By Siaffa Bunduka | Supporter Engagement Manager
Binty is 17 years old, and has one child named Isatu, who is 8 months old. Binty lives in a rural area of northern Sierra Leone, several miles outside of the small village of Kagbere - the location of her nearest health centre. Health Poverty Action works with staff at the health centre to ensure that they're able to identify and treat community members suffering from ill-health.
“I came to the health centre with Isatu because she is sick, and I normally get food for my child here.”
Isatu was a premature baby, so was already a small child, but Binty became worried because she wasn’t putting on weight.
“I started to notice my child was sick when she was only three months old. At that time I was just giving her rice. When I came with her to the hospital they told me the rice was making Isatu sick. The nurse told me I should not give her the rice because she was too young.”
The nutrition nurse, Asha, gave Binty peanut nutrition supplements to take home, and instructed her to give them to Isatu twice a day - once in the morning and once in the evening. Over the course of several months, and many clinic visits, Isatu slowly got better.
The biggest challenge Binty faces is poverty and finding the money to feed and clothe her child so that she doesn’t become ill again.
“If this service was not here I would worry for my child's life, because of the transport needed to get to [the nearest hospital] - I would not be able to afford it.”
“I wish they had told me earlier that I should not feed my child rice or any other food before six months. I would advise new mothers not to give their child any food that is hard to digest when they are too young.”
“In the future I want her to be a lawyer or a doctor.”
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