Restoring hope

Each time Rita Rana, an eighteen month-old girl was hungry, she was fed with watery starch - cooked rice from a dirty bowl. Some days, apart from milk, this was the only food she was given. Not only were her meals without nutrition but they also also lacked hygiene. As a result she hardly put on any weight and remained emaciated till she was identified as a severely malnourished child.

Rita lives with her family in Geta Village Development Committee in Kailali, a District in Far-West Nepal. She is the youngest among four children.  Her father is jobless and her mother does menial work to provide for her children. Her family belongs to freed Kamaiya, a class of bonded labourers and of marginalised Tharus, an ethnic group in the Terai belt of Nepal. They are a minority, mostly engaged in some form of labour. Since they don’t own much land, they usually have no alternative but to earn their daily wage by working in others’ fields. Rita’s mother, Khatto Rana, says, ‘When I was pregnant with Rita, I visited the health post once and ate food that was available at home, nothing nutritious.’  Rita was not only small when she was born but she also suffered from frequent diarrhoea and marasmus, a gradual wasting away of the body due to severe malnutrition for which she was merely given medicine at the local health post.

At an age where children should be eating healthy and nutritious food, Rita had never eaten much apart from rice and milk. Her parents were not able to provide her with a balanced diet due to lack of knowledge about nutrition. Being illiterate and with few resources, for them their youngest child’s health was not a priority.

Today, at the age of two, Rita is a healthy child. She eats meals that provide her with the nutrition her body needs. She is looked after well by her mother who understands the value of feeding her child with the right kind of food. This has been a result of concerted efforts by her community, health institutions, and World Vision. After World Vision staff saw Rita and identified her health condition, her parents were counselled regarding the need to send their child for treatment. At the urging of World Vision and Sub-Health Post staff, her parents were finally convinced to admit Rita to the Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre in Seti Zonal Hospital, Dhangadhi, where treatment is provided free of cost to severely malnourished children. When Rita was admitted to the centre she weighed 5.5 kilograms. The centre gave her 3 glasses of milk, a banana, an egg, porridge and superflour (a nutritious mix of beans and pulses) every day. Her weight was also regularly monitored. After 33 days of regular treatment at the centre, Rita’s health had significantly improved and she weighed 7.1 kilograms.

Back at home, Khatto Rana is happy to see her daughter live the life of a normal and healthy child. Now she not only knows the importance of giving her child a nourished meal but also makes sure to do that. She is hopeful that her daughter will continue to remain healthy and is thankful to everyone who helped her realise the importance of her child’s health.