Little Souley

It was at this time last year that I wrote a story about a starving baby and a milk goat.  Little baby Souley was born in October 2010, but his mother was unable to breastfeed the child.  I watched each week and month as Souley got weaker and skinnier.  A teammate visited the mother and family with me one day and gave some advice on how to breastfeed so that the mother's milk would come in - but all for naught. 

I suggested that the baby be fed goat's milk, as cow's milk was not good for his little stomach and digestive process.  The response came back that there was no goat and no funds available with which to purchase goat's milk each day . . . the family was doing what they could with their limited resources.  As the Fulani own many cows, that milk was readily available.

Shortly after this, Souley was admitted to the hospital for a month and gained a little weight on the formula that he was fed.  After this month, he was still a skinny little guy - with so little weight on him that the hospital refused to give him the vaccinations necessary at his age.

I bought a milk goat with its kid and gave this as a loaner animal according to the custom of the Fulani:

The village chief and the mother were so appreciative of this gift - and the next day, I was proudly told that the goat had been milked both the night before and that morning . . . and Souley had drank this milk until he was full!

Later in the Spring, this little family moved back out to their home - a village area about 15 kilometres North of Niamey.  This goat went along to continue to provide milk for Souley and the start of a herd for this mother.  I didn't see Souley again until November last year - and the difference was amazing:

Awkwardly, the whole Fulani village now calls me his mother . . . as I was the one to "feed" him in his infancy.  Even his mother will ask him "Where is your mother?"  As he no longer lives in town, I don't see this little guy often enough for him to recognize me - so the chance to hold him is rare.  In fact, this day, he was plopped in my arms while his mother was off drawing water from a well about a kilometre away.  He was only content to sit with me until she returned. 

It was such a joy to hold this little boy - now a decent size for the toddler that he is. He has a long way to go - he is showing signs of malnourishment and in another year of food insecurity, this is unlikely to change. However, he has made it to his first birthday and is well on his way to survival.  He crawls around, following his older brother and I hope soon to see little Souley healthy enough to walk.