Against All Odds: How Fraida Madeleine Was Nurtured Back To Health

Guibi, Mayo Danay Division, Cameroon - Three years ago, Fraida Madeleine was barely clinging to life. Orphaned at two months old after her mother’s death, she was brought to the Guibi Integrated Health Centre severely malnourished, weighing a mere 90.5 grammes. Today, thanks to a coordinated intervention funded by the Japanese government and the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, Fraida is a picture of health. A "big source of pride" for her family and the community health workers who refused to give up on her.
The story of Fraida’s recovery sheds light on the chronic food insecurity facing remote areas of the Mayo Danay Division in Cameroon’s Far North Region, where poverty and seasonal floods create a persistent cycle of crisis.

In Critical State
When Fraida arrived at the clinic, her condition was dire. "Madeleine was in a really critical state because it was severe malnutrition - really severe malnutrition," recounted Drisa Paul, the head of Guébi Integrated Health Centre in Guéré Subdivision, Mayo Danay Division of the Far North Region. Paul noted that initial measurements, including the brachial perimeter (arm circumference), confirmed she needed immediate and intensive assistance.
Her father, Andé Rene André, was unable to provide adequate care, leaving the infant in the hands of her “helpless 80-plus-year-old paternal grandmother, Mounounda Lourna.” The situation highlighted the immense vulnerability of families in this region, where basic nutrition is often a daily struggle.

Intervention That Saved 
The health team was able to spring into action immediately due to the timely support provided through a partnership between UNICEF and the Japanese government. Cephas Netamu Pierre, a nursing aide at the centre, took charge of Fraida’s case. Treatment involved a dual approach: immediate medical attention and nutritional support. The key food supplement used was Plumpy’Nuts, a nutrient-dense, Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) designed for treating severe acute malnutrition.
"The more the baby was fed with Plumpy’Nuts, the better her malnutrition severity diminished," Pierre explained. Simultaneously, health workers engaged the family, specifically the grandmother, by training her on how to prepare enriched pap - a fortified local porridge - to ensure continued proper nutrition at home. This blend of direct treatment and family education proved crucial for sustained recovery.

The Community's Pride
The transformation was profound. Within months, Fraida began picking up normal weight. Three years later, she weighs 1.90 kg, a normal weight for a child her age, according to health officials.
"I ...