When mother no. 25 takes a seat on the floor of the waiting room I am deeply aware of the importance of the building project. It is almost impossible to understand each other with 25 babies and toddlers crying, crowing or running around. Our program for malnourished children and babies has rapidly grown and fulfills a regional need. Mothers from the district and far beyond come with their children for advice and treatment.
Thanks to the Dutch Embassy in Dakar, Elementary School ‘Het Erf’, ProLife insurance and many anonymous donors the foundation of the multipurpose room will be laid very soon. Interactive lessons will be offered to the mothers and there is a kitchen for cooking workshops. Malnutrition has to be addressed at community level. It is more than distributing milk or dietary supplements. It requires a lot of interaction and the learning of new eating habits. Because malnutrition is often associated with illness we also start a specific children’s consultation with an emphasize on malnutricion. This makes us able to better integrate the healthcare we offer.
This development is a new challenge to our team. It’s exciting but also strengthening us as we think about how the room will be functioning. We will be able to help more children and offer new services. It is a beautiful process to color this ‘painting of care’. There is a huge need and we are grateful for the many partners who enable us to bless these families!
