Akulonyi Village, Kenya

Celestine welcomes us into Akulonyi, her small village, with a baby on her hip and a smile on her face. Her 3-month old son, Emmanuel, looks healthy and strong. She tells us that it is because of the prenatal vitamins that he is here today.

We learn that during her three previous pregnancies she experienced dizziness and fatigue, and craved soil – her body's attempt to obtain minerals she wasn’t getting through her diet.* Two of her older children were born prematurely, at 7 and 8 months gestation and her breast milk supply had been inadequate.

Celestine tells us this time around things were very different. When she started taking the prenatal vitamins – part of our Thrive to Five program in Western Kenya – she noticed her body changing. To her surprise, she no longer felt tired and weak, her appetite increased and she no longer craved soil. Baby Emmanuel was born after a much easier labor weighing 3.9 kilograms (more than 8.5 lbs). She proudly tells us he is bigger and stronger than her older children were at his age and he’s now tipping the scales at 6.5 kilograms (over 14 pounds)! Celestine says she will continue taking the vitamins and breastfeeding Emmanuel, to give him a foundation for a healthy future.

*Craving and eating non-food items including dirt or soil, a condition called Pica, can occur during pregnancy. In some cases, diets lacking in certain nutrients can result in iron deficiency anemia or zinc deficiency which may be correlated with the cravings.

In 2010, through our partnership with Global Network and the Riley Mother and Baby Hospital, Vitamin Angels reached over 32,000 mothers and distributed 11,882,250 prenatal vitamins in Western Kenya. Learn more about our trip to Kenya >>