When one of Jeanite Vaval’s five children was screened by AVSI’s nutrition team, he was found to be suffering from severe acute malnutrition and edema.
For Jeanite and her family, this came at a particularly difficult time. Their income was limited and irregular, and caring for her son meant putting her small business on hold.
Jeanite, 40, lives in Mare-Rouge, in the second communal section of Môle-Saint-Nicolas, in Haiti’s North-West Department. She and her husband are raising five children. Before joining the project, Jeanite contributed to the family’s income through a small income-generating activity, while her husband worked as a day laborer on construction sites.
“Because of my child’s health condition, I was forced to suspend my small business which was my main income-generating activity” she says.
“I had to devote most of my time to caring for my child and providing the necessary care at home. My husband worked as a day laborer on construction sites. His income was very low and, above all, irregular. It was very difficult for us to meet the needs of our family.”
Through AVSI’s project, the family was reached through several interconnected activities. The nutrition team screened Jeanite’s son and identified his severe acute malnutrition, while the family also received assistance related to food security and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
As part of the food security activities, Jeanite’s family received a combination of cash transfers and food vouchers, which could be exchanged for a food basket with participating local vendors.
“The arrival of this project really changed our situation,” Jeanite says. “This support allowed us to feed our family better and reduce some of the difficulties we faced every day.”
The family also received a WASH kit, helping them address their needs related to water, sanitation and hygiene.
Today, Jeanite says that her son has recovered.
“My child has fully regained normal health thanks to the support we received.”
She also speaks about the wider impact of the project in her community:
“I can testify that many other families in the community have benefited from this food assistance. For many of us, this aid made it possible to meet essential needs and get through a particularly difficult period.”
For Jeanite, recovery also means looking ahead. She hopes to restart the small business she had to put on hold while caring for her son, so that she can once again contribute to her family’s livelihood and look towards the future with greater stability.
About the project
The project "Integrated Multisectoral Intervention in the North-West Department: Addressing Food Security, Nutrition, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Needs", implemented with support from the U.S. Department of State, brings together nutrition, food security and WASH activities to address the challenges faced by families in Haiti’s North-West Department.
The project promotes awareness of good nutrition practices, identifies and refers children with acute malnutrition, and helps households facing acute food insecurity access food. It also promotes safer water, sanitation and hygiene practices and provides essential WASH items to help reduce the risk of waterborne diseases.
Jeanite’s story reflects this integrated approach: her family was reached through the project’s nutrition, food security and WASH activities, with different interventions responding to the challenges they were facing at the same time.
This success story was made possible by the generous support of the United States Government through the U.S. Department of State.
The contents are the responsibility of AVSI Foundation and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Government.