When Chimeremeze arrived at the Lagos Food Bank Initiative with his mother, he did not look like a malnourished child.

He was not visibly wasted or frail. To anyone passing by, he was simply a baby. But after a nutritional assessment, the picture changed. Chimeremeze was beginning to experience moderate malnutrition and was at risk of progressing to a more severe condition without timely intervention.

His mother was initially told that he did not meet the criteria for enrolment. He was not malnourished enough. He did not look like the typical case.

But the dietitian stood her ground.

She believed Chimeremeze should be enrolled because nutrition support should not only respond to severe malnutrition. It should also help prevent children from getting there in the first place.

He was enrolled in the Nutritious Meal Plan Intervention for Vulnerable Mothers and Children, known as NUMEPLAN.

The intervention was not about a dramatic rescue. It was about doing the right things early. His mother received nutrition education and counselling, guidance on preparing balanced meals with the resources available to her, food support and regular monitoring of her son’s progress.

Then the family’s financial situation became even more difficult. Food prices rose and household resources became tighter.

For many families, this is where a child’s nutritional situation can deteriorate. But Chimeremeze did not progress to severe malnutrition. The support he received through NUMEPLAN helped cushion the pressure, allowing him to continue growing while his mother navigated the financial strain.

After four months, he was discharged from the program. That is the difference early nutrition support can make.

The story of Chimeremeze shows what early intervention had made possible and captures an important truth about tackling malnutrition: prevention matters.

NUMEPLAN supports mothers and children during the critical first 1,000 days of life through nutrition support, education, counselling and follow-up care. Rather than waiting for children to reach crisis point, the programme also seeks to identify nutritional challenges early and support families before they become more difficult to manage.

You can help more children receive the support they need before malnutrition becomes a crisis. Support NUMEPLAN by donating, volunteering or partnering with the Lagos Food Bank Initiative to give mothers and children the nutrition, knowledge and care they need to thrive.