By David Candaele | Casa Jackson Administrator
When two-year-old twins Andre and Santiago arrived at Casa Jackson in May, both needed help.
Andre weighed just 17.9 pounds and was experiencing moderate acute malnutrition. His brother Santiago weighed 17.2 pounds and was experiencing severe acute malnutrition.
Their mother, Mishel, had been referred to Casa Jackson by local health and social services. She made the difficult decision to leave her community and remain with her sons throughout their recovery.
For more than three months, Casa Jackson became their home.
Andre and Santiago received the nutrition, monitoring, care, and attention their growing bodies needed. Mishel became part of the Casa Jackson community, too. She helped in the kitchen, supported our nurses, and even cared for other babies whose mothers could not be there every day.
But something else was happening during those months.
As part of Casa Jackson's family-centered approach, Mishel received psychological support and had a safe place to talk about the challenges facing her family. Through those conversations, she began thinking about what life would look like when her sons were healthy enough to leave.
Mishel ultimately made a courageous decision: she would not return her children to a living situation she believed could become unsafe. Instead, with support from her family, she chose to begin again in another community where she and her children could have greater stability and support.
Recovery Beyond the Scale
Meanwhile, two little boys were changing before our eyes.
When Andre and Santiago first arrived, they were extremely attached to their mother and struggled when she wasn't immediately beside them. Slowly, they became more confident and independent.
They crawled. They learned to walk. They explored.
And they played.
A simple toy car tower donated by a volunteer became a favorite. So did balloons. Soon, the boys who once struggled to leave their mother's side were busy discovering the world around them.
By September, Andre had grown from 17.9 to 20.5 pounds, while Santiago had grown from 17.2 to 20.7 pounds.
Those numbers matter. But they don't tell the whole story.
The boys left Casa Jackson healthier, more active, and more independent. Their family also received practical support, including a water filter, basic supplies, and clothing the twins can grow into.
Mishel left with something that can't be weighed: a plan for a safer future.
This is what support for Casa Jackson makes possible. Nutritional recovery is the beginning, not the end. Donor support gives children nutritious food and compassionate care while giving families education, psychological support, practical resources, and time to build greater stability at home.
Andre and Santiago arrived as two vulnerable little boys in need of help. They left walking, playing, exploring, and growing stronger together.
And their mother left ready to take the next step with them.
That is the kind of recovery your support makes possible.
By David Candaele | Casa Jackson Administrator
By David Candaele | Casa Jackson Administrator
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