In the heart of Gatwekera village in Kibera, Evalyen Okol, a 37-year-old mother of one is a mother with worries about the health of her daughter. Three months ago, Okol discovered her child’s struggle with low weight when she took her to a local clinic.
“At one year old, my daughter was weighing only 7.3 kilograms, in addition, despite turning one year old, she hasn’t started walking yet, and her weight hasn’t shown significant improvement,” said Okol.
As a single mother and a saloonist, Okol sometimes struggles to put food on the table for both herself and her child. She has come to realize that her own nutritional challenges are contributing to her child’s low weight.
“There are times when I return home empty-handed, unable to provide sufficient breast milk for my little one, adds Okol.
Frankline Kaburia, a nutritionist from CFK Africa, explains that they are conducting screenings to identify malnourished children in the area.
“So far, we have come across a few cases that need urgent intervention, we will later do a contact tracing and refer them to various hospitals and facilities in Gatwekera for further assistance,” said Kaburia.
Kaburia said that their goal is to reach approximately 300 children within Gatwekera village on the outskirts of Kibera.
For severely malnourished children, CFK Africa provides specialized programs, sometimes with support from organizations like UNICEF and the Red Cross. By identifying vulnerable households and ensuring they receive food assistance.
Read the full story on Talk Africa.
Written by Lenah Bosibori.
