Zarina, a young girl from Chhattisgarh, faced immense challenges early in life. Born in 2020, she lost her mother during childbirth, and her father rejected her. Raised by her aunt and uncle, Zarina suffered from severe malnutrition as she was fed powdered milk and black tea instead of breast milk. In October 2023, her family relocated to Ladpura village, Rajasthan, seeking work at a brick kiln. Like other children in the age group of 0-6 years, Zarina was linked to the health and nutrition centre running from the HAQ BMZ project’s support at the kiln. Upon assessment, Zarina weighed only 3.1 kg, significantly underweight for her age. Despite basic nutrition and health check-ups, her condition showed minimal improvement. Matters worsened when her skin developed red, bleeding spots. Financial constraints and work commitments prevented her family from seeking hospitalization, but she received skin treatment and medication instead.
To combat this situation, the project staff decided to intervene and provided extra support and care to the child. They arranged a sweater, which prevented her from cold and improved her comfort and also her skin showed improvement. The centre facilitator ensured that Zarina receive a high-protein diet, including boiled eggs.
Over time, Zarina's health began to improve. Her weight increased to 5.1 kg, moving her to the moderately malnourished category. Her skin condition healed, and she became healthier and more energetic. Zarina’s story is a testament to the transformative power of proper nutrition, regular medical care, and community support. With collective effort and compassion, she overcame malnutrition and is now on a path to a healthier and brighter future.
From Project: HAQ-India-BMZ-21-25 written by Ritu Mishra