Malnutrition is one of the common problems faced in the Philippines such as communities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). In a survey done in 2021, it was found out that 2.9M Filipino children below 10 years old were estimated to have experienced hunger. And we all know that prolonged hunger results in malnutrition.
Malnutrition is often linked to unsafe water, poor sanitation, lack of hygiene that often results to children developing various illnesses, with diarrhea topping the list.
With these in mind, #BatangMatatag movement is borne with the aim to extend health, nutrition, sanitation, and education access especially to BARMM. The movement was started by Save the Children Philippines and Erceflora Kiddie. It focuses on proving access to clean and nutritious food to communities in BARMM via the Life Changer for Children Initiative of Save the Children.
Guest speakers include Dr. Jocelyn Eusebio, a Specialist for Developmental and Behavior Pediatrics; Carol Ann Stewart, Batang Matatag Ambassador; and Atty. Alberto Muyot, CEO of Save the Children Philippines.
"The lack of proper education, nutrition, and sanitation could lead to repeated cases of illnesses like diarrhea," said Stewart. "Making people aware and getting them involved allows us to prevent the worsk-case scenario from happening."
Steward highlighted that the key to the campaign is realigning people's focus on preventive measures and building the resilience of kids through implementing and maintaining sustainable facilities in conflict-affected areas in BARMM.
"We hope that everyone realizes that they are part of a bigger movement, one that could potentially improve the country's health and nutrition status," added Stewart. "We hope this would be a steppingstone for Filipinos everywhere to continue spreading awareness and maintaining the good practices in proper food preparation and sanitation."
Of course, Stewart also discussed the importance of forming partnerships to live out their purpose as an organization and how it relates to their self-care mission.
For her part, Dr. Eusebio provided insights about how children's growth and development are affected by malnutrition and illnesses such as diarrhea. "Illnesses like diarrhea is a preventable disease. What our communities need is proper awareness and education on easy and accessible ways to prevent it. We hope to address the lack of information on the disease and encourage people to take proactive measures at home and in the community."
Meanwhile, Atty. Muyot of Save the Children Philippines provided some context on the situation in BARMM, what the organization does to help conflict-affected communities, and how the #BatangMatatag Movement comes into play. "BARMM is one of the most underserved areas in the country, but it also has a lot of potential to thrive and prosper with their rich culture and history; can create positive lasting change in the lives of children and communities in BARMM if we collaborate, support, and journey with them, especially children, in realizing their rights."
Save the Children Philippines hopes for a future where all #BatangMatatag children can live healthy, have access to inclusive and quality education, are protected from all forms of harm, and are able to participate in matters that are important, and which affect them.
The #BatangMatatag Movement helps the public to understand the severity of issues like diarrhea and child nutrition, especially in areas like BARMM. Through this, Batang Matatag is working towards building healthier communities where children will survive and thrive, have access to quality education, and be protected from preventable diseases.
For every purchase of Erceflora Kiddie, a portion goes to helping the lives of children in BARMM.
0 comments:
Post a Comment