9.9% of people globally are estimated to be malnourished (World Health Organization, 2020). This number is exponentially higher amongst vulnerable populations, with refugees placed at the most risk. 

In multiple townships in La Guajira and Magdalena departments in north-eastern Colombia, Malteser International Americas has setup projects to support nutrition and healthcare for vulnerable groups impacted by crisis, migration, and malnutrition, including a large segment of refugees from Venezuela. Primary healthcare services provided include medical consultations, prenatal checks, psychological and psychiatric consultations, nutrition services, and the provision of medical supplies and medication. 

One area of focus for Malteser International Americas is on maternal nutrition. During pregnancy nutrition vulnerability is at its greatest, with a healthy diet critical to ensure the well-being of both the mother and the child. Diets lacking in key nutrients can lead to stillbirth, anemia, pre-eclampsia and even death. Low birthweight is another risk, this means that a child is more likely to die during their first month of life and can suffer from stunted growth. UNICEF have estimated that low birthweight impacts over 20 million newborns a year.  

Never has our work fighting malnutrition and food insecurity been more vital. At Malteser International Americas we provide medical care, nutritional support and raise awareness of the dangers of malnutrition – we do this to make a lasting impact and reduce the number of at-risk families. 

 “Around 45% of deaths among children under 5 years of age are linked to undernutrition (3.1 million per year)” World Health Organization  

Ways We Help:

• Medical Consultations: We provide primary medical care, including delivery of medicine supplies 
• Pre-natal checks: We ensure our beneficiaries receive regular pre and post-natal checks 
• Psychological consultations: We provide psychological assistance to refugees from Venezuela and the local multi-ethnic communities 
• Community Engagement: We facilitate workshops and conduct outreach in the community to raise awareness around health and hygiene issues. We have trained community members to become health focal points, dynamic community leaders who share their knowledge and raise awareness around issues within their communities 
• Nutritional Assessments: We conduct nutritional assessments for families with children younger than 5 and provide nutritional support for women breastfeeding 

Our Results:

• We have conducted 27,573 medical consultations.
• We have conducted 5,844 mental health consultations.
• We have allowed 815 women belonging to vulnerable demographics to gain access to pre and post-natal care 
• We have delivered COVID-19 awareness training and prevention to 1,557 households (approximately 7,889 people).  

• A survey done with a sample of sensitized households on Covid-19 shows a 90% level of knowledge acquired. 
• We have provided nutritional care to 366 children <5 (1,882 girls, 178 boys) and 138 pregnant women with low weight.
• We have delivered food kits to 230 families of malnourished children or underweight pregnant women.
• Based on the analysis of nutritional classification of the children enrolled in the program, using the weight-for-height indicator to diagnose the nutritional compromise, 69% of beneficiaries have improved their nutritional status (Target 70%). 
• Comparing the Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale before and after the 4 delivery cycles of the food kits to 197 of the 230 families shows that households with severe food insecurity decreased by 79.8%. 
• 399 families from La Guajira and Magdalena have received NFI kits in response to hurricane Julia. 

Success Story:

Deilis Rodriguez arrived with her mother, Daniela, and her three siblings in Colombia about a year ago, after a hazardous journey from western Venezuela. Her father stayed behind to continue working, to be able to save enough money to travel.   

“The small amount of money that José -my husband- made, was barely enough to cover our various living expenses, including rent, utilities, groceries, and essential medicines for any of the children who got sick. We couldn’t carry on like this, our living situation was critical.   We had no other choice than migrating to Colombia.”  

  Deilis struggled adapting to her new life and the smile she always had when playing with her friends in Venezuela began to fade. She lost her appetite and interest in eating, and her days began to be marked by silence and a sad look in her eyes.  Daniela initially attributed this to her daughter’s nostalgia and challenges to adapt to a new environment, only later realizing her lack of appetite stemmed from malnutrition.   

Deilis was later diagnosed with an acute diarrheal disease, along with malnutrition, which caused her to also frequently have a fever. She started receiving food kits (including proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and cereals) from Malteser International Americas, which eventually lead her to nutritional recovery.    

Slowly, she has started to show signs of recovery and her weight stabilized. The Malteser International Americas’ team has designed a follow-up plan to keep tabs on her nutritional status, ensuring regular check-ups. Because of her economic conditions, she is prone to risk factors that might aggravate her situation and make her fall again in undernutrition or malnutrition. Our team calls her mother weekly to check up on her, visits her every two weeks and distributes nutritional supplements and medicines to her door.  

“I have no way to thank them, I cannot pay them. They have supported me in the most selfless way, giving me and my children all the medical care that we never received even in our own country of Venezuela. I know our future here won’t be easy, and now we have to fight against our daughter relapsing, but we will do everything we can to ensure a bright future for her. Thanks to Malteser International Americas for truly caring about my children.”  

Due to lack of access to health care services and education, the condition of migrants in La Guajira are very precarious. Services like the ones provided by Malteser International Americas are truly lifesaving for young children and are the only lifeline protecting them from malnourishment.   

Watch the video below to hear another story from this program about Ana

Ana’s Story – Nutrition and Healthcare Support for Vulnerable Groups – YouTube

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