Malnutrition hinders physical and intellectual development and reduces resistance to illness. It can also result in death, mutilation and handicap. Better than medication, healthy and regular nutrition is the surest way to good health.

There are approximately 174 million children age 5 and under who are malnourished in the world and approximately 230 million whose growth is delayed. 54% of child mortality in developing countries is due to malnutrition.

Decoded

Who do we welcome?

• Undernourished children between 6 months and 4 years of age. Most of them suffer from marasmus, kwashiorkor or are simply weakened by various diseases such as parasitosis, pulmonary affections, acute diarrhea, paludism as well as other illnesses.
  
• New-born babies and infants lacking maternal milk: mother died during childbirth, hypogalactia often due to breast abscess or frequent or multiple pregnancies (twins or triplets are frequent).
  
• Very small babies (less than 1.5 kg) born prematurely due to delayed in utero development or due to paludism.

How do we help them?

• We administer the required treatments and monitor the results.
  
• We continuously teach the person accompanying the child how to administer a specific treatment, how to prepare milk powder and other healthy food, how to prepare sanitized nursing bottles, as well as easy methods for oral rehydration. The training is organized as a Q&A session which makes it easier for illiterate women to retain the information.

The child leaves the center once he or she is in perfect health and once the accompanying person is fit to care for him or her.

What happens then?

The center organizes a monthly check-up called the “weighing session”. The children return to the center to get weighed, measured and if necessary vaccinated. Results are noted on their health notebook which enables regular follow-up. Those in need also receive a month’s supply of milk powder and medication if necessary.

MORIJA finances 4 centers: