About seven years ago, the life of 13-year-old Elias was hanging by a thread. He was severely malnourished and could barely get up. When he was first brought to attention, the boy spent most of his time lying down—thin, weak, and exhausted, with blood-red eyes—and urgently needed help.
We could not just walk away. Elias was taken to a clinic, a doctor’s appointment was arranged, and efforts began to ensure everything he needed to recover. Through people with open hearts, it became possible to cover the cost of expensive special protein-based nutrition and the necessary medication.
Step by step, Elias started to recover. His body grew stronger, he gained weight, and his strength gradually returned. Today, it is hard to believe that his life was once in danger.
Now Elias studies in the upper class of a new school in the Furunzi slums. He also comes for free daily meals with other children and lives an ordinary teenage life. With care, food, and support each day, he continues to grow and look toward the future.
