Alice through the bottle-glass

01/07/2008

 

BMS worker in Guinea, Sarah Hall, tells how a small intervention can make a big difference in a child’s life. This is the story of Alice.

Alice is two years old.  She’s a podgy, inquisitive little girl, often to be found exploring the local neighbourhood.  She lives with her dad, Saa, her older siblings and her grandma.  Sadly, six months ago, her mum died after an illness and so her grandma took over the day to day care of Alice.
 
It is normal for children to be breast-fed here in Guinea until they are at least two years old. Weaning is a difficult time and many children succumb to malnutrition and associated illnesses such as diarrhoea, measles and malaria.  Achieving a balanced diet which is adapted for the high energy needs of a little one is difficult for all sorts of reasons.  The truth is that one in six children will die here before their fifth birthday and for many it is around this challenging time. 
 
So how could I help Alice to be a healthy, happy little girl?  I knew that without help there was a great risk that she would become malnourished and so might die.  One day I sat and chatted to her dad.  He really wanted to do all that was possible for Alice. 

We talked about the different ways he could help her and, recognising that he was really motivated, I offered to give them milk powder for her too. 

Milk is very expensive here and there was no way that Saa could afford to buy it for her. So each week he brought the tin to me and I filled it up.  The other day I visited Alice and her family at home. Her grandma thanked me for my help – but Alice is alive because of a team effort.  Her grandma is great and provides regular small, nutritious meals for Alice.  It was good to see Alice enjoying her glass of milk and thriving.