Lifesaving Plumpy'Nut for Children in the Sahel

At Edesia, our dynamic team, hailing from all corners of the world, work side-by-side to accomplish our shared goal of helping ease the suffering of malnourished children.

This is TJ, who grew up in The Gambia (the smallest country in The Sahel) before leaving his parents behind to pursue a better education in the United States. He has worked with us at Edesia for more than five years, always lifting us up with his dedication, positivity, and the utmost respect he shows to everyone, no matter where they are from. 

In this photo, taken just last month, TJ is about to enter onto the production floor area, wearing all of the necessary protective gear needed inside our clean room, where we make lifesaving Plumpy'Nut. In July, TJ helped us make 10,000 cases of Plumpy'Nut that is now on its way to Mali, one of the largest countries in The Sahel. Thanks to donors like you, we can produce Plumpy'Nut to send to countries in need.

In Mali and throughout the vast region of the Sahel, the annual lean season continues to place stress on families. It's the time of year when nearly 30 percent of the population struggles to have enough food to eat. That means far too many children will go to the clinic, withering away from lack of nutritious food. 

In the fishing village of Tako in Mali, a local mother, Fatima, shares her struggles.  “I’m really finding it hard to feed my family this year. We rely on fishing here, but the water is low and there are almost no fish left in the river. The granaries are empty,” she said. Her 10-month-old daughter, Binto, who was diagnosed as malnourished, is given a course of Plumpy’Nut, which will give her all the micronutrients she needs to make a full recovery.

Ten thousand cases is enough to completely turnaround the situation for as many as 10,000 children like Binto diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition. In about seven weeks, the child who was once too weak to smile, will be bursting with playful giggles. That's the ultimate goal that motivates TJ and all of us at Edesia.

On behalf of the children who will regain their health because of the miracle of Plumpy'Nut, we thank you for your continued support of our efforts. We are so grateful that you are part of our team.

*names have been changed

Links:

• Edesia's website