home-based feeding program provides nutrient-enriched food packs to ensure malnourished children get additional food to regain normal weight and achieve optimum physical and mental development. After identifying a child as malnourished, staff and community volunteers make weekly visits to monitor this child’s progress. To help sustain the health of the child, ICM’s professional staff educate the mother, guardian, or other family members about proper nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, and organic vegetable gardening.
Kian’s mother says, “I hope my child can recover from malnutrition and become healthy and strong in the future. I am excited for the treatment and its outcome”
