A Mother's Plight to Raising a Healthy Child

The morning sun casts a golden hue over Biyo Karaban Health Centre in Doba District, West Hararghe zone of the Oromia region. It's barely 9 a.m., but the courtyard is already filled with the quiet murmur of worried mothers. One by one, they cradle their children, some resting on their backs, wrapped in colourful shawls, others nestled in their arms. They are waiting patiently for nutrition screening and support provided by World Vision Ethiopia at the health centre.

Among them stands 29-year-old Bira from Bilusema Kebele of Doba district, her face lined with exhaustion and hope alongside other mothers. Her village, nestled high in the hills and surrounded by the rugged beauty of the Hararghe mountains, lies 408 km East of Addis Ababa. Once fertile, the dry soil beneath her feet has failed her family in recent years. Failed crops, food insecurity, and now, the health of her youngest child hangs in the balance due to malnutrition.  

“I raised my other four children properly,” Bira shares. “They grew up getting enough food and were happy. But during my last pregnancy, I was malnourished myself. The farm was not providing enough harvest to feed my family like it used to be. There was no food for me, and I feared for the child I was carrying.” 

Her son, Hassen, now 18 months old, was born into that fear. As an infant, he didn’t grow or thrive like his siblings did. He was weak, silent, and often sick. “He didn’t play with other children,” Bira recalls. “Most of the time, he was under my arms or tied to my back. He had no energy. He didn’t want to leave my side.” 

The signs of severe acute malnutrition became too obvious to ignore. Hassen’s limbs were thin, and his body frail. Bira had heard from community volunteers about a new programme in her neighbourhood, World Vision Ethiopia’s Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programme, launched with support from the World Food Programme in January 2025, which was meant to tackle the worsening food insecurity in Doba district.  

Encouraged by community volunteers, Bira came to Biyo Karaban Health Centre, joining hundreds of mothers seeking help like her. “The World Vision staff welcomed me,” she says. “They screened my child and gave him the needed support.”  

“When he was first admitted, Hassen’s Mid-Upper Arm Circumference measurement was around 10 cm, a sign of a severely malnourished child. He was extremely weak and vulnerable. Hence, he was immediately prescribed and given Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food,” explains Betlehem Kassa, a Nutritionist with World Vision Ethiopia. 

The treatment was simple, but for Bira and Hassen, it was life-changing.  

Hassan’s overall health condition showed improvement after the support. “Now,” Bira says with a smile, “he’s gaining weight and becoming strong. He plays with other children, even the neighbours’ kids. He comes home only to eat. He doesn’t cling to me like before.”  

For Bira, watching her son’s laughter return is both a relief and a reminder. “When I see him run around with other children, I feel happy and thankful to God. This is the child I dreamed of having, a healthy and joyful life.”  

Now, hope has returned to Bira’s home, a dream for the future. “I wish and dream that my son attends school, gets an education, and becomes a pilot.”  

Bira is just one of thousands of mothers who have been supported through this vital intervention. In Doba district alone, World Vision and the WFP have reached 2,770 children (1,547 girls) since January 2025. Across all TSFP intervention areas in Amhara, Tigray, Somali, Oromia, and Afar, World Vision has supported 78,857 children (56,059 girls) through the Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programme since October 2024.   

No mother should have to watch her child waste away from hunger, especially when solutions exist. Bira’s story is a testament to the life-saving power of targeted nutrition support and the strength of a mother’s love. But behind every child like Hassen are thousands more still waiting for a chance to grow, to play, and to dream. Together, we can fight child malnutrition, restore hope to families like Bira’s, and ensure every child has the opportunity not just to survive, but to thrive.

By Daniel Kefela, Communication Manager (NECR), World Vision Ethiopia