Threatened by Child Hunger
At just eight months old, little Melani weighed just over 9-pounds—barely more than half of what a child her age should weigh. Melani was suffering from child hunger in Guatemala.
Melani lives in the village of Loma del Viento, Guatemala, with her parents and three brothers. The family lives in a modest concrete home and is in danger of food insecurity. A nurse from the local community health post noticed that Melani was dangerously underweight. Fearing the child was malnourished, she reached out to Cross International’s local partner, Hope of Life.
The Hope for Life team visited Melani’s home and confirmed that the little girl was not getting the nutrition that she needed.
Help for a Hungry Child
Thanks to your support of Cross International, Melani and her mother were admitted to Hope for Life’s St. Luke Pediatric Nutritional Recovery Center. There, a doctor diagnosed Melani with severe acute malnutrition.
For the time being, Melani will continue to be cared for at the Hope for Life Nutritional Recovery Center. Thanks to the kindness of Cross International donors like you, she is receiving medical and nutritional care, including breastfeeding education for her mom. Melani is nursing, drinking formula, and eating semi-solid baby food three times a day. The Hope for Life staff are also helping Melani’s mother learn how to care for her baby and ensure that she gets the childhood nutrition she needs after they return home.
Thanks to your support of Cross International, Melani and her mother were admitted to Hope for Life’s St. Luke Pediatric Nutritional Recovery Center. There, a doctor diagnosed Melani with severe acute malnutrition.
