May 28, 2025
In Isiolo County, Kenya, a region of striking landscapes and rich cultural heritage, communities are facing a significant humanitarian crisis. Recent floods have compounded long-standing challenges of hunger and disease. For children, the situation is especially perilous, as malnutrition and illness threaten their survival and future.
Clinton was one of them.
Abandoned as a baby, Clinton was taken in by his grandmother, Mary. She found him dangerously thin, his skin dry, and his body limp. He had been eating dirt to suppress the feeling of hunger. It was all he had.
Mary was doing all she could to keep her grandson alive, working occasional farming jobs, but it wasn’t enough.
One day, a Community Health Promoter trained by Action Against Hunger visited their home and measured Clinton’s tiny arm with a color-coded MUAC band (MUAC stands for “mid-upper arm circumference”, a simple, color-coded tape that helps identify life-threatening malnutrition in young children). The reading was red: an urgent sign of severe acute malnutrition. They rushed him to the local health facility.
Clinton was enrolled in treatment and given Plumpy’Nut: a ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), packed with calories and nutrients he desperately needed. For a child who had been eating soil, it was a lifesaving difference.
“He ate the whole day’s ration in one go,” said Mary. “Within weeks, he was gaining weight and playing again.”
After only a month, Clinton’s condition had seriously improved. Now, he’s two years old, and he’s a completely healthy toddler. His weight has been restored and he’s eating fulfilling meals daily.
He’s grown a lot taller, and he’s becoming quite talkative and energetic.
“I was trained on how to feed Clinton and ensure his nutrition levels remain high,” said Mary. “I feed him beans, milk, fruits, potatoes, eggs, and other traditional vegetables.”
Today, Mary shares what she’s learned with other caregivers at a mother-to-mother support group. After, she tends to her kitchen garden, where she has planted healthy and nutritious vegetables to cook for Clinton.
“My grandson has a new lease on life.”
RUTF Shortage
Due to sweeping cuts to USAID, shipments of RUTF have halted or been drastically reduced. That’s why supporting Action Against Hunger’s work is more important than ever. With your help, we can ensure children like Clinton receive the lifesaving treatment they need, to not just survive, but thrive.
About Action Against Hunger Canada
Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 50 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.
