Congo Kinshasa: Beyoncé in Basankusu

I first met Beyoncé at our centre. She was a tiny very frail little girl - her parents had brought her from upriver in Djombo. She had lost a lot of weight and was refusing to eat, so Judith said she should be admitted to the hospital and I was going that way so could I walk mum and grandma over ... only 4 km. I set off with Alain - but mum and grandma were so slow that we eventually cadged some money from a market trader that Alain knew and sent them off on a taxi-bike each ... with us running behind because we didn't have any more money.

At the hospital for assessment

The hospital was really great and gave them plenty of advice and medicine. Beyoncé - 1 year and 9 months - had been OK but had become ill with diarrhoea. She got medicine for worms, for rehydration, for getting her appetite back, vitamins and stuff for her blood. I went back after lunch and found them still sitting there. The nurse said there wasn't anyone to admit them so they may as well go home and come back the next day for a proper examination.

The next day I was at home and they turned up at my house. They'd been and had a good examination and so I advised them to go back to our nutrition centre and follow the feeding programme there. They agreed ... and then didn’t show up.

Beyoncé had become much thinner

Beyoncé with Judith Bondjembo

I went there in the afternoon and there was no sign of them. Well ... I went back to the hospital to get their address, but it wasn’t precise enough. Alain and Judith spent the next two days knocking on doors, trying to find out where they got to. Eventually, somebody recognised the description. 

Beyoncé had become even thinner – but is now doing really well at the centre ... where they’re all sleeping (I didn’t know I was opening a hotel ! ) anyway, they’re nice and settled, and Beyoncé has got her appetite back.

Beyoncé getting back on the road
to good health at Francis Hannaway's centre

The initial diet is one of milk (from full-cream milk powder) with a little sugar and vegetable oil added, taken eight times a day. After a few days you see a remarkable change – and true to the instructions on the tin, when solid food was gradually re-introduced, Beyoncé started shouting out – ‘give it to me!’ and wolfing down everything. Way to go, Beyoncé!

She hasn’t started singing yet.