Carrying her precious 11-month old son, William, in her arms, Marie walked four hours to reach the hospital. He was thin and so weak he could barely lift his head. Baby William’s hair was orange, a tell-tale sign that the boy was suffering from severe malnutrition. Marie did not know this as she walked each step, but she held the words her community health worker told her in her heart – “The doctors and nurses at Mombin Crochu hospital can save your son.”
And save her son they did.
After arriving at the hospital, the doctors and nurses of Village Partners International Nutrition Program immediately assessed William and gave him vaccines, vitamins and de-worming medicine. They enrolled him in the hospital’s in-patient nutrition program which provides therapeutic supplementation that restores children to a healthy weight. When Marie had to return home to care for her four other children, VPI’s head nutrition nurse, Dashna Pierre, agreed to foster William until he completed the in-patient program and could transition to receiving supplementation at home.
One year later, William is a healthy, happy and rambunctious two-year-old. Marie and William now attend classes at the hospital and in their community to learn how to prevent malnutrition in William and his siblings. They love these classes because they can visit with their dear “mama friend” Dashna.
Thanksgiving
During this week of Thanksgiving, VPI is grateful for our Haitian staff and our generous donors who are saving children’s lives in one of the poorest places in the world. Malnutrition is preventable. Malnutrition is curable. We just have to open our eyes to see those who are suffering and open our hearts to help. Will you open your heart and make a donation today?
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