Street children help other kids access health services

Childhope’s innovative Junior Health Workers Project has made health services accessible and reachable for more street children through the child-to-child peer approach.

It has enhanced child participation in bringing health services to urban poor and street children in Metro Manila. Since the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children stressed children’s rights to participate – the project is an actual embodiment of this right, in the delivery of health services. The JHWs, also children themselves, are able to help and reach out to other children by conducting primary health education sessions and first aid and escorting them to public health centers.

The Junior Health Workers Project utilizes the child-to-child approach in advocating health issues and practices among street children and their peers. Childhope Asia Philippines (CHAP) with the help of its sister NGO, Families and Children for Empowerment and Development (FCED) is jointly implementing the project.

Currently, the project has trained 120 street and urban poor children from Metro Manila as Junior Health Workers (JHWs) to reach out to other children, to provide first aid, primary health education, and referrals to health centers for medical services. They assist the street educators of Childhope in mobilizing health services and resources for the other children who need it.

The project started in July 1999 when World Health Organization consultant, Dr. John Howard, visited Manila to assess the availability and accessibility of health services to street children served by Childhope. Thus the project was conceptualized to improve the accessibility and mobility of health services with support from WHO-Geneva. For 2003, the project is assisted by Children International, St. Charles Philippine Medical Mission, and the Catholic Women’s Club. Support is needed for 2004 for the program.

How Does One Become A JHW?

A Junior Health Worker must be able to meet the following criteria: he/she should be at least 13-18 years old; have leadership skills; be able to prepare simple reports; be either male or female; be responsible, talented and patient; withstand difficult circumstances; be faithful/committed to his/her job and last but not the least, be sensitive and caring towards other children.

These children are selected from among children who have attended basic training workshops conducted by street educators, community social workers or health volunteers on the following topics:

• Values Clarification;United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC); Substance Abuse Prevention Education (SAPE); STD-HIV/AIDS; and Adolescent Sexuality.

After the basic training workshops, the youth undergo a more extensive four-day training on various topics required for their roles and functions as JHWs. The topics include: primary health care; personal hygiene; objectives and principles of basic first aid; the human reproductive system; sexually-transmissible infections (STIs); and preparation of a plan of action.

After training on these topics, the youth are assigned as JHWs in different areas.

What Do JHWs Do?

The Junior Health Workers administer first aid, simple home remedies, and accompany the children to different health-related agencies, for which they do systematic follow-up. They are also involved in the training of new JHWs.

Before referring other children to health centers, the JHWs complete the Health Screening Tool (HST). The Health Screening Tool is a form that evaluates the health condition of the child to be referred to the health centers. This serves as a referral form and gives the attending physician in the health centers an overview of the health condition of his/her patient.

Lota Jane And Emily

Lota Jane Ofiasa is a 15-year-old girl whose street family lives in a pushcart located at the back of the Grand Plaza in Caloocan City. She was chosen by CHAP to participate in the Junior Health Workers Program during its pilot phase in the year 2000. Another JHW, Emily Porciuncula, is a 14-year-old second year student in Caloocan High School. She is considered one of the most active Junior Health Workers of CHAP. Her mother is a housewife while her father is a jeepney driver. After school, she helps her mother sell candies, cigarettes, soft drinks and native delicacies at the Grand Plaza in Caloocan.

Both Lota Jane and Emily have responded to emergency cases. When Rolly Jeres, 15 years old, fell and hit his head he felt dizzy and was brought by the two JHWs to the East Avenue Medical Center. This is a result of the lessons they have learned from their training as JHWs.

Joseph And May Carl

Joseph Rodriguez, a 16-year-old JHW living on the streets of Malate recounts that at first, he did not take his role as a JHW seriously, but when he saw how other JHWs assisted other street children, he began actively performing his role as JHW as well. He says "Sa pagiging JHW, marami kang maitutulong sa mga kapwa mo bata. Pwede mo silang kausapin at sabihan na masama ang mag-droga at mga sekswal na gawain. Masusubaybayan mo rin ang pag-inom ng gamot ng mga batang maysakit sa tamang oras."

Once, a teenager named Melissa Magpugay, 13 years old, had difficulty hearing. Joseph brought her to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). Melissa was diagnosed to have a boil (pigsa) inside her ear and was operated on two weeks later. Before the operation, Joseph says he was involved in the preparation. "Inasikaso ko yung mga kailangan niya (Melissa) tulad ng mga gamot at iba pang papeles." When asked how he felt when she was healed, he says, "Pag magaling na yung natulungan ko, masaya ako." Because of what he has learned from the JHW training sessions and seeing the street educators in action, he dreams of becoming a street educator someday. "Ako na lang ang magtuturo sa kanila (street children)."

May Carl Longanilla is a 14-year-old JHW who was just trained in August this year at the OMC Retreat House in Mapayapa Village, Quezon City. May Carl wants to become a nurse someday. She says even before she became a JHW she was already interested in helping other children. "Hindi pa ako JHW, nanggagamot na ako." It was through her Kuya Dante’s (the street educator in her area) motivation and stories about the JHW Project that she decided to train and become one. On one occasion, one of the children in their area, a two-year-old named Mikaela, fell and her head hit the pavement. May Carl brought Mikaela to PGH for medical attention. She says that when she is able to help, "Magaan ang pakiramdam at nagpapasalamat ako kay Lord."

These JHWs are willing to help other children and even adults in times of emergency. They can be counted upon to reach out to other children especially in areas where health services are not accessible.

We need your help....

Currently, Childhope is expanding the training of the Junior Health Workers and is aiming to train an additional thirty children working on the streets and thirty from the urban poor communities of Paco in District V, Manila. Childhope needs the support of individuals and groups for the JHW project. For inquiries please call 563-4647 or 561-7118 (ask for Ms. Mamelle Vigo, project coordinator) or email Error! Reference source not found. You may also log on to www.childhope.org.ph.