In the DRC, Vanessa, a physiotherapist, helps malnourished children
Vanessa, 26, is a physiotherapist specialising in stimulation therapy for malnourished children. She works at HI with displaced people in North Kivu, DRC.
Vanessa Monangani is a physiotherapist specialising in stimulation therapy for children. She works for HI in the province of North Kivu, DRC. | © E. N’Sapu / HI
In the camps for displaced people in the North Kivu region, in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, people are marked by the scars left by years of war and violence. Until January 2025, these camps were home to people forced to flee their homes as a result of armed conflict. Living in precarious conditions, the displaced people are often deprived of basic healthcare and face malnutrition, particularly children. It is against this backdrop that Vanessa, a physiotherapist with HI, does her utmost to offer children quality care.
A routine dedicated to awakening the children
Every morning at 9am, Vanessa starts her day by welcoming the patients to the therapy room. Before each session, she gets ready by selecting child-friendly activities and cleans the space to ensure that it is ready to receive the children.
When a child and his or her carer are welcomed for the first time, Vanessa begins by carrying out an initial assessment of the child, which helps to identify any particular difficulties he or she may be facing: motor, cognitive or communication difficulties. This is also an opportunity for her to ensure that the child is in good general health, to assess the bond between the child and the carer and to put in place a personalised therapy plan.
The therapeutic plan comprises seven sessions and is carried out over approximately two weeks, with three sessions per week. At the seventh session, a final assessment is carried out to evaluate the new skills acquired by the child as a result of the treatment.
Malnutrition and war: a daily challenge
Vanessa works with children aged between 6 months and 5 years who are suffering from severe malnutrition, a problem that arises in the context of war and forced displacement, as in North Kivu.
"One of the main causes of malnutrition here is the war. Many families have been displaced and are having difficulty finding food", she explains.
Malnutrition can have dramatic consequences for children's development, stunting their physical growth, affecting their cognitive and sensory abilities and compromising their future autonomy. Malnourished children are also more vulnerable to infection and disease.
By providing stimulation therapy, Vanessa works with carers to teach them the skills they need to help children recover and overcome the effects of malnutrition. Through her care, she helps to re-educate them so that they can gradually regain their independence. For these children, the aim is to acquire basic skills such as eating, getting around and communicating.
Fun, targeted sessions
Stimulation therapy sessions are designed around fun, stimulating activities that are meaningful to the child. Vanessa uses simple games that encourage stimulation and development.
Vanessa always starts with progressive steps: learning to catch a ball, moving to retrieve it, then encouraging the child to walk with light support. The activities and games are varied and individualised, enabling the children to stimulate various aspects of their development: coordination, balance and the ability to interact with their environment.
The long-term goal is independence. If a child can, in time, move around on his own, feed himself or communicate, then every effort is worthwhile. And to achieve this, every detail counts. Vanessa adapts the sessions to the pace of each child, without pressure, in a deeply human and personalised approach to care.
Support that goes beyond therapy
Vanessa's role does not stop at the walls of the room. She involves those accompanying the child in the therapeutic process - whether parents, siblings or any other significant person in the child's life. She teaches them simple things to do at home, such as encouraging the child to make sounds with a rattle, repeating words and encouraging interaction.
Another essential aspect of her work is adapting tools and methods to the child's state of health. She also stresses that a child who is tired or ill will not be able to benefit fully from a session. Overall health remains a priority:
"The child must be in the best possible conditions for the therapy to be beneficial," she stresses.
A passion serving children
For the past three years, Vanessa has been committed to helping the children of North Kivu.
"I love what I do and seeing the effects of my work on the lives of the people I support," says Vanessa with a smile.
As well as the physiotherapy sessions, Vanessa plays a crucial role in supporting the people around the child. She helps them to better understand their children's specific needs, gives them the tools they need to support them on a daily basis and encourages a more enlightened approach to nutrition and well-being.
The progress she sees in children is her main source of motivation. Every day, she sees children regaining lost abilities or discovering them for the first time. Although her work is demanding, she believes that the results are worth the effort.
