July 2024
Amira and Amara were just 10-month-old twins when they were admitted to our hospital, each weighing less than 5kg (11 lbs), placing them below the 1% curve for growth and development. At their age, a normal weight is around 18 lbs. Upon evaluation, it was evident that the twins were malnourished due to a lack of food and their premature birth at 33 weeks.
Their mother, Selly, struggles to feed herself and her children. She lives with her mother, who suffers from arthritis and is unable to farm to provide food for the family. Selly’s sister works a side job in Kapsowar, earning only 4,000 shillings a month (about $1 a day), which is insufficient to cover expenses and food for the three adults and four children in their household.
The twins’ father is an alcoholic and has abandoned the family, refusing to send even small amounts for necessities like diapers or milk. Due to Selly’s own poor nutrition, she has been unable to produce enough breastmilk, leading to further feeding challenges for the girls. This situation has been a source of great stress and discouragement for Selly.
Our social work team at the hospital identified that the malnutrition of both the mother and the twins was due to poverty and the complex social situation at home. The family was unable to afford the $585 bill accumulated during their two-week hospital stay. Thanks to donor funds, we were able to cover this bill. Our social work team was committed to ensuring Selly didn’t return home facing the same hardships, so they visited the family several weeks later.
With the support of donor funds, our social work team provided the family with a month’s worth of food and educated Selly on the required daily feedings. Understanding that Selly’s poor nutrition likely affected her breastmilk production, the team agreed to supply formula for the twins’ first year of life, provided Selly continued to weigh the children every two weeks and report their weight for monitoring. Formula is very expensive in Kapsowar, costing $15 per can, which lasts only two weeks. For many families, this cost is prohibitive.
Donor funds help make this essential nutritional supplement available for twins like Amira and Amara.
Selly also expressed a need for clothes for the twins and help with the cost of health insurance for the next year ($11 to sign up and $2.50 a month). We were able to fulfill these needs through donor funds.
Since April, our hospital’s social work team has continued to monitor the twins’ weight and support the family. While they still face significant challenges, our team is committed to finding solutions to improve the family’s food supply and overall health. We are profoundly grateful for the generosity of our donors. Your contributions have a transformative impact, enabling us to provide critical care and support to families like Selly’s. Thank you for making a difference in their lives.
