Malnourished Children Outreach (MCO): ICM's Newest Initiative

In 2010, ICM initiated a new program – the Malnourished Children Outreach (MCO). The MCO was made possible after Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) and Kids Against Hunger (KAH), two USA based non-profit organizations, chose ICM as one of their delegated recipient charities. Over 1,000,000 pre-packaged family meals (Nutripacks) have been donated to ICM since January 2010.

The MCO works with local government officials to identify children suffering from severe malnutrition. In partnership with local ICM churches, ICM feeds these impoverished children nutritious Nutripack meals five times a week for six months until they are no longer malnourished.

Each of ICM's five bases of operation will host 21 outreaches, and each outreach will serve 10-20 children. In 2010, the MCO will care for more than 2,000 malnourished children, giving them a second chance at health and strength.

Here is one child's story.

WHO: Johnny
AGE: FIVE
WEIGHT AT BEGINNING OF MCO: 8.5KG May 2010
WEIGHT AFTER THREE MONTHS OF MCO: 11KG July 2010

Johnny joined the Malnourished Children Outreach (MCO) in June 2010. At that time Johnny, who lives with his five siblings and parents in a tiny house in a seaside village, weighed 8.5kg and had a severely bloated stomach due to malnutrition and other illnesses. Johnny does not own clothes, but does have a pair of slippers that he would wear to the daily feeding sessions. Johnny would never arrive during the food distribution, he was always there ahead of time, hungrily and patiently waiting for his meal.

JJohnny’s father, a fisherman, has a grade three education, yet is unable to read. His average daily income is 100 pesos. Johnny’s mother, Lea, has never been to school, nor have any of her children. Johnny cannot read and write. The family lives in a tiny house made of bamboo and old GI roofing. The home has no toilet and unfinished walls. Any time there is a heavy rain, the interior of the home and all its occupants become drenched.

After Johnny and his family were selected for the MCA program and were receiving meals five times a week, local ICM staff also provided Lea basic cleanliness and hygiene lessons for herself and her family. The program is six months in duration, and after just three months, Johnny had already put on 2.5k, around 20% of his body weight.

The MCO is reaching hundreds of children like Johnny.

The annual cost of the Malnourished Children Outreach (excluding donated food) is US$87,000 (Php3.9M/HK$70K).