The story of Dieuconsole

The community-based nutrition programme of IPHD supported by UNICEF in Bossangoa since January 2007

Dieuconsole [Photo: UNICEF/DRC]

When Dieuconsole (in English, God consoles) arrived at the health centre of Ndjomgobe three years ago, he weighed only 2.5 kg and was given the name Dieuconsole, which means full of gratitude. 

Although he did not know it, only a year earlier his newborn brother passed away during an attack on the health centre where his mother was giving birth.  The head of the health centre fled and Dieuconsole’s mother was forced to deliver her son on her own.  She managed to escape from the attack but her newborn baby died only a few hours later. 

Both parents of Dieuconsole are still alive but only two of their six children have survived.  They were taking care of eleven people every day, with their only income from farming activities and selling sand during the dry season.

Their staple food was leaves and fermented manioc.  They barely ate twice a day and had to share their food among the whole group, the children and mother getting the leftovers, after the men ate. 
 
For the last two months, Dieuconsole has been part of the International Partnership for Human Development/United Nations Childrens' Fund (IPHD/UNICEF) community-based nutrition programme.  Every week he receives Plumpy nut, which will continue until he reaches his target weight.  Regina, a community worker, is in charge of the under-fives’ growth monitoring and health education among groups of mothers, children and fathers.  684 children formed part of the growth monitoring programme in February alone in the sub-district of Bossangoa, while 290 children with severe or moderate loss of weight received the recommended rations of Plumpy nut.

Today he is healthy and he weighs his target weight.

Click here to read more about CERF in CAR 2007

[Last Update: 10 August 2007]

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