There’s no greater joy than to see your kids healthy and well
To visit the home of Wislene and her family is to experience two contrasting views in Haiti. On one hand is a beautiful seascape, and on the other are the precarious conditions of homes that still show signs of a strong earthquake back in 2021.
A boat ride and a hike up a cliff leads to the home Wislene shares with her husband Roodley and sons three-year-old Roodley and two-year-old Dadensley. It’s not an easy trek to the house, just as it’s not an easy life for the family.
But the seaside location helps husband Roodley fish, which is how he earns a living to provide for his family. It’s not always an easy work. When the weather turns rough, and it rains hard, there’s no food to eat.
“My husband always goes to fish, but sometimes he finds nothing. Sometimes, we have nothing to give to the kids. It's not easy for us around here. Sometimes we find something to eat, sometimes we find nothing,” says Wislene.
The children lost weight, and at a Save the Children clinic were diagnosed with malnutrition.
Wislene’s house sits precariously on a cliff.
Photo: Reginald Louissaint Junior / Save the Children.
Learning how to defeat malnutrition
With support from our compassionate donors, Save the Children delivered a nutrition program to families in the south of the country where Wislene and her family live. In collaboration with the government, we went out to communities and held education sessions, personalised counselling, home visits and cooking demonstrations to help improve the health and nutrition of children.
Wislene brought her children to the clinic where they were given treatment for malnutrition. The young mum also met Nurse Rose who taught her about healthy foods.
“There was a meeting with Save the Children in the national [health] centre. I went together with them [the children]. They showed us how to take care of the kids, to protect them. Each time they [Save the Children] come, I always go to the meeting,” the young mum shares.
Aside from therapeutic peanut paste, Wislene also received a vitamin powder to add into their food.
Help with other living essentials
To keep the family well and healthy, Wislene received other forms of support. The cash assistance helped pay for the boys’ other needs.
“The money they [Save the Children] gave me, I paid school [and] the left-over money I bought food and other stuff to cook for them.”
“They came to give me [hygiene] kits. In the kits there were diapers, there were sanitary pads, there was toothpaste, there were wipes for the kids, and also powder detergent.”
With good health, dreams follow
Wislene is now using the knowledge she gained at the nutrition counselling sessions to protect the health of her children. From being malnourished, they are now much healthier and stronger.
“Now when I go weigh them, they have strength now. Now they are lively; before they were not [a] lively strength. Now, I'm really happy for them because of how I protect the kids.”
With great excitement, she shares her big dreams for the boys: “I wish for them to finish high school. After that to become a President, a deputy, a senator, a ... Wow! I will tell you...! A Deputy, a Senator, a mayor. And a doctor!”
Through the kindness of donors, many things are possible for children.