Mar, 2026
“People told me there was no point in trying, that he wouldn’t survive. I refused to believe them."
Israa, 28, is a mother in Gaza. She and her 11-month-old son, Ahmad*, were both severely malnourished. Ahmad weighed only 9.7 pounds (4.4 kilograms), which is half the normal weight for a baby at that age. His mid-upper arm circumference was only 10.4 cm, he had no hair, and he could barely move. Israa herself was weak and didn’t know how to feed him properly.
“I could not afford infant formula and had no alternative source of nutrition for Ahmad. Every time I tried to feed him, I felt helpless,” she says.
“People told me there was no point in trying, that he wouldn’t survive. I refused to believe them," says Israa.
Israa learned about the Anera mother and child clinic near her through other women in her community. The clinic supported her in two ways.
First, staff treated her own malnutrition, providing nutritional supplements, high-energy biscuits, and therapeutic feeding.
“They gave me supplements and guidance for myself,” Israa says. “I felt stronger, and my milk became better for Ahmad. I could finally give him the nutrition he needed.”
Second, they taught her how to breastfeed properly, showing her how to hold Ahmad, how to feed him, and how to care for herself while nursing.
“I could not afford infant formula and had no alternative source of nutrition for Ahmad*. Every time I tried to feed him, I felt helpless.”
“They showed me step by step how to breastfeed him,” she says. “I didn’t know it could make such a difference. They didn’t judge me. They just helped me do what I needed to do for him.”
Over the next few months, Ahmad’s condition improved drastically. His weight rose to 12.3 pounds (5.6 kilograms), his arm circumference grew to 12.4 cm, his hair began to grow, and he started moving his arms and legs.
He learned to sit, crawl, and stand without support.
“Before, he couldn’t move, couldn’t lift his head, didn’t have hair. Now he reaches for me, tries to crawl, and every day he grows stronger,” Israa says.
“My dream is to see him walk,” she adds. “To run, to play, to laugh like other children. I will keep working with him every day until he can do that.”
Anera’s mother and child clinic, supported by Americares, provides essential health services for mothers and children, hosting around 4,000 patients each month. The clinic screens children under five for malnutrition, provides therapeutic feeding, offers nutrition counseling, and guides mothers on breastfeeding and child care. Staff follow up with families to ensure treatments work and that knowledge is applied at home.
"I never thought I would see him move, let alone grow strong. Now I know he will."
Every day, women like Israa arrive at Anera’s mother and child clinic looking for practical support to keep their children alive.
"I never thought I would see him move, let alone grow strong. Now I know he will."
