Lac, a province plagued by child malnutrition in Chad

Bintou's morale is at its lowest, and one can tell from her face the fear she has over the next few days. For the past seven months, the woman has been going through a heart-rending ordeal: the death of her daughter, taken by hemorrhage during the birth of little Alima, at their home in Amma. Amid this turmoil, Bintou has nevertheless had to draw from within herself the strength needed to support her granddaughter Alima, who is fighting to survive.

Alima is seven months old and suffers from malnutrition. Her difficult breathing, emaciated features and incessant crying bear witness to her suffering.

My daughter died a few months ago. I refuse to live that nightmare again with my granddaughter

says Bintou, driven by a feeling of powerlessness in the face of Alima's critical condition.

Bintou, already overwhelmed by the loss of her daughter, struggles to look after Alima and seven other dependent children. The small food supplies received thanks to the generosity of the people of Amma are barely enough to feed the whole family. 

Amma is a village in the Lac province that records numerous cases of malnutrition. In March 2024, the village health center registered 59 cases, including 28 recoveries and 31 cases still under treatment.

Three months earlier, Alima had already suffered from malnutrition, but it was not so severe. After a routine home consultation, she had been hospitalized for 17 days at the therapeutic nutrition unit of the Fouli department hospital, where she recovered. However, a few weeks after returning home, the baby's condition deteriorated again. 

Devastated by the recurrence of the disease in her granddaughter and racked by guilt, Bintou makes frequent visits to the health center to ensure she makes no mistakes in Alima's new treatment. There, she receives milk and ready-to-use therapeutic foods, a peanut paste enriched for the treatment of malnourished children. To help Bintou cope with the situation, the medical team provides her with psychosocial support and constant home visits. 

Alima's constant crying affects Bintou enormously, but she finds comfort in the reassuring words from the medical staff and the tireless efforts being made to save her granddaughter.

To prevent malnutrition in Amma, Thimothée, the health center manager, and his team are raising awareness about infant nutrition. Practical demonstrations on how to prepare fortified porridges are also organized for mothers and caretakers.