Scovia Arinaitwe, their mother, had experienced firsthand how quickly a child’s health can turn, but she did not realize what the cause could be. Florence Kabacwa, AVSI’s Graduating to Resilience Activity nutrition coach took one look at the twins and knew what the problem was: malnutrition. As part of the USAID-funded Activity, thousands of families are visited by AVSI’s coaches in South Western Uganda every day.
During her visits, Florence screens children for signs of malnutrition using a simple plastic tape that measures the upper arm’s circumference. If a child falls in the red zone, they have severe acute malnutrition, and the coach has to act fast. When the twins showed signs of malnutrition and deteriorating health, they were measured and immediately referred for treatment at the nearest health facility.