Mundri, South Sudan, 2018

Four-month-old Hadia was born with spina bifida, hydrocephalus (fluid in the brain) and club foot. Sophia, a community rehabilitation expert, is showing her mother, Zaina, a treatment called the Ponseti method, which uses stretches and casts to correct Hadia’s feet. A couple of months ago Hadia was taken to Uganda for surgery, which helped, but doctors think she will need three or four more operations. These will cost money, though, and travel amid South Sudan’s instability can be hard.

Birth defects like Hadia’s often result from a lack of folic acid during early pregnancy. Hydrocephalus, which causes the child’s head to swell, is common in this part of South Sudan, but a sense of stigma surrounding the condition can deter parents from seeking treatment. Surgery and physiotherapy can help, although access may be hard, and better nutrition – like adding folic acid supplements to staple foods – can prevent it.