The fight against malnutrition: Jean-Jacques' inspiring journey

When talking about what motivates him, he highlights two key aspects: “The team spirit among us, working on different emergency responses, motivates me deeply. This harmony makes me see Medair as a body with complementary members, united by the same goal: saving lives. I am also inspired by the health workers committed to treating malnutrition, as well as by the communities, who welcome our support and recognise Medair's efforts.”

Jean-Jacques supervises nutrition activities with dedication, regularly visiting the malnutrition treatment units supported by Medair. He observes the impact of his various missions: “Despite the difficult context often linked to insecurity in the areas where we work, our support arrives at the right time and is comprehensive in terms of health and nutrition. Supervision visits are scheduled every month, and our interventions contribute to reducing mortality and morbidity rates among children under five. It’s a unique feeling of pride.”

A particularly memorable moment in Jean-Jacques' career was when he helped a displaced mother of twins who was having difficulty breastfeeding her children. During his visit to the intensive nutrition treatment unit at Fataki General Hospital in Ituri province, Jean-Jacques was deeply moved by the situation of this woman who had come from a displaced persons camp and was living alone with her children: “I was moved by compassion when I saw this woman, an exhausted and desperate mother who was struggling to produce enough milk for her twins. That's why I helped the nutritionists apply the suckling supplementation technique to stimulate milk production, which should greatly relieve this breastfeeding mother,” he explains.

Jean-Jacques took the time to demonstrate how to use the suckling supplementation technique, a method that allows babies to receive breast milk while stimulating milk production. "This is also part of our work in the community: passing on our expertise to the providers we work with to improve patient care. Seeing this mother regain hope and witnessing the improvement in her children's condition was a deeply rewarding experience. Every gesture counts, and seeing the concrete results of our work in the field is what motivates me every day," he adds.

For Jean-Jacques, combating malnutrition is crucial in the DRC because of its serious consequences: “Stunted growth, weakened immune systems, impaired cognitive development, and increased risk of mortality and morbidity are just some of the consequences of poor nutrition.” He also has a message for donors: ‘For every contribution you make that enables Medair to provide essential nutritional care and save lives, we are deeply grateful.’  

In 2025, the food crisis in the DRC remains alarming, with more than 25.4 million people facing severe food insecurity, including 3.5 million in a food emergency, according to a recent OCHA report. These figures underscore the importance of humanitarian interventions to meet the vital needs of vulnerable populations.

This content was produced with resources gathered by Medair's programme and headquarters staff. The views expressed herein are those solely of Medair and should not be taken, in any way, to reflect the official opinion of any other organisation.  

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