Treating and preventing malnutrition in Malawi
Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. An estimated 52% of the population live in poverty and health statistics are dire.
Malnourished children
It is estimated that there are close to 250,000 acutely malnourished children below the age of five in Malawi. The causes of this high rate are varied, but include the prevalence of chronic diseases, such as TB and HIV and AIDS, poor farming methods and climatic shocks such as drought.
Our charity work
Concern is implementing Community-based Therapeutic Care (CTC), an innovative approach to treat acutely malnourished children. It involves treating the majority of children at home using a specially manufactured food that is high in nutrients.
Readymade food
In Malawi, this food is a peanut paste and it is distributed readymade for the mother or carer to bring home and feed to the child. Some of the major benefits of this programme are that families are not split up and the decentralised nature of treatment means that more children can benefit.
With your support, we can supply the food and train local health office staff how to implement the Community-based Therapeutic Care programme. In addition, we will work with local organisations to help prevent malnutrition in the first place.
The target for this project is £280,000.
For more information, please contact sian.williamsconcern.net.
