Stories

When Bazil arrived at Love One, he was under two years old and weighed just 13 pounds, with diagnoses of HIV, tuberculosis, and severe acute malnutrition. The Love One team took him to the local hospital where he received vital medical care, and after a month in the hospital, he was finally stable enough to transition to the Love One Center. Thanks to consistent treatment and care from the Love One Staff, Bazil now weighs over 20 pounds and continues to grow and flourish!

Daniel was referred to Love One by the local hospital, where he was receiving critical support for a third-degree burn and severe acute malnutrition. Upon his arrival at the Love One Center, the Love One team created a care plan to address both the malnutrition and his incinerated arm. With an individualized meal plan and specialized treatment, Daniel began to regain his health and overcome his diagnosis of severe acute malnutrition. Love One also referred him to a skilled surgeon who performed a procedure to restore his hand’s function and ultimately provide him full mobility. The surgery was a huge success, and Daniel continues to recover and make progress at the Love One Center, greatly benefiting from the care of our licensed pediatricians and physical therapists.

14-month-old Destiny weighed only 13 pounds when he arrived at the Love One Center. The combination of abandonment by his father and an HIV positive diagnosis led him to become ill and malnourished. The Love One Team treated Destiny for HIV, tuberculosis, and malnutrition, covering all medical expenses along the way. Through nutrient-dense feedings, specialized medical care, and play therapy, he began to gain weight and make strides of progress. Our social work team conducted their regular assessment and found his home suitable for resettlement, so he was successfully returned home to his family, where he continues to grow and thrive.

One of the older children at the Love One Center, Irene weighed just 20 pounds at 9 years old. She arrived at the Love One Center after years of battling epilepsy, tuberculosis, and severe acute malnutrition. It has been a long journey– from receiving critical care at the hospital to ongoing care from Love One’s nutritionists, nurses, and caretakers at the Love One Center– but we’re overjoyed that Irene now weighs over 40 pounds and that her sweet smile has slowly returned!

2-year-old Gerald was born to young parents and left to the care of his grandparents. His health began to deteriorate as financial hardships settled in – his family could afford two meals a day on their best days, and it was often less. Consequently, Gerald’s weight began to suffer, and he started experiencing loose stools, vomiting, and coughing. Love One intervened, settling all medical bills and facilitating his stabilization at a nearby hospital, where he was diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition. Following his discharge from the hospital, Gerald was admitted to the Love One Center where he continued to receive critical care that has ultimately led to his recovery. He loves to play with colorful toys, eat rice and beans, and engage with his peers! During his time at Love One, we have educated his grandparents on proper care, nutrition and hygiene, and they look forward to welcoming a healthy Gerald home soon!

Love One received a call about an 8-year-old boy named Matthias who would soon be discharged from the hospital to spend his final days at home with family. His severe acute malnutrition combined with his HIV diagnosis made his recovery too extensive for the hospital to treat. Our staff heard about his case and immediately rushed to the hospital– Matthias’ story was far from over. At the Love One Center, Matthias received around the clock care and a nutrient-packed diet, specifically created to combat his extreme malnutrition. Over the course of several months, Matthias made huge strides of progress and was eventually resettled with his family. Matthias still visits the center occasionally and maintains close relationships with the staff.

When James was just over a year old, he and his mother fell very ill, and both were admitted to a nearby hospital. Unfortunately, they received poor healthcare and continued to deteriorate until they were finally transferred to one of Love One’s partner hospitals. Here, they received the care that they desperately needed and deserved. Once James became stable, he came to the Love One Center, where he continued to grow and slowly overcome his malnutrition. In just a few weeks, James’ appetite improved, and he began to play with other children at the center. Today, both James and his mother have fully recovered and are home together in their community!

One of our more extreme cases and most miraculous transformations, Patience holds an extra special place in our hearts. At the young age of 4, Patience was abandoned and left to the care of her grandmother. In 2022, Love One found her extremely malnourished with a painful, gaping wound on her face. With immediate medical care at our partner hospital, extensive rehabilitation at the Love One Center, and a surgery to mend the injury on her cheek, Patience made a full recovery. We were grateful to see her vibrant, silly spirit emerge and are thankful for this truly remarkable transformation!

When 14-month-old Racheal’s mother tragically passed away, Racheal was left in the care of her uncle, who welcomed her into his home and loved her as one of his own. Unfortunately, due to a lack of resources, Racheal began to lose weight and eventually became severely malnourished. In April of 2023, Racheal’s uncle brought her to Love One, and she was immediately admitted to our partner hospital for critical stabilization. She weighed 14 pounds and received treatment for malnutrition, malaria, and edema. Following discharge from the hospital, Racheal came to the Love One Center where she received nutritious feeds, attentive monitoring, and play therapy. Today, she continues treatment at the center and makes amazing progress!

When he was just one month old, Robert’s parents noticed that he had difficulty swallowing, which caused feeding issues. With no access to medical care, they attempted to help Robert’s throat by using natural herbs. This strategy proved ineffective, and little Robert quickly became malnourished. In 2022, a community liaison referred Robert to Love One. Our partner hospital addressed his immediate medical needs, and he came to the Love One Center following discharge, where he continued to make progress and grow. After several months with constant care and resources, Robert’s appetite improved and he began to thrive. Robert is now back with his family and continues to flourish at home.

Orphaned at a young age, Winnie was left to the care of her single aunt who struggled to provide. Consequently, Winnie developed malnutrition with symptoms of lower limb swelling and multiple skin wounds. When Love One received word of two-year-old Winnie and her story, the staff immediately took her to a partner hospital, where she received comprehensive medical care for one month. Once Winnie was transferred to the Love One Center, her wounds began to heal and the swelling resolved, and she continues to make progress daily as she nears a full recovery from malnutrition. We look forward to the day that she returns home to her grateful aunt!