Meals, Congregate Feeding, Meals

Complan based supplementary feeding for 252 children in Haiti

Source: World Emergency Relief (WER)

Date: 13 Sep 2010

In the slum area of Cité Soleil, Haiti many children are malnourished and underweight. Despite the massive aid operation not enough food is reaching those most in need. WER partner, the Good Samaritan Foundation has begun a supplementary feeding programme for over 252 'at risk' children that will ensure that they achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Malnourishment can lead to serious, lifelong health problems, even death. The effects on children are particularly severe and can include stunting (slowed growth), wrinkling of skin, cracked finger and toe nails and a permanently weakened immune system. The experience of chronic hunger pains can traumatise a child for life.

In Haiti, before the earthquake, 22% of children were malnourished. Some mothers even resorted to feeding their children mud cookies because food was so scarce.

The January earthquake was a great tragedy for Haiti but the unprecedented response from donors across the world offers hope for the future. WER donors showed great generosity and thanks to their support WER is able to help the poorest, most in need children in Cité Soleil.

Last week 252 children were provided with a serving of Complan alongside a meal at lunchtime through the food programme at the Good Samaritan Foundation. These children will be given Complan and a meal every day for 6 months. The children's weight and health will be monitored throughout the 6 months.

For children like Rebecca, aged 10, this daily meal is the only secure food they have ever known.

"I am so happy to have this food," said Rebecca. "I used to fear every day that I would not have enough to eat and that I would feel the aches in my stomach. My mother worried about me all the time. But now I know that I can eat every day I feel so free."

Rebecca can look forward to at least another 6 months of food at a vital time during her growing up. But there are many more children like Rebecca who are still in need.

With your help WER can expand our feeding programmes so that more children can know the security of a simple daily meal.