Rescue a Malnourished Child in Guatemala

Casa Jackson exists to help infants, children and families recover from chronic malnutrition and reduce the chances of it coming back. While malnutrition can often be attributed to poverty and a lack of education, our children and their families are often affected by many serious issues that make it difficult to keep their children safe and healthy.

In Guatemala, violence against women is widespread. Sadly, each year, we treat a number of infants that were conceived through rape. These mothers try desperately to care for and nourish their children, despite the horror of their conception. Casa Jackson not only provides in-patient medical care for these infants and education for their mothers, but much-needed support, acceptance and often even a safe place for mothers to live while their children recover.

Alex is one of these beautiful babies with a very sad start. His mother was working for a wealthy man in a nearby city, making just enough to care for her young daughter and herself. Her boss forced himself on her. When she became pregnant, he fired her. After Alex was born, she struggled to care for him and his sister. When Alex was 5 months old, she fled the town she was born in with her children and found Casa Jackson.

After one month in Casa Jackson, Alex and his older sister gained weight and were growing properly. Alex was curious, happy and content and his older sister enjoyed playing with all of the babies at Casa Jackson- especially her little brother. Our social worker helped their mother find a kind, generous neighbor who offered to provide the family with food and a safe home in exchange for assistance with laundry and housekeeping. Alex and his family left Casa Jackson recently for this new home. Thanks to the generosity of our many supporters, Alex and his sister are finally free from hunger, and their mother is free from the exploitation and abuse that has marked the past few years of her life.

Links:

• Read more about all of our babies!

Casa Jackson has experienced a lot of success this year, thanks to your generous support. Our share of the hospital’s operating cost is covered for this year…and next year! This success translates directly into the number of children we are able to rehabilitate here in Guatemala, a country plagued by childhood malnutrition. Alison is one of these success stories. 

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When we first met 2-year-old Alison, she didn’t have that mischievous toddler spirit. She should have been running around her family’s tiny house in coastal Escuintla, Guatemala. She should have been quite the handful for her young, single mother, Elizabeth.

But Alison was slowly starving to death. Her mother, with no education or family, earned pennies a day…on a good day. Even when she could afford food, she didn’t know what babies were supposed to eat. When Elizabeth finally sought out help for Alison, she weighed barely 10 pounds.

Alison’s recovery in Casa Jackson was slow. She had to learn how to suck a bottle, how to swallow, how to chew. It took nearly six months for Alison to recover.

The story could end there, with Alison going home healthy. With hopes and prayers that she would continue to grow up strong. A success in the moment but a question mark in the future. But your support has ensured that babies like Alison will continue to receive rehabilitation in Casa Jackson and follow-up visits after they leave, that mothers like Elizabeth will continue to learn about childhood nutrition and parenting.

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When we told Elizabeth that it was time for Alison to go home, she didn’t believe us at first. She pointed out all of the things that Alison still needed to learn to be a “normal” 2-year-old. She can’t walk. She still isn’t talking. She can drink from a bottle on her own but can’t feed herself with a spoon.

We promised Elizabeth that our support doesn’t end just because Alison is going home. We explained that this was the beginning of a beautiful partnership between her family and ours. And we vowed to help them succeed in every way that we can.

You are part of this promise we’ve made to Elizabeth. Your partnership allows us to make commitments to Elizabeth and countless other mothers and fathers who want a better life for their children.

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One of the many ways we give children a better life is through better nutrition. With your help, we can offer nutrition-based programs in The GOD’S CHILD Project’s other Guatemalan sub-programs that guarantee that Guatemala’s next generation is growing up strong and healthy.

We feed 400 students at our schools three healthy, well-balanced meals every day. We distribute hundreds of pounds of fresh produce and dry goods to our Mothers’ Club every Friday, promising that their children will have plenty of healthy food over the weekend. We teach parents about childhood growth and proper nutrition. Our dentist and doctor see hundreds of patients every month, curing the illnesses and infection that prevent proper growth and development.

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In short, your donation to Casa Jackson has helped babies like Alison in a very real way. You have given them a fresh, healthy start at life. But you have also given them the promise that they will continue to grow up strong and smart and healthy for years and years to come. Thank you for the support that you have already given us. We hope that you continue to choose us in the future.

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Links:

• The GOD'S CHILD Project
• Casa Jackson website
• Join Us on Facebook!