From Signs of Malnutrition to Hope: Nadira’s Path to Recovery in Syria
“It’s not just my little sister who is hungry but all my other siblings as well. We wait for our mother to come home from work to feed us. Sometimes we eat and sometimes we remain hungry” – Asha*, 7 years old, Nadira’s* sister.
This is the reality of Nadira’s family, who live in a displacement camp in Northwest Syria, where many households are facing increasing economic challenges. Nadira, just 7 months old and the youngest of eight children, has already begun showing signs of malnutrition.
Maryam*, Nadira’s mother, works in the agricultural fields earning 10 Turkish Liras (around 30 cents CAD) for two hours of work, striving to provide for her family, despite the limited resources and pay.
Asha, Nadira’s older sister, worries constantly about her baby sister. When she tries to comfort her or offer food, Nadira often refuses to eat and continues to cry.
Due to a severe shortage of humanitarian aid, living conditions in Syria significantly deteriorated in 2024. Nadira is one of hundreds of thousands of children across the country struggling with malnutrition; with an estimated 650,000 children under five affected by stunting, which has increased from about 13% in 2019 to over 16% in 2023.
When Save the Children’s nutrition staff visited Nadira’s family, they confirmed signs of malnutrition and supported the family with therapeutic food (PlumpyNut) for her recovery.
Our nutrition teams at Save the Children work alongside families in displacement camps to identify and address malnutrition, monitor children’s progress, and support them through recovery. Mothers participate in training to strengthen their knowledge and skills so they can share healthy nutrition practices throughout their communities.
Together with our partner Hand in Hand, we are providing essential nutrition support to children and families living in displacement camps in Northwest Syria. However, ongoing cuts to humanitarian aid mean many more children like Nadira remain at risk of malnutrition.
Hunger should never be a part of any childhood.
You can help make a difference. Donate today to support children affected by hunger and malnutrition around the world.
*Names changed.