From malnourished to thriving: The transformative journey of Mado

In February 2016, 2-year-old Mado’s life hung by a thread. During a routine screening under the Access to Primary Health Care (ASSP) project, funded by UK International Development from the UK government, a community health worker, known as a RECO in the DRC, identified Mado as severely malnourished. These screenings, designed to identify at-risk children across health zones, proved crucial in saving lives. What happened next for Mado was nothing short of a miracle. It is a story of resilience, hope, and the power of simple but effective solutions.

Mado’s journey began with a simple porridge. During the RECO’s first home visit, Mado’s mother learned how to make an enriched porridge using readily available ingredients from local markets. This wasn’t just a meal; it was a lifeline. For the first time, her mother fed Mado the porridge, signaling the beginning of her recovery. 

Over the next three months, RECOs visited Mado’s home biweekly to monitor her progress and provide additional support. The transformation was swift. Within six months, Mado was unrecognizable as the frail child she once was. When Corus organization IMA World Health staff visited her family again, they were greeted by a little girl full of life—walking, laughing, and thriving in her mother’s loving care. 

Six years later, IMA World Health staff were concluding the follow-on project to ASSP, Access to Health Systems Support (ASSR), and decided to pay Mado a visit at her home to see how far she had come. To their surprise and delight, Mado wasn’t there. She was at school, a testament to how much her life had changed. 

Today, Mado can proudly write her name—a simple yet profound milestone that symbolizes her incredible journey of recovery and growth. Her story exemplifies the impact of dedicated nutrition care and the resilience of the human spirit. 

Behind Mado’s remarkable recovery stands a dedicated team of community health workers, including Faustin Lukadi, a RECO on the frontlines of IMA World Health’s project activities in Kasai Central province. Faustin was instrumental in finding Mado and guiding her family through the critical steps to bring her back to health. 

As a father of seven healthy children, Faustin takes immense pride in his work. Since the beginning of the ASSP’s nutrition program, he has visited households in his community daily, identifying malnourished children and training families on how to nourish them back to health. 

At the end of ASSR, Faustin’s dedication remained steadfast. “We are obligated,” he says, vowing to continue his vital work to combat malnutrition in his community after the project has closed. Faustin’s story is a testament to the importance of local solutions and the transformative power of committed individuals in driving sustainable change. 

A decade of dedication has led IMA World Health to a proven and impactful approach to reducing malnutrition. Central to its success is the use of systematic screenings, which have become the foundation of IMA World Health’s strategy and has now been adopted by the DRC’s Ministry of Health at the national level. As part of the proactive approach, IMA World Health-trained health workers went door-to-door to assess every child. This early identification of malnourished children enabled project staff to intervene swiftly, ensuring the timely support needed for their recovery. 

Building on the work of ASSP and thanks to the targeted interventions of ASSR, IMA World Health was able to reduce the prevalence of malnutrition by 57% between April 2020 to March 2022 in its project areas, falling from 12.3% to 5.3%.  

Through ASSP, ASSR, and the more recent Essential Services for Maternal and Child Health (SEMI) project, which was also funded by UK International Development, IMA World Health screened over 6.6 million children for malnutrition in Kasai province alone. This comprehensive effort ensured that every child had the chance to be identified early and receive crucial, lifesaving interventions. By the end of SEMI, 74% of malnourished children aged 6 to 59 months showed recovery by their fifth home visit. Looking ahead, IMA World Health's steadfast technical support and dedication to empowering RECOs has created a lasting legacy of committed health care workers who are now equipped with the skills and knowledge to continue supporting their communities well beyond IMA’s direct involvement.  

Mado’s journey is a powerful reminder that even the seemingly simplest interventions, like door-to-door malnutrition screenings and homemade porridge recipes, can make a monumental impact in the development of a child. Additionally, communities are now equipped with the tools to continue these interventions long after the project has ended. It’s proof that with the right people, knowledge, and care, recovery from malnutrition is possible, and children’s futures can be rewritten full of hope.