How Nourishment Helped Sangeetha to Become a Healthy Baby

As a toddler, Sangeetha Kale was known in her neighbourhood for her ‘different’ looks- she had pale skin and light eyes, and was a calm child. She was also noticed by others for her inability to move. Sangeetha rarely moved, made little noise, and was usually too quiet for her age. Her poor parents, who were often at their work and daily chores left her with a few toys on the ground as they got busy.  

When Sangeetha was taken for medical consultation, her parents were told that she was diagnosed with a congenital heart problem. The baby was to undergo a surgery to correct the condition.

Sangeetha’s parents stretched all their means to gather INR 2 lakh to conduct her surgery. However, as they lived on a meager income, they were unable to take adequate care of the baby post-surgery. The family also had poor knowledge of how to balance her nutritional needs and care for her in an environment of adequate hygiene.

The facilitators of the Magu Nee Nagu program, the Sandbox’s malnutrition-eradication program intervened to educate Sangeetha’s parents about malnutrition and the ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ in caring for the child. Sangeetha was given nutritional supplements such as eeZee paste, Spirulina and dry banana along with her regular home food. The Sandbox team regularly visited the child to assess her health. The efforts yielded results and now, she is a playful child like any other with her weight improving from 6.3 kg to 8.8 kg.

Says an elated Nagamma, “I am happy to see my daughter as a healthy bubbly child in our locality. I had lost hope when she used to frequently fall ill and we had to admit her in the hospital for weeks. I am a relieved mother now.”