World Vision’s Management of Acute Malnutrition project in the Democratic Republic of Congo seeks to address this emergency by identifying severely malnourished children and providing lifesaving treatment.

January 2010

By Davinah Nabirye and Shawna Templeton, World Vision U.S

Louis Lumpita, father of Marie and Paul, ages 4 and 1 respectively, says that a “strange disease” took hold of his children last year.

They became emaciated. Marie’s hair lightened. Paul’s skin was dull with a yellow complexion. He developed painful wounds. Their legs could not support their weight; they couldn’t walk or even crawl.

An all-too-prevalent problem

Fellow community members advised Louis to consult a witch doctor. They feared his children had turned into young witches.

However, these physical signs were not an indication of witchcraft, but a tragically common problem in the Democratic Republic of Congo — malnutrition.

In the sub-tropical, semi-rural community of Kikimi, Louis is a farmer, growing just enough to feed his family. His wife, Nambweni, makes cassava bread to sell.

But there is little nutritional diversity in their children’s diet. Food is too expensive to buy, and they can only feed their son and daughter what they grow on their own.

Health centers provide healing

Medar Muyito, a community health worker, came to Louis’ home and diagnosed the children. “Medar told me that my children were suffering from malnutrition and advised me to take them to Mapamboli Health Center,” Louis explains.

At the center, constructed by World Vision, the children immediately received blood transfusions, nutritional supplements, medications, and some milk. But because the children were in critical condition, they were referred to another health center about 25 miles away.

There, Marie and Paul were put on bed rest for two weeks. After that, they received weekly treatments, and Nambweni was given medicine and Plumpy’nut®, a fast-acting, high-protein food, for the children.

The Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) project

Paul and Marie are among many malnourished children in their village. Because of a lack of nutritional diversity in food, the crisis is widespread.

In 2007, the DRC Ministry of Health conducted a nutrition survey in the province where Kikimi is located. The survey revealed that the Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) was 11 percent and Severe Malnutrition (SAM) was 3.2 percent.

“Under normal situations, the GAM and SAM should be less than 10 and 1 percent respectively,” says Patrice Ilunga, World Vision child survival and nutrition specialist. “This means there are many children in need of urgent assistance. That is why World Vision started the CMAM Project.”

The project seeks to address malnutrition problems by identifying severely malnourished children younger than 5 and providing them with the necessary treatment. With the help of government-employed medical personnel, World Vision provides take-home rations and routine basic treatments. Acutely malnourished children with medical complications receive inpatient care.

Armed with knowledge and assistance

After two months on medication, Marie and Paul’s health are improving faster than expected. Their appetites have returned, and they enjoy the Plumpy’nut mixture provided by World Vision. Because Louis and Nambweni’s limited income does not allow them to purchase the Plumpy’nut and medicine each week, World Vision provides these critical recovery elements.

“If we were not getting free food supplements, we would probably feed our children with maize porridge, which is cheaper and less nutritious,” Nambweni acknowledges.

Paul now spends most of his time playing with Marie or his 5-year-old sister Merceline, who is sponsored by World Vision. Marie can now speak without much difficulty and is learning to walk without assistance.

Paul and Marie are not the only children whose health has improved through the World Vision program. Doudou Nkondi, a nurse at Mapomboli, reports that out of the 48 malnourished children in the project, 15 have healed completely, and 27 are still receiving treatment.

Parents whose children have been treated are encouraged to join food security projects, where they receive information on nutrition and health. Nambweni, who joined such a project, now owns a garden where she plants vegetables for her family.

Armed with nutritional knowledge and some assistance from World Vision, Nambweni’s burden is eased, knowing that her children are no longer malnourished.