Josephine tragically lost her mother to malaria when she was just 7 months old. Like so many orphaned babies in Malawi, she was at serious risk of malnutrition and it's devastating consequences.
But thanks to Open Arms' Community-Based Care Programme, Josephine is growing up happily and healthily in the loving care of her family - where she belongs.
After her mother's death, Josephine's father tried his very best to give her the care she needed, but he simply couldn't provide the formula milk that is so vital for a baby's growth and development.
After a couple of months, Josephine started showing signs of malnutrition and, seeing she was at risk, he sought help from a local orphanage.
The orphanage directed him to Open Arms who straight away welcomed her into their care. (Pictured right at Blantyre Infant Home in December 2022.)
With plenty of love, expert nutritional and medical care and specially tailored support from the devoted care staff at Blantyre, Josephine's health returned, her weight increased and she began catching up on those vital developmental milestones.
Six months later in June 2023, Open Arms started piloting Community-Based Care in Blantyre.
As Josephine's grandmother was available and very willing to take on her care, Josephine was one of the first babies to return home to her family under this transformational programme.
(Pictured left with her grandmother and caregiver from Blantyre Infant Home, on the day she returned home.)
Today, she is a confident, active and content little girl who has started speaking in her local language. She isn’t just thriving – she is thriving with her family, who she knows and loves.
She also loves her visits from Anthony, the Open Arms Reintegration Manager, who regularly checks in on the family to ensure they are fully equipped to keep Josephine happy and healthy.
This includes everything from providing essential items to assessing Josephine’s wellbeing and checking her weight record book (as pictured right).
The team also give the family advice and assistance when it comes to their small business of selling ducks and chickens, which will help them towards the ultimate goal of seeing families on this programme reach self-sufficiency after three years of support.
Community-Based Care is not just equipping, but empowering families like Josephine's to not only stay together, but thrive together and look forward to a self-sufficient future.
If you'd like to help extend this support to the many more families being referred to Open Arms, please donate today. Whether a one-off or regular gift and no matter the size, it will make a long lasting and life-changing difference.
Thank you!
Your donation will help children in Malawi grow up healthy with the love of a family
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