DR Congo: From an Abandoned Mother to a Mother Full of Hope: How Esther Overcame Malnutrition in Karawa

In Karawa, North-Ubangi Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Élodie, 35, now watches her five-year-old daughter, Esther, play happily with other children in their neighbourhood. For Élodie, these simple moments are a source of immense relief. Just a few years ago, however, she feared she might lose the child who represented her last hope.

Élodie’s life changed when her husband abandoned her while she was one month pregnant with her second child. At the time, Esther was only ten months old. Left alone without support, Élodie struggled to provide food for her family and care for her children.

As the months passed, Esther’s health deteriorated. She developed several signs of severe acute malnutrition, including swollen feet, significant weight loss and discoloured hair.

“I watched my daughter lose strength every day. I was afraid of losing her because I didn’t know what to do anymore,”Élodie recalls.

Her situation became even more difficult when she lost the baby she was carrying shortly after giving birth. Physically and emotionally exhausted, Élodie feared that she would also lose Esther.

“When I lost my last child, I thought I would also lose Esther. I had lost all hope,” she remembers.

It was during this difficult period that World Vision, in partnership with the Karawa Health Zone, continued its efforts to prevent and treat child malnutrition and improve the well-being of vulnerable families.

As a sponsored child, Esther benefited from regular monitoring. During a home visit, community volunteers trained by World Vision recognised the seriousness of her condition and immediately referred her to a World Vision-supported health centre.

“When the community volunteers came to my home, I realised I was no longer alone in this situation,” says Élodie.

At the health centre, Esther received appropriate nutritional care for severe acute malnutrition, including Plumpy’Nut and other therapeutic interventions. Over the following weeks, her condition steadily improved. The swelling disappeared, and she gradually regained her strength.

“The day I saw the swelling disappear, I regained hope. I understood that my daughter would live,” Élodie shares.

Following her treatment, Esther and her mother participated in Positive Deviance Hearth (PD Hearth) sessions, a community-based approach that helps families adopt improved nutrition, hygiene and childcare practices using resources that are locally available.

Over 12 days, Élodie learned how to prepare balanced meals, improve household hygiene and provide better care for her children.

“Before these sessions, I didn’t know that the foods available in our community could help prevent malnutrition. Today, I know how to better feed my children,” she explains.

By the end of the programme, Esther had fully recovered. She was once again able to play, grow and enjoy her childhood alongside other children her age.

Turning Recovery into Resilience

For Élodie, however, recovery was only the beginning. To strengthen household resilience and help prevent a return to malnutrition, World Vision also supported 80 families with livelihood kits containing soap and 20 kilograms of sugar to help them start or strengthen income-generating activities.

Élodie was among the beneficiaries. She used the proceeds from selling part of the items to invest in cassava farming. After harvesting, she sold part of her production and used the income to buy a goat.

“When I bought my first goat, I didn’t think it would change our future. Today, I have four, and I can now face the future with more confidence,” she says.

Her ambitions have grown alongside her livelihood. Élodie now dreams of opening a small shop in her neighbourhood so she can diversify her income and provide more securely for her family’s needs.

Today, Esther is healthy and full of energy. She plays with her friends and enjoys the simple pleasures of childhood. For her mother, every smile is a reminder of how far they have come, from fear and uncertainty to renewed hope and confidence.

Élodie’s story reflects the impact of integrated nutrition, health education and livelihood interventions in Karawa. By combining treatment with practical knowledge and support to strengthen household resilience, World Vision and its partners are helping vulnerable families not only overcome malnutrition but also build a more secure future.

With the support of World Vision and its partners, 356 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition have been admitted to Outpatient Therapeutic Feeding Units (OTFUs), including 185 girls. Of these children, 106 including 59 girls, have recovered through treatment, Plumpy’Nut and participation in PD Hearth sessions.

Grateful for the support that helped save her daughter’s life, Élodie looks ahead with renewed confidence.

“I thank World Vision and its partners. They saved my daughter’s life and gave me hope again. Today, I can look to the future with confidence.”