Osanyi had six healthy pregnancies. A year ago, she gave birth to her seventh child at home in her village of Edingo in central Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). In Edingo, families eke by on subsistence farming and live in the shadow of recent civil conflict.
A week after giving birth to Désire, the 39-year-old mother fell critically ill with postpartum complications. Unable to access the medical care she needed—an emergency transfer to a well-equipped hospital—she died.
Osanyi’s overwhelmed husband soon abandoned the family, leaving seven children under the age of 12 in the care of his ailing, food-insecure parents-in-law.
Not surprisingly, Osanyi’s three youngest children Jean (5), Djana (3) and Désire (1) suffered the most in their grandparents’ economically precarious household.
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for children like Jean, Djana and Désire
According to the World Health Organization, almost half of the deaths among children under 5 years of age are linked to undernutrition, with devastating consequences for families and for the developmental, economic and social well-being of communities, countries and continents.
Help more children like Jean, Djana and Désire receive the life-saving nutrition they need to survive and thrive.
Fortunately, a Global Ministries supported community health worker in central DR Congo visited Osanyi’s home in time and referred the three youngest children to the Edingo Nutritional Center.
Support from people like you is vital to this work.
It is no wonder that Jesus referred to himself as the “Bread of Life,” and that Scripture portrays Jesus offering the bread of life (both literally and figuratively) in accounts like that of the miracle of the five loaves and fishes.
Malnutrition and food scarcity increase the vulnerability of already-vulnerable families and communities, compounding the effects of poverty and civil unrest.
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Reach even more families with a sustainable monthly gift.
A Forgotten Crisis
Even though Democratic Republic of Congo doesn’t often make the news cycle, it is marred by internal violence and conflict. In DR Congo, acute malnutrition is increasing the risk of illness and death for about 2 million children under the age of five.
Your gift to Global Health today will provide families with life-saving nutritional support and opportunities to improve their households’ food security. Global Ministries work here is help.
This work is only possible thanks to the generous support of people like you.
