Feed 30 malnourished young children in Kenyan slum

At ten months old, Jacinta (not Her real name) was severely malnourished and had missed many of Her developmental milestones. Jecinta’ mother, Stacy, who depends on odd jobs, lives alone with her two children in the Kiandutu slums, a small informal settlement in the outskirt of Thika. She used to wash clothes for people to earn a living, but income from the laundry business was not enough to make ends meet. Stacy hoped that her children could afford a better life but her dream seemed to shut as each day could bring a long more challenges.

When Jecinta was identified, he weighed 6.5 kilograms and had not received deworming thus was losing weight. Macheo social worker noticed that he was very weak, low on Her weight and had lacked the energy since he was fed on starch only. Through Macheo, Jecinta was enrolled in the malnourishment program, which provides a nutritional supplement and intensive follow-up to help reinforce a diet that includes nutritionally dense foods. Jecinta was prescribed vitamin A and iron supplements to boost Her immune system, and a deworming medication to rid him of any parasites that might be contributing to Her malnutrition. The Macheo service provider gave Jecinta all around-the-clock care and the nutrition he needed to grow healthier. During Her stay in the program, Jecinta made steady gains in both overall health and milestone development. After three months in tHer care and support, Justine made a tremendous progress by attaining 7.6 kilograms. He eventually became an active, mobile and smiling baby boy. Through the program, Jecinta’ mother was also educated about proper nutrition and feeding practices for children, as well as warning signs of malnutrition from trainings offered by Macheo. Stacy also was trained on proper parenting, hygiene and cleanliness.

Jecinta is one of the dozens children who are now enjoying healthy childhoods, thanks to the lifesaving care provided by Macheo children’s organization. However, Macheo social worker has been making follow ups to ensure that Jecinta’ mother is in a capacity to provide a safe, loving and compassionate environment where Jecinta will continue to thrive and enjoy a happy childhood even after exiting from the program. Macheo is dedicated to helping children reach their highest health potential and experience life in a positive way. After making tremendous strides in offering care and support to malnourished children and providing counseling to caregivers about optimal feeding practices, the Macheo service providers feel more confident in their services.