Goto main content

Helping malnourished children in the Sahel to flourish

Health
Burkina Faso Mali Niger

In Niger the malnutrition rate reached the emergency threshold of 15% set by the WHO in 2015. Hence the importance of a project like Esspoir, which deals with preventing and reducing the consequences of disease.

 Emotional stimulation workshop with mothers and children.

Emotional stimulation workshop with mothers and children. | © Johanna de Tessières/HI

Malnutrition hampers children’s physical and mental development, leaving them in an extremely fragile state of health. Humanity & Inclusion (HI) is responding to the particularly acute problem in the Sahel. Over the next two years, the organisation intends to limit the impact of malnutrition in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, to ensure that children in the Sahel can grow up in the best possible health.

Due to a lack of essential vitamins and minerals, children with malnutrition suffer from restricted growth and develop after-effects which can be disabling in the long term. The result is not always fatal, but the impact on their quality of life can be devastating.

"Malnutrition is seen as a shame in Niger, it is a failure for the father. Mothers therefore avoid getting their babies treated or wait for complications. It is not necessarily a question of money. Even the child of a billionaire can be malnourished if he makes chronic gastroenteritis, for example," says Dr. Noura from the Center for recovery and nutrition education intensive Maradi which is supported by HI.

HI has created a project called ESSPOIR, an acronym close to the word for “hope” in French. This project aims to help children with malnutrition and allow them flourish in a more stable environment.

© Johanna de Tessières/HI

Where your
support
helps

PRESS CONTACT

CANADA

Marie-Emmanuelle Cadieux

 

Help them
concretely

To go further

Autism: Noemy and Michael, a story of love and sharing
© M. Campos / HI
Health Rights

Autism: Noemy and Michael, a story of love and sharing

Noemy López is the mother of Michael, a young boy diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder. Together, they are moving forward, creating strong bonds with those around them.

Millions of People Waiting for Humanitarian Aid
© T. Nicholson / HI
Explosive weapons Health Inclusion Prevention Rehabilitation Rights

Millions of People Waiting for Humanitarian Aid

As humanitarian needs increase, public funding for international aid is decreasing. HI is committed to supporting vulnerable populations and providing assistance to those who need it most.

Live from Goma: life under high tension
© HI
Emergency Health Rehabilitation

Live from Goma: life under high tension

Robert Muzuri Rugoheza, HI's mental health and psychosocial support project manager, talks about life in Goma today and the population's urgent needs.