Eldoret, Kenya

Lydia Anyokort, 15 years old, has got her first born; a new bouncing baby boy. She had to undergo a caesarian operation to get the baby out. Nurses say it is a common procedure among women here as they face complications at birth due to malnutrition. For Lydia, the pregnancy came a bit too early for her. She said, “I was in school, and had to drop out when I realized I was pregnant.”

Lydia’s mother, Julia Apurdung, 40, is by her daughter’s bedside. She said, “It means I have to take care of her little son, then, send her back to school.” Lydia’s mother has got 10 grown-up children, and none of them is earning any decent income. She said, “We live by the grace of God, we can’t afford a decent meal and that’s why we appreciate Vitamin Angels for giving us the vitamin supplements.”

For Lydia, Vitamin Angels is a sign of hope for a bright future. Asked what she wished of her new baby boy, she said, “I hope to see him grow up to become an adult, and earn some good education to help us out.”

By Reuben Kyama, a freelance writer from Kenya who wrote about Vitamin Angels in Ode magazine. Read the full story here.