Foundation contributes to drive vs malnutrition

A Valenzuela City-based non-government organization was cited recently by Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian for launching a feeding program that aims to eradicate malnutrition.

In the graduation rites of the 116 pre-school children who are beneficiaries of the Gabay Buhay supplemental feeding project, Gatchalian underscored the importance of a serious program that addresses the problem of child malnutrition.

Gabay Buhay is a community-based project being undertaken by Odyssey Foundation Inc., a non-stock, non-profit humanitarian group.

Odyssey Foundation launched the supplemental feeding project on May 20. It identified 116 children from Barrio Paso de Blas who are undernourished and enrolled them in the program after three weeks of clinical preparations.

Under the program, supplemental feeding was conducted four times a week, from Tuesday to Friday from June to October. Aside from food, the children were given vitamins.

Four monthly check-ups were conducted among the children. Results from the fourth month evaluation showed that none of the children was suffering from malnutrition anymore.

"We are happy and encouraged by the outcome of the first phase of the Gabay Buhay project," said Eleanore Erguiza, a social worker from Odyssey Foundation.

"The program has given these children a chance to experience healthy children, which is essential if they are to become productive members of our society. This serves as a challenge for the foundation to continue implementing the program to save more Filipino children from malnutrition," said Erguiza.

The graduates were given certificates with the theme "Malulusog na po kami!" manifesting that their weight has improved to normal level for their age, 16 weeks after they were enrolled in the program in June.

Erguiza cited the results of a survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), which found that 3.7 million Filipino pre-school children aged five and below, were underweight as of 2001.

In a June 21, 2005 report of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), 12 million out of 17 million Filipino children aged two to 10 are malnourished.

Among children aged three to six, 2.20 million or 28 percent are underweight.

Incidence of child malnutrition in Metro Manila is highest in Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela, according to the DSWD report.