A miracle food for malnourished children

This sachet of high-nutrient peanut paste can help defeat malnutrition

It’s 6:30am in Afghanistan, and Ahmad^* and the rest of the Mobile Health team are getting some vital supplies from the medicine cabinet. They’re taking the day’s stock of lifesaving tools to help them diagnose and treat diseases out in the communities.

Thankfully they have enough medical supplies for the day: dressings and bandages, medicines, a height measurement tool, and a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) box. 

Not to be forgotten are sachets of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), also known as peanut paste, so they can treat malnutrition.

Once the car is packed, the team is ready to drive out to a remote community that doesn’t have easy access to healthcare. There they will measure children’s height, weight and mid-upper arm circumference to screen for acute malnutrition.

A day in the life of Ahmad

Since he started working on this Mobile Health Team a few years ago, the number of children that Ahmad has seen in health facilities has skyrocketed by 50%. Ahmad and the mobile health team do what they can to help children and their families.

Ahmad’s positive days

The days can be long and tiring, and Ahmad had seen his fair share of heartbreaking situations in the course of his work. 

“But it’s not all sad – we cure children on a daily basis, and if they are not malnourished then we support their parents with advice and guidance to keep them healthy.”

Looking forward, Ahmad wants to remember these positive days and the impact that his mobile health team has on families in Afghanistan. He wants to continue providing families with lifesaving help. It’s the transformative difference he can make, supported by the kindness and generosity of donors. 

“While I have had the saddest days of my life in this job, I have also had the happiest …

“Life is exceptionally hard in Afghanistan – but we need to remember the precious joy in the changes we can make and the profound impact this has on human lives. If we can do that, we can keep going for the children of tomorrow.”

^*Names have been changed to protect identities.