Helping Vishal grow up healthy!

Dhaniben and her husband Dineshbhai hail from a remote hamlet in the Kutch district of Gujarat. They belong to the Koli tribe, whose meager source of income comes from coal mining and daily wage labor.

When their son Vishal* was born, he weighed a shockingly low 1.8 kg. Being a field laborer, Dhaniben was completely unaware of the fact that babies need to be breastfed at least 8-10 times a day and would only do so when he’d cry. This further compounded his malnourished state and put his growth in danger of getting permanently stunted. Noting the seriousness of the problem, CRY project partner GSS immediately decided to intervene.

They ensured that Dhaniben took adequate rest instead of doing excessive physical labor and had a protein rich diet of lentils, pulses, and a dish called ‘katla’ - a mixture of ghee, gum resin, and coconut – to improve the flow of breast milk for the child. They also counseled her to breastfeed Vishal more often and encouraged her family members to remind her to do so as well. The mother and child were called for regular check-ups at a local Public Health Centre (PHC) once a week until he began to improve. CRY’s project partner also enabled regular visits by an Accredited Social Health Activist (AASHA) worker to monitor Vishal’s progress.

Today, Vishal is a strong and healthy baby whose nutrition continues to be monitored by Anganwadi workers thrice a week!

You can give more children like Vishal the chance at a healthier future. Donate to CRY by clicking here.

*name changed to protect the child's identity