Theo was referred to Open Arms recently. He is cared for by his aunt after his mother sadly passed away following his birth. He was referred to Open Arms for support as the family were struggling, he became malnourished and was at risk.
Sadly this is not an uncommon situation. Despite having relatives to care for him, one of the biggest issues we see in Malawi is families unable to get enough to eat and this becomes even more urgent when a young baby like Theo is involved. For many families it is a daily struggle to provide adequate nutrition for their children.
The reality of malnutrition
Malnutrition is a critical issue in Malawi, especially in rural areas. Stunting, where children’s growth is limited by chronic malnutrition, affects 37% of children under the age of five. This figure is even higher in rural regions.
Stunting not only impacts physical growth but also affects cognitive and social development which can cause long term problems for learning and future opportunities as they grow up. With adequate food and simple support this can be prevented and our work is designed to do just that. There have been improvements in these figures over the last five years and we’re committed to continuing this through all the families we work with.
Nutrition
Maize forms the main part of meals at home and while this can provide a good source of carbohydrates it lacks many nutrients needed for a healthy diet. We see many children and adults that suffer from anaemia due to nutritional deficiencies. Diarrhoea is also common in Malawi and this can be deadly to a young baby already suffering from malnutrition.
The combination of a lack of food and frequent illness creates a dangerous cycle that can be difficult to break and this is where our work is focused.
The impact on families
Families like Theo’s rely on small-scale farming, but unpredictable weather and limited access to agricultural inputs make it challenging to produce enough food. In a recent survey of families supported by Open Arms, the average bags of maize harvested last year was around three 50kg bags per family for the year. A typical family of five will need around one 50kg bag a month so this is already a huge shortfall. When harvests fail or fall short like this, families are left with few options and have to resorting to less nutritious, more affordable food options.
“This year is particularly the worst we have seen in a long time in the sense that a bag of maize became impossible to buy for most people. I went to Malawi in the last two months and people were actually buying bran, maize bran, for food. That is almost like having dust, sawdust essentially with no nutritional value.” - Jane Mallewa, Open Arms Infant Home trustee
The impact of malnutrition extends beyond physical health. Children who are malnourished are more susceptible to illness, less likely to attend school regularly, and often perform poorly academically further fuelling the cycle of poverty.
You can help a family prevent malnutrition
Community based care – we support families like Theo’s, who are unable to provide breast milk with a regular supply of formula milk to meet his nutritional needs. Where severe cases of malnutrition occur we also give specialist supplements to promote quicker weight gain and recovery.
Community based care always starts with the child referred but goes on to supports the family unit. We often find cases of siblings who also suffer from malnutrition and are unable to attend school because of this. We will provide Likuni Phala in these cases which is a fortified porridge designed to boost nutritional support and make sure older children are able to grow and develop too. The family structures in Malawi are extremely strong and so it is important to support the family unit to thrive as a whole as any specific support will be share among family members.
Monitoring – ongoing support for vulnerable families is vital as a malnourished child can become unwell very quickly. Our team will build a relationship with the family to understand the child’s care, the family make up, the resources they have and their living conditions. We will advise on a care plan for the child and any siblings and support the family to deliver this. The team provide accountability, support and act as a reliable source of information for the guardians who remain in close contact.
Education – as well as monitoring the delivery of a child’s care plan the team will also provide advice and information as needed. For example, if a child is unwell they will advise and support with medical referrals and transport so that illnesses get treated quickly. Every child is given a health passport to record their weight, growth and health status and the team will educate the family on their responsibility for these regular weight checks and to make sure that there is a record of the progress that they are making.
Agriculture – as a child grows and develops we will support the family into independence. This might be through a referral onto our agriculture programme where we will provide tools, supplies and guidance on farming. Most families in Malawi have access to an acre or hectare of land and we will give the family hybrid seeds, quality fertiliser and advice on how to get the most from their land. Once there is no more hunger within the home we will support them to diversify their crops and creating a surplus to sell. We facilitate entrepreneurial training so farming businesses can be established and become a sustainable form of food and income enabling families to move out of extreme poverty for good.
Looking forward
Community-based programs are crucial in combatting the problems of malnutrition. These initiatives all focus on educating families and communities about adequate nutrition and hygiene, improving agricultural practices, and giving access to resources where needed. By empowering families with knowledge and resources, these programs aim to create sustainable change that has a ripple effect on whole communities and we see this every day in our work.
Overcoming nutritional challenges in rural Malawi is not easy, but through this work, progress is being made. Your support can make a difference. Through donations, sponsorship, fundraising, spreading awareness, or volunteering, you can be part of this change and help break the cycle of malnutrition.
Your donation will help children in Malawi grow up healthy with the love of a family
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