Food Security & Livelihoods

When baby Emmanuel was born in Shibuyunji District during the severe drought of the 2023/24 farming season, his life began under a cloud of hardship. Tragically, Emmanuel lost his mother when he was only a month old, leaving him without access to breast milk, his most vital source of early nourishment.

By the time he was 6 months old, Emmanuel was severely malnourished and showing signs of stunting. At that age, a healthy baby typically weighs between 7 and 8 kilograms, but Emmanuel weighed just 4.2 kilograms, well below the World Health Organization’s threshold for severe acute malnutrition. His condition was identified using a Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) measurement, which showed a dangerously low reading, along with visible signs such as wasting and delayed developmental milestones.

Unable to digest solid foods and lacking the energy to play or engage, Emmanuel was often fatigued, weak, and significantly underweight for his age. His tiny frame and frail health alarmed his extended family. Deeply concerned, his aunt, Jane, stepped in to care for him, though she felt helpless in the face of his nutritional needs.

Luckily, his breakthrough came when he was enrolled in the Emergency Nutrition Response Program (ENRP), launched by ChildFund with financial support from ChildFund Korea in response to the devastating drought that left thousands of children at risk of acute malnutrition. The goal of this project is to improve the nutritional status and wellbeing of vulnerable children under five in affected communities across Zambia.

Through the program, Emmanuel began receiving therapeutic foods, including baby formula and fortified porridge specifically designed to meet the urgent nutritional needs of malnourished infants. The results were almost immediate.

“Within weeks, we began to see a transformation in Emmanuel,” says Nalundu Ndemena, ENRP Project Manager at ChildFund. “His weight improved, his energy returned, and he started hitting developmental milestones that had been delayed. He’s now an active and playful child.”

Today, Emmanuel is 10 months old, eating well and playing joyfully with his siblings. His caregivers have also received hands-on training and support from the program to help them understand and implement proper feeding practices using locally available foods.

“Our approach goes beyond food distribution. We are equipping families with knowledge and confidence,” explains Ndemena. “When caregivers know how to feed their children appropriately, even in challenging environments, they gain a powerful tool to break the cycle of malnutrition.”

Thanks to the Emergency Nutrition Response Program, Emmanuel’s story is no longer one of loss and fear, but of hope and resilience. His aunt Jane expresses gratitude for the intervention that not only saved her nephew’s life but also restored her sense of agency.

“I no longer feel helpless,” Jane shares. “Thanks to the support we received, Emmanuel is well and we’re filled with hope again.”

ChildFund’s ENRP continues to reach vulnerable children across drought-affected districts, working hand-in-hand with communities and the Ministry of Health to ensure that no child is left behind in the fight against malnutrition.

The six-month project targeted 15,117 individuals, including 11,289 children (6–59 months) and 3,828 pregnant and lactating women.