Medika Mamba Miracle: Meet Francelin

From MFK Nurse Educator, Magdalla Jacques Borgella
September 14, 2021

Every day in Haiti the Meds & Food for Kids staff and malnutrition program partners work hard to accomplish MFK's goals. They are always working to help malnourished children by distributing our therapeutic foods to prevent and treat acute malnutrition; Medika Mamba, Mamba Janm, and other health nutritional products for saving lives.

"In the Bahon community at the health agent’s clinic, we hope that all of our malnourished children will be saved with this miracle product which is called Medika Mamba,'' says one of Bahon's health agents, Cyliac. "Sometimes we do not go out to invite them to come for screening of the malnutrition, but the people hear about us and just decide to come on their own with their children. For example, one child, Nelson, came with his grandmother to spend time at Danita's Children because she realized that her child’s health was complicated with a severe acute malnutrition," Cyliac continue. 

Another clinic partner of MFK’s is Danita’s Children. One child recently served through both the program at Danita's and the Bahon clinic was Francelin. When Francelin was 7 months old, he was living with his grandmother and his ill mother at Caracol, close to the Bahon community. Francelin's father Marlene spent his time working in another countryside area to take care of the family with his small income. His father brought him to the Cyliac clinic’s malnutrition program in Bahon for a malnutrition screening; there Francelin was diagnosed as malnourished, with additional complications of edema, low appetite, fever, and diarrhea related to the malnourishment. 

Francelin was then referred to MFK partner Danita's Children to have the appropriate health care. Francelin began at a weight of 10.3 LB and spent two weeks at Danita's Children, and then returned back to the Bahon clinic to complete his treatment. After completing treatment, Francelin graduated at a normal, healthier weight of 14.3 LB.

"I see my baby boy is improving every day that makes us very happy. We hope that this program will continue for a long time in the Bahon community to help save more lives," added Marlene. Francelin now lives healthily and enjoys being active and playing with his family thanks to MFK's Medika Mamba.