What is life like for a child with vitamin A deficiency?
Sunday 15/09/2024, reading time : 5 min
This article was shared by our partner Helen Keller Intl with the family's permission. It is about one of the thousands of children who are suffering from, or have suffered the consequences of vitamin A deficiency. We believe that it is essential to make donations on the basis of evidence, rather than emotion, but learning about individual stories can help us to understand the problems we want to solve.
Four-year-old Abdoul Aziz Coulibaly was always ill, until his family discovered vitamin A. Abdoul is the youngest of four children living with their parents in a small village called Massala, in south-central Mali. Although the family has limited financial means, they are generally in good health, with the exception of Abdoul.
“Since he was about a year old, Abdoul has had to go to hospital at least twice a month. And each time, it was for a different illness”, explains his mother, Tariba. His father, Alou, says that Abdoul’s brothers did not have these health problems, including the mysterious sight problem from which he suffered: During the day, Abdoul could see perfectly well, but at sunset, he lost almost all his vision.
Loss of night vision – accompanied by frequent infections and other signs of malnutrition – is all too common in young children who do not receive enough vitamin A in their diet.
In the Koulikoro region, where the Coulibaly family lives, Helen Keller International organises twice-yearly vitamin A distribution campaigns. The supplements are distributed in local communities, either door-to-door or by working with local health clinics to provide as many children as possible with this vital nutrient as part of regular check-ups.
Just two months after Abdoul received his first dose of vitamin A, his parents were amazed at the positive changes in their son. He had more appetite and spent more time playing with the other children, even after sunset.
When it was time for Abdoul to have his next dose of Vitamin A 6 months later, Alou took Abdoul to the clinic and couldn’t wait to share the story of his son’s incredible recovery with the nursing staff.
A small vitamin A capsule with a big impact
The power of this simple solution cannot be overstated. Thanks to the generosity of many people around the world, millions of children have been spared deficiencies and illness. Every additional donation helps to protect more children. You too can help give more children like Abdoul a healthier start in life.
