The power of peanut paste
Two-year-old Ereng is cheerful and loves to play. But just months ago, her future hung in the balance.
Ereng's family are pastoralists in northern Kenya, where brutal droughts have devastated communities. When climate shocks killed their livestock, her family lost everything – their income, their food source, and their security. With six children to feed and no sustainable way forward, Ereng’s mother Lomanat took on the exhausting work of making and selling charcoal, carrying heavy loads on foot just to earn enough for a handful of rice. But it wasn’t enough.
When Ereng became malnourished, Lomanat recognised the warning signs.
A Community Health Promoter named Charles, who was trained by Save the Children, had previously taught Lomanat how to use a simple colour-coded measuring tape to check her child’s nutrition. And when it showed yellow, she knew she had to get help.
The path to recovery
Lomanat walked several kilometres with Ereng to see Charles at his clinic, where he confirmed the diagnosis and began treatment. Over two and a half months, Ereng received fortified peanut paste – what families in the area call 'chocolate' – and gained an impressive 2.4 kilograms. Her recovery was remarkable.
“The child started gaining weight, gaining weight, gaining weight, until I saw that the baby became alive again,” says Lomanat. “I never want my child to be malnourished again. She is healthy. I haven't seen any bad thing with her health.”
Ereng’s mother feeds her the peanut paste.