Angel*, 60, lives in a displacement camp in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Ituri province with her three grandchildren including 18-month-old Christelle*, where they are grappling with the pervasive impact of hunger.
When armed groups attacked their village in April 2020, Angel* fled on foot carrying one child on her back and two little girls on her shoulders. After having walked for three days straight, they finally found a camp for displaced people in Ituri. But, after having left everything behind, hunger quickly became a major concern.
The family struggled to find food, only eating two to three times per week. About two months after their arrival to the camp, Angel*’s husband died from a sudden illness, leaving her to care for her six children and a granddaughter by herself. “The most difficult and terrifying thing is to live alone with the children, feeding them every day is the hardest part for me,” said Angel*.
Last September, Christelle* suffered the rapid consequences of hunger when she was just 13 months old. She became severely ill with a high fever that altered her complexion and distorted her facial features. Over the next two months, Christelle* was unable to walk as the effects of malnutrition took a severe toll on her well-being. At the time, Angel* thought her grandchild was dying.
Christelle* was taken to a nearby health centre, supported by Save the Children, where she received urgent care. According to the doctor, she had a protein deficiency caused by a poor diet that disrupted her growth process. Christelle* was given medications and Plumpy’Nut, a peanut-based paste treatment for severe acute malnutrition. By the end of November 2023, Christelle* began to slowly regain her strength to take steps again, but the health worker strongly recommended that a protein-rich diet and nutritious food will be essential to avoid a relapse. However, the family still does not have enough food to eat so Angel* worries it is only a matter of time until Christelle is malnourished again. Hugh Kinsella Cunningham/ Save the Children
.jpg-ch11029384.jpg/h6y2riw1t1308x50qu0mva17r0cn21ka.jpg?g=top&w=392&h=261&format=webp&itok=CjRzlLzV "Save the Children press release")
