NGO to launch program to fight malnutrition
While there have been efforts on the part of the local government units (LGUs) and the non-government organizations to curb hunger, the nutrition gaps in the region have yet to be fully addressed.
And for some NGOs, the work continues.
Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation Inc. (GK), for instance, has implemented the Kusina ng Kalinga (KNK), an anti-poverty campaign, in some parts of the country.
Soon, the KNK will be established in some communities in Central Visayas affected by malnutrition. This is primarily aimed at helping end hunger among young Filipinos by cooking delicious meals for children in public schools.
Toby Florendo, Gawad Kalinga-Cebu head, said they will put up at least one “central kitchen” in the region, tentatively in July.
"It's a matter of setting a central kitchen and then organizing the parents and potential stakeholders to do volunteer services,” he said.
Every day, these volunteers will cook meals and prepare lunch boxes not for their own families but for the empty stomachs of marginalized students.
Under the central kitchen model, food for public elementary students is prepared in one place and then distributed to different schools.
Unlike many feeding programs, Kusina ng Kalinga is a sustainable initiative, said Florendo. With the help of the project, all grade school students who are part of the program will be able to receive a meal regardless of their weight or nutritional status.
The meals are prepared according to the recommended dietary allowance for children and are approved by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute.
The recipes are also arranged and planned monthly to make sure kids enjoy a variety of dishes.
Florendo said the program can feed up to 1,500 children daily.
GK’s mission is to end poverty for 5 million families by 2024.
In depressed communities, poor families end up not sending their children to school to save on money.
But with feeding programs, Florendo said the students have been given a motivation to attend school.
"In fact, one of the principals noted a zero drop-out rate in their school. There's improvement not only in the attendance, not only in the physical improvement but also in the overall well-being of the children," he said.
Florendo said the food in each box is their commitment to care for the young ones until no child is left hungry.
“Hunger ends where caring begins,” he said. — Jahara E. Monares and Rosemarie P. Tordillo (FREEMAN)
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