Ndeye Fatou is a girl of 1.5 years. She has diarrhea as her mother takes her to the clinic. She’s sitting apathetically on her mother’s lap. When measuring and weighing, she turns out to be malnourished. Her mother explains she is a picky eater. Since she stopped breastfeeding she refuses to eat. In our Nutrition Program she receives medical treatment and Plumpinut, a nutritional supplement. Her mother joins a group of women twice a week for education on good nutrition. Four weeks later one would hardly recognize Ndeye Fatou… She is playing hide and seek with the nurses and uses the tables as climbing frame! It’s time to let her go. She is healthy again!
Children and infants with malnutrition like Ndeye Fatou are treated and monitored in our clinic. Malnutrition is a major problem in Senegal. Even in the city, one in five children under the age of 5 are malnourished, one in twenty even severely. It makes them susceptible to life-threatening diseases, physical development is inhibited and school performance is negatively affected. Causes are poverty, large families, but also lack of knowledge about good nutrition.
Since we started with our special nutrition program we have been able to help almost 200 babies and children. We treat medical conditions and give nutritional supplements. Through education we promote healthy eating habits, which is the basis of long-term success. Because we are known in the region, we have the opportunity to improve the nutritional situation for thousands of children.
Thanks to support from the Dutch embassy and other donation we will be constructing a special room for the nutrition program! To continue to provide this service, we are however in need for long-term partners. Treating a severely malnourished child costs the clinic about 20 euros on nutrition and staff.
