The Milk Powder Program - #10yearsofservice #10daysofaction #10years10days #FCWCT

2009 @ The Milk Powder Program

From the Archives of 2009, as written by FCWCT Manager, Geoff Knight:

“The most important benefit for families with HIV+ members however, is addressing the need for protein that is severely lacking in this area, as noticed by our volunteer Dr. Leena Pasanen. We had a great visit from our first set of short-term volunteers, Will Metcalfe and Vikki Milne, who gave a donation prior to coming that covered all of their projected costs, so there was no financial burden on the NGO. They are final year medical students this year, each with a prior university degree in medicine. They compiled all numbers from HIV testing at Mdabulo Dispensary dating back to 2005 so that we may have actual figures prior to opening our CTC there. They also had a first-hand experience in saving one child’s life! A baby with a double cleft palate and lip, 4 days old, and unable to feed since birth, was brought to the NGO by its concerned parents. Will and Vikki engineered a way to feed the baby by using a syringe dropper into the baby’s cheek. Luckily the baby was able to swallow without a problem. After a day and a half of receiving re-hydration fluids and milk powder, the baby was in perfect health! Since then, we have arranged transport to lllembula, and Dr. Pasanen has since referred the baby to surgical specialists in Iringa. The baby was later named “Bahati” which means ‘luck’ in Kiswahili. Will and Vikki have already said they will make plans to come back and volunteer next year, and maybe every year subsequently.”

Today in 2017:

The Milk Powder Program (MPP) has been providing life-saving milk powder (infant formula and whole milk powder) and lishe powder (nutritious, calorie dense porridge powder) to HIV+ mothers and caretakers, as well as orphaned and vulnerable children living at the Children’s Village for over 6 years! In this time frame, FCWCT has provided better nutrition and HIV prevention for over 230 vulnerable infants and toddlers in Mufindi!

Distributing milk powder and lishe powder is done to improve the nutritional status of children in the villages and prevent vertical transmission (mother to child) of HIV. A positive HIV status, combined with low nutritional status, can mean that some mothers are incapable of producing enough breast milk, resulting in an underfed infant. Currently, Home-based Care Volunteers are the “legs” of FCWCT as they refer HIV+ mothers, mothers-to-be, and any underweight infants and toddlers in their respective villages to the MPP monthly meetings. At those meetings, children are weighed and mothers are given brief seminars on nutrition, hygiene, correct bottle sanitation, and family planning options by the MPP Program Facilitator (PF). All families leave with enough milk powder and lishe powder for one month. There are currently 37 enrolled infants and toddlers in the MPP!