Malnutrition among children of all ages is a grim reality. Described below is a brief synopsis regarding the different phases of orphanage-related malnutrition beginning from infancy to teen. It is the goal of An Orphan Smiles to help counter the lack of nutrition among the older children during this critical period in their lives.

Babies - Many orphans abandoned at birth start their lives in a maternity hospital. This may last for a few days or a few months. Once space opens up they are transferred to a baby orphanage for children aged 0 to 4 years. There are about 50 of these orphanages in Ukraine and the standard of care varies. Food is often in short supply and the babies are weaned from formula at a very young age, starting solids such as mashed potatoes at age 4 months. Bottles are often filled with sugar water. By the age of 2 years many of the children are still the size of a baby. Rickets is a problem as the children do not get sufficient vitamin D (neither from milk nor from exposure to sunshine). Protein is lacking in the diet and the orphans leave at age 4 still the size of a toddler. Hair and nail growth is stunted and many of the children have the distended belly seen in the malnourished. There are no funds to purchase specialized feeding equipment for children with cleft palette, and other special needs kids are often the size of a 1 year old at age 4 years. Funds are needed for baby formula and supplementary food for babies and toddlers.

School Age - At age 4 the "healthy" children are transferred to pre school age orphanages for kids age up to 6 or 7 years. The older children, usually from age 6 or 7 to about 15 are sent to boarding school orphanages or internats. Life here can be bleak and the lack of adequate nutrition means that many of the children go into puberty late and are small in stature. Fresh fruit is a rare treat and funds are needed for fruit and supplementary food for school age orphans. Click here to read more. Another acute shortage is for essential hygiene products - toilet tissue and feminine napkins. Click here to read more.

Special Needs - For the special needs children this is a tragic time when many are sent to specialized institutes, with an incredibly poor prognosis. Many of the special needs children go into depression and die within months of been transferred. Funds are needed for fruit and supplementary food for special needs orphans.

Graduates - About age 15 the orphans graduate from the orphanage, leaving behind a comparatively safe and well fed world. Many graduates struggle without a family support system and are malnourished. Those with tuberculosis find it especially difficult to ward off the ravages of the disease while undernourished. Funds are needed for fruit and supplementary food for graduate orphans. Click here to read more.