Breaking the Cycle of Childhood Malnutrition

There are millions of children in India, who suffer from malnourishment and one such story is of a small girl from CRY UK project Poorvi. In the desire of having a son, her parents had given birth to 10 girls and she was the 10^th daughter.

Poorvi’s mother’s circumstances played a significant role in her malnourishment. With 10 children without proper age gap in between and lack of proper diet, the children were mostly born premature, underweight and malnourished. Along with that, the family’s financial limitations also forced her to work even while carrying the child. Breastfeeding, a crucial source of nutrition for infants, was compromised.

When project team came to know about Poorvi and her mother’s situation, they started visiting her house to counsel the family and prompting urgent intervention. The project team educated Poorvi's parents about the severity of her situation, leading to her admission to a district hospital.

Through proper medical care, nutritional support, and counseling, both Poorvi and her mother’s health began to improve. The importance of early breastfeeding and maternal nutrition was emphasized, leading to a positive impact on their lives. Community groups also became more aware of the consequences of child marriage and malnutrition, taking steps to address these challenges.

In the end, Poorvi’s story shed light on the complex web of factors contributing to childhood malnutrition. It highlighted the urgent need for better healthcare access, proper nutrition education, and societal changes to break the cycle of malnutrition and its far-reaching effects on children's lives.