By Brian Greer and Zuzana Jankechová | Long Term Volunteers
When Elias Ramirez was brought to Casa Jackson’s malnutrition center run by Nuetros Ahijados in Jocotenango, Guatemala, he couldn’t sit up, cry or crawl. Elias suffers from a form of malnutrition called Kwashiorkor, which is a result of a protein deficient diet. At the young age of 21 months, Elias was losing muscle mass, had rashes all over his body and a swollen abdomen.
Elias’s mother, Aleyda Ramirez, is eighteen and currently pregnant with her second child. Not only is Aleyda a teenage mother, but she is unemployed and her spouse is a fisherman with a precarious income. Aleyda and her husband barely manage to visit their child twice per week as the four hour journey from their town called Tecojate is arduous for a family living in poverty. Elias has been staying at Casa Jackson for the last two weeks, where staff and volunteers constantly monitor his vitals and help with his condition. The medical staff and volunteers not only provide medical assistance, but also the tender loving care all infants need in early childhood. Before Elias is released, the staff will insure he is at 110% of the weight of a healthy and nourished child.
Caring for malnourished Guatemalan children is essential for the future of this Central American country, since half of Guatemalan children under the age of five suffer from chronic malnutrition. This issue is something the Casa Jackson Center addresses directly. I know you’re asking yourself, how could my donation help? Your donation would go directly to Casa Jackson’s malnutrition program, which works with families in a comprehensive manner to address their needs. All donations support the critical care and follow-up to identify and diagnose the children, along with follow up care done by nurses and dietitians and the social workers who travel bi-monthly to the homes of these children to follow up directly. Your donations will also go directly toward the vital care for Elias and the other children at Casa Jackson to sustain this integral service in the community.
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