Problem

Malnourishment afflicts more than half the children under five years of age in Nepal, and is a leading cause of death in this age group. The cause is both ignorance and poverty. Most emaciated children fall ill. If they are fortunate enough to get to a hospital, they are discharged as soon as the illness is under control, without regard to the state of their nourishment. When they return to their villages they often grow up physically or mentally stunted, and may not even survive to adulthood.

The Gift

This gift will provide much-needed medicine for one severely emaciated child while they are restored to good health at one of NYOF’s Nutritional Rehabilitation Homes (NRH) in Nepal. The child will stay at one of these small home-like hospitals, under supervision of nurses, a nutritionist, and a doctor, for about five weeks, until they are restored to full weight and good health. During this time, the child’s mother will stay with them at the Nutritional Rehabilitation Home and will be trained in child care and nutrition. When mother and child return home, the mother will teach others in her village or neighborhood about her newfound knowledge. NYOF’s outreach workers will visit the child three times within the six months after discharge from the NRH to ensure they are maintaining their weight and health. NYOF funds and manages Nutritional Rehabilitation Homes for severely malnourished children throughout Nepal. These facilities have rescued thousands of children.