Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) are our in-kind partner and friends in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. FMSC is a 501(c)(3) organization that provides support not only for us as SAHF but many organizations worldwide. FMSC provides scientifically developed meals that help keep families on track with their nutrition despite the many challenges they might face. FMSC has helped SAHF by donating over 2,737,152 Scientifically developed meals in 2020! FMSC's support to SAHF has helped many people participate in our WeNOURISH program, like Eva, Stefany, and Jason.
Continue reading to read Eva, Stefany, and Jason's story.
Life might be challenging for Eva, but she works hard to provide for her family. Eva, a 26 years old single mother, lives in a small house made of walls of wood sticks and soil floors, sharing that limited space with her children, grandparents, an uncle, and a friend. Located deep into a rural community in Guaymango, Eva raises her two children: a 3-year-old girl, Stefany, and a 1-year-old baby boy named Jason.
In their home, there is no access to electricity or running water. To have access to drinking water, they must go to a nearby river and wash clothes to further away.
Eva has been part of the FUSAL Early Childhood program for several years; she has participated in helping her children develop properly and ensure their nutrition. Eva first participated in the program with Stefany, to whom our team provided nutritional care, anemia screening, weight and height check-ups, and MannaPack Rice meals. Then, pregnant with Jason, she received follow-ups from the program.
Jason was born with severe health problems and was underweight. Eva was always responsible for taking care of her children's nutrition and was always willing to receive the help of the FUSAL staff. The nutritional visits were complete to ensure the health of the child. "She has always been a responsible mother. We visited them often; Jason was born with low weight. In this case, the home visits we made were very comprehensive, specifically about care, nutrition, and early stimulation for the children. Jason has improved a lot in his weight gain, and I am happy to see that he is already walking.", said the team.
"They love to eat rice. Stefany always asks for more rice, and Jason asks for more potatoes. I make fried rice for them, only when I have something extra, I add onion or tomato, "
EVA
This year has been a challenge for Eva's family. Eva manages to work washing other people's clothes in a nearby river. The COVID-19 pandemic and the mandatory lockdown reduced Eva's work, affecting the family's financials.
Also, several tropical storms have affected the country, damaging Eva's house: water seeps through wooden walls, and children get wet when they sleep. Heavy rains and the consequences of the pandemic prevent her from going to work. The storms and covid lockdowns hurt their income, and therefore on the children's nutrition. "You couldn't leave here the house! The health promoter came and brought us food and told me not to go out to town to prevent getting infected. Whether you like it or not, there is always a lack of food. If anything, we have rice, vegetables, corn,, and beans. If not, we don't eat at all." said Eva.
During these challenging times, Eva has vital food for her children: MannaPack Rice. She counts on the rice to keep feeding Stefany and Jason, who desperately need proper nutrition to grow healthy.
We want children to Thrive Not Just Survive
SAHF
We are so grateful to Feed My Starving Children more than ever for providing life-saving meals to our country to help maintain children's nutrition like Stefany and Jason. They so badly need to feed and nourish themselves, and thrive not just survive.
FMSC is not only an important partner of our in-kind program but also a huge asset to our WeNOURISH program.
