Casa de Sion is currently raising money to feed malnourished children in Guatemala. Read about the crisis and learn how you can help provide infant formula for at-risk children in poor Mayan communities.
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| Little Carlos is a Mayan baby in Los Robles, Guatemala who receives life-saving infant formula through the Mama and Tots program. |
One of the saddest things we see in rural Guatemala is children that are seriously handicapped--usually both mentally and physically. Perhaps a case of a mother that was starving when she conceived and did not get proper nutrition during her pregnancy and did not have enough breast milk to feed her child. Here is the United States, we sometimes forget that third world countries do not have a social safety net; there is no Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program if you are poor. Consequently, many children are permanently disabled for life in a country that cares very little for its poor.
The idea of the "Mama and Tots" program was conceived when a relative of one of our employees had a two month old baby die because the mother did not have enough breast milk. We felt awful because we would have helped if we had only known. Now we know and therefore Casa de Sion provides pregnant moms with one egg a day and prenatal vitamins. Infants up to one year old receive infant formula and pre-school children receive a nutrient-dense soy drink called Incaparina. It doesn't seem like much, but it makes all the difference in the world to these young children.
The formula we provide to supplement breast-feeding mothers costs $20/month and it is the most expensive part of the program. This is far beyond the reach of these needy folks who subsist on $1/day. Over the last three years we have saved several infant lives and delivered many, many more from permanent retardation.
The idea of the "Mama and Tots" program was conceived when a relative of one of our employees had a two month old baby die because the mother did not have enough breast milk. We felt awful because we would have helped if we had only known. Now we know and therefore Casa de Sion provides pregnant moms with one egg a day and prenatal vitamins. Infants up to one year old receive infant formula and pre-school children receive a nutrient-dense soy drink called Incaparina. It doesn't seem like much, but it makes all the difference in the world to these young children.
The formula we provide to supplement breast-feeding mothers costs $20/month and it is the most expensive part of the program. This is far beyond the reach of these needy folks who subsist on $1/day. Over the last three years we have saved several infant lives and delivered many, many more from permanent retardation.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
We are asking for a one-time donation of $10 to help buy a two month supply of this formula. It is an easy to give on Crowdtilt, only takes minutes to do and all donations are tax-deductible.
Thanks,
Vicki Dalia, Casa de Sion
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