Pilipinas Shell Foundation (PSFI) and its partner organizations, Manila Water Foundation (MWF) and World Vision (WV), recently launched its health and nutrition program that would help local government in two towns in Camarines Sur to strengthen its intervention on preventing malnutrition among young children.
The health and nutrition program called Roots to Shoots will address malnutrition in Bombon and Pasacao through activities related to food security, setting up WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) facilities, and conducting breastfeeding and nutrition sessions among child caregivers.
“Let's take this program seriously," Pasacao Municipal Mayor Niño Tayco remarked during the Roots to Shoots launched in his municipality last July 14. "A family's health is of utmost importance nowadays."
The program launched was also to support the national government's National Nutrition Month with the "Batang Pinoy SANA TALL.. Iwas Stunting, SAMA ALL" which focuses on stunting as a preventable illness if a mother has access to nutrition, health and social services in the first 1000 days of a child.
Based on National Nutrition Council data, 1 in every 3 (30%) is stunted, making the Philippines the 5th country in the East Asia and Pacific Region with the highest stunting prevalence. Stunting especially in the first 1000 days of a child can lead to low school performance and increased chances of getting sick.
The holistic approach of RTS is attained through each foundation’s adept involvement. Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI) will lead the Food Security and Livelihood component through the implementation of a capacity building program intended to train farmers and community members on farming technologies, as well as to diversify their livelihoods through finance and infrastructure support for community-based enterprises. Manila Water Foundation (MWF), on the other hand, brings in WASH (water access, sanitation, hygiene) interventions in order to properly address nutrition issues such as access to clean water, safe sanitation and awareness on good hygiene behaviors. As for the Nutrition Education and Mother and Child Care components, World Vision Development Philippines (WVDP) will administer its related activities. The latter components aim to sustainably rehabilitate underweight children and build knowledge and skills to improve parenting practices at the household level.