A Mother’s Day Story from NYF’s Nutritional Rehabilitation Home (NRH)
The below story is featured in NYF’s Health Special Impact Report—but with Mother’s Day around the corner, we knew it was the perfect moment to share it more broadly. As we honor moms around the world, we invite you to read about one mother’s extraordinary journey of love, resilience, and healing at our Nutritional Rehabilitation Home (NRH).
If you’d like to make a donation in honor of a mom or mother figure in your life, check out NYF’s special Mother’s Day eCards! These cards will support NYF’s Nutritional Rehabilitation Home in the Kathmandu Valley, where over 300 mother-child pairs receive life-saving medical care and nutrition counseling every year.
Meet 22-year-old mother, Kanchan*, and her seventeen-month-old child, Indu*
*names changed to protect the privacy of the individuals we work with
Seventeen-month-old Indu is the second child of Kanchan, 22. Indu was born several weeks early in their remote village. Over her first year of life, she gained weight very slowly, and she wasn’t hitting the developmental milestones she should.
Kanchan was only 13 when her family married her off to a 29-year-old man in the village. This match was intended to secure Kanchan’s future, but early marriage comes with significant health risks for young mothers and their children. Kanchan had her first child, a son, when she was 17. Motherhood was not what she expected, and bringing her son into the world took a toll on her health.
Kanchan didn’t know it, but she had been chronically undernourished for most of her life. This had impacted her own body’s development—a condition called “stunting.” Kanchan is shorter than she should be at her age, and much more physically delicate. Her still growing body was not prepared for the strain of childbearing. At age 21, during her pregnancy with her daughter, Kanchan had limited access to prenatal care. She lost weight, and she was constantly exhausted. Iron Deficiency anemia made her dizzy and unable to work. Virtually all the nutrients she consumed were going towards her growing baby instead of bolstering her own health.
Because Kanchan’s body was still underdeveloped, she was not able to carry Indu to term and went into labor several weeks early—a common occurrence in villages like theirs. Indu was quite small, too. Babies who are born early often struggle to suck and swallow, making it difficult to eat. Their bodies also expend more energy struggling to keep warm, rapidly burning calories instead of turning them into growth. From the very beginning, little Indu was frequently sick.
Kanchan was overwhelmed by her baby’s health challenges. She couldn’t help but feel like she was failing.
A Lifesaving Transfer to NYF’s NRH
Finally, in desperation, Kanchan brought her daughter to the nearest clinic for help. The nurses there knew Indu needed care at a Nutritional Rehabilitation Home (NRH) right away, and they contacted NYF to arrange immediate transportation to the nearest location—our flagship Kathmandu Valley NRH.
Soon, Kanchan was climbing anxiously into NYF’s ambulance van, holding Indu close. The driver, Naresh Tuladhar, smiled reassuringly, and as they began their journey, he asked about Indu. Naresh’s own son, Rinof, had once spent time at the NRH as well, he said. When Rinof was only 10 months old, he had nearly died, and Naresh and his wife, Rijana, were in despair. But the NRH had saved Rinof’s life. Today, Rinof is 18 years old, vibrant, healthy, taller than both of his parents. Time at the NRH would do the same for Indu, Naresh said confidently. It sounded too good to be true. But Kanchan hoped he was right.
(To read more about Niresh and Rinof’s story, visit https://nyf.news/rinof.)
Immediate Care and Compassion
When Kanchan and Indu arrived at the NRH, the baby was extremely thin, dehydrated, listless, and barely responsive. NRH Manager Sudha Maharjan met them as they climbed out of the ambulance, whisking them inside. NYF’s nurses, cooks, and nutritionists leapt into action, providing fluids and medicine to Indu right away to help stabilize her. Our team saw right away that Kanchan was also malnourished. Kanchan was surprised that some experts were focused on her, giving her a warm, balanced meal as they gently asked questions about her own health.
Kanchan was amazed at how much Indu had improved even after one night of treatment, with appropriate hydration administered by attentive nurses. Nurse Rashmi Shrestha explained to her, with a bright, friendly smile, the vital importance of keeping sick children well-hydrated, especially when they have diarrhea. It didn’t feel like a lecture or a scolding—more like a helpful lesson received from an older sister or an auntie. And this was only the first lesson!
Five Weeks of Transformation
During a five-week stay at the NRH (longer than average, due to the severity of the situation), both Indu and Kanchan underwent a health transformation. The nurses shared with Kanchan that her chronic exhaustion was due to micronutrient deficiencies like anemia. Within a few days of taking multivitamins and eating the balanced meals provided, Kanchan began feeling stronger, more energetic, and more upbeat than she’d felt since before Indu was born.
Meanwhile, baby Indu was putting on weight and becoming much more interactive, exploring the toys available in the playroom, babbling cheerfully, and laughing with other young patients. Kanchan discovered that Indu loved fruits—especially bananas. Learning and practicing new techniques for preparing nutritious meals became more rewarding and empowering with each passing lesson.
A Safer Future for the Whole Family
The nurses also explained the importance of family planning to Kanchan, carefully checking that she felt safe in her home. Child marriage is illegal in Nepal, but it is still a very common practice, especially in more rural regions of the country. NYF is committed to meeting individuals where they are—and Kanchan was determined to return home to her husband.
However, because her body is unlikely to grow any more, any further childbearing would be highly dangerous for her health. NRH nurses discussed these dangers with both Kanchan and her husband, as well as their available family planning options. Kanchan’s husband decided to have a vasectomy. He had the operation before Kanchan and Indu left the NRH!
When Kanchan and Indu returned to their village, Indu was barely recognizable: a joyful, exuberant toddler on the verge of taking her first steps. Six months later, when NRH Field Supervisor Ramesh Pant visited their village for follow-up, both Kanchan and Indu had continued their progress towards a brighter, healthier future.
A Proven Model: NYF’s Nutritional Rehabilitation Homes
Kanchan and Indu’s journey is just one of hundreds made possible every year at NYF’s Kathmandu Valley Nutritional Rehabilitation Home (NRH)—the only facility of its kind still fully operated by NYF. This special clinic doesn’t just save the lives of children facing severe malnutrition. It empowers caregivers—primarily mothers—with the tools and knowledge to sustain wellness at home.
In just three weeks, for $500 per caregiver-child pair, NYF’s holistic, food-based care approach transforms futures:
- 324 families received full in-patient treatment between July 2023 and June 2024.
- 1,161 additional adults and professionals received nutritional training.
- Over 90% of children treated maintain improved health six months after discharge.
Our NRH model is so effective it’s been adopted nationwide by the Nepali government and major aid organizations. But the Kathmandu Valley NRH remains a cornerstone of innovation, training, and action-based research—serving children in the greatest need with warmth, dignity, and care.
NYF Mother’s Day eCards
This Mother’s Day, you can be part of this extraordinary work by honoring a mother or mother figure in your life with a heartfelt donation to NYF’s NRH. Your gift will support life-saving medical care, nutritional therapy, and caregiver empowerment for families like Kanchan and Indu’s.
When you make a donation of any amount, your honoree will receive a beautiful Mother’s Day-themed eCard. And you’ll be giving a gift that brings health, hope, and healing to another mom and child across the world!
Choose a Mother’s Day eCard and give a gift that gives back.