As much as I would like to frown upon people who have children without
having the means to support them (read: pass the RH Bill!), there’s really no
use in merely ranting about the situation. We’ve got more than enough
complaints and complainants in this country—and less people who get up and do
something about it.
From Monday to Friday, more than 30
undernourished children from our neighborhood troop to our home in Cavite to
share a hearty, healthy meal.
Through the sponsorship of our parish, the
civil group called I’M US, and good-hearted citizens, these children from age two
to seven are enrolled into the feeding program where they are weighed, fed,
given vitamins and supplements and monitored to help them get the nutrition
they need.
To help feed not only bodies but also their minds, mini-lessons
about health and hygiene are conducted, as well as Bible studies. The
children’s mothers or guardians, who often also give logistical support, are
also encouraged to participate in the lessons and to practice what they’ve
learned at home.
Many barangays around Imus and Cavite have
also started with their own community-feeding programs. Some have even set-up
capacity building trainings and activities for the mothers so that they could
generate extra income for their families. This also helps discourage
over-dependence on the program.
However, with more than 30 mouths to feed,
the program’s sustainability is at risk. Since it cannot ensure how much longer
their current funds will last, it hopes to least have this current batch of
young minds to graduate from being malnourished.
Those who would like to help-out and share
what they can to the program may contact Ms. Portia Pereña or your local community parish.
By donating any amount to the program, you
can help us make a difference in the lives of these kids- one square meal at a
time.
Photos taken by: JKManda
