Posts

PBA 2021: Converging efforts with local government and RHUs to strengthen health and nutrition initiatives in Mindanao

/in , , /by

Limited access to quality health care has been one of the identified humanitarian gaps within remote areas even before the pandemic. This immediately took a turn for the worse when COVID-19 negatively impacted these health systems. Many primary healthcare services have become inaccessible due to the lockdown restrictions or overcapacity of patients. Conflict-affected communities─especially the poor, displaced, and those in other vulnerable conditions─are at greater risk more than ever.

This is why our Program-Based Approach (PBA) in Mindanao has been coordinating with rural health units to ensure that primary health services are available, sustainable, and easily accessed by vulnerable communities.

Since the second quarter of 2021, we have been sponsoring medical-dental missions of the local government with support funding from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA).

Dental Services during the Health Mission at Lumbatan last August 23, 2021 (Photo by PBA Mindanao 2021 for Action Against Hunger)

A total of 1,202 people—collectively from Binidayan and Lumbatan of Lanao del Sur—participated in a series of activities from July 26 to September 2. Our nutrition screening activities were also integrated with the health mission to converge our health initiatives on the ground.

MUAC Screening during the Health Mission at Lumbatan on September 2, 2021 (Photo by PBA Mindanao 2021 for Action Against Hunger)

Following the nutrition screening, all individuals identified to have severe or moderate acute malnutrition were then referred to the RHUs to receive appropriate care and treatment. To supplement their nutritional needs, they will also receive financial assistance from our multi-purpose cash program.

Nutrition Awareness Session during the Health Mission in Binidayan on July 26, 2021(Photo by PBA Mindanao 2021 for Action Against Hunger)

Aside from these interventions, nutrition-awareness sessions were also held to refresh or heighten the participants’ knowledge of good health practices. In Binidayan, pregnant and lactating women (PLW) who are at nutritional risk also received hygiene kits and hygiene promotion sessions.

Hygiene Kit Distribution for PLWs at Binidayan during the Health Mission on July 26, 2021 (Photo by PBA Mindanao 2021 for Action Against Hunger)

Our efforts to stop and prevent hunger continues. We aim to fully protect, assist, and advocate for disadvantaged communities that are at greater risk to societal, environmental, and health crises.

The Program-Based Approach (PBA), otherwise referred to as ‘Multi-Sectoral Lifesaving Assistance to People Most Vulnerable to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Conflict, and Disasters ─ Mindanao Program 2021’ is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and implemented by Action Against Hunger Philippines.

Written by Joyce Anne Sandajan Read more

With The Coronavirus Pandemic Far From Over, Many Families From These Vulnerable Communities Continue to Rely On Relief

/in , /by

Communities that are heavily affected by natural disasters or conflicts face food insecurity among other potential problems and risks. With the coronavirus pandemic far from over, many families from these vulnerable communities continue to rely on relief.

Help us enable them to have better access to livelihood opportunities, health assistance or clean water and hygiene facilities. Your support can help these families get back on their feet.

DONATE NOW:

Call For Donations

Photo by Agnes Lavarraine for Action Against Hunger

Access To Safe Water Is Crucial In Preventing Infectious Diseases Like COVID-19

/in , /by

𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝟭𝟵. However, around 7 million Filipinos are dependent on unsafe and unsustainable water sources.

In fact, even before the pandemic, those residing in congested dwellings in informal settlements, transitory sites, and evacuation areas were already facing problems with inadequate water, poor sanitation and waste management, and limited access to health care facilities.

We help these communities through our programs on water, sanitation & hygiene. 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆.
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/call-for-donations/

Photo by Lys Arango for Action Against Hunger

Undernourished People, Especially Young Children, Who Contract COVID-19 Could Be At Greater Risk

/in , /by

Undernourished people, especially young children, who contract COVID-19 could be at greater risk. To counter this, we need to support health facilities in their fight against the pandemic. In addition to this, we are working hard in maintaining the continuity of our maternal and child health programs.

You can help us strengthen and expand our activities focused on child malnutrition, support for women and psychosocial support.

𝗗𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗡𝗢𝗪:
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/call-for-donations/

Emergency Assistance to Typhoon Affected Communities in Catanduanes and Albay Province

/in , /by

We are off to a pretty good start this year. Last week, we held our first distributions of hygiene and water kits to 506 families in selected barangays in Baras and San Miguel, Catanduanes.

This is part of our 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗹𝗯𝗮𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲. We are hoping to reach a total of 900 families for our #TyphoonRolly Response in Catanduanes alone.

Our goal is to provide humanitarian support to 7,930 vulnerable families in Catanduanes and Albay which were affected by the typhoon. Our interventions will include emergency repairs and construction of water and sanitation facilities, more hygiene and water kits distributions, cash assistance, establishing community hand-washing stations, and hygiene promotions through community engagement.

This will be implemented together with our partner, CARE Philippines, with funding from USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.

Nutrition-sensitization Trainings For Our Local Government Partners and Health Volunteers

/in , /by

Prior to the pandemic, the Philippines was already one of the top 10 countries worldwide with the highest number of stunted children. This is alarming since the risk of mortality among undernourished children, increases 15-fold if they develop pneumonia.

Because of this, we rolled out nutrition-sensitization trainings for our local government partners and health volunteers who are our allies in ensuring the health and safety of the communities we work with.

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵: https://actionagainsthunger.ph/what-we-do/…

Photo by Daniel Burgui for Action Against Hunger

A Common Tool Used to Determine If a Child is Malnourished

/in , /by
A MUAC or “Mid-Upper Arm Circumference” tape is one common tool that we use to determine if a child is malnourished.
 
As the world’s hunger specialist, we are working in remote areas to provide children assistance that are focused on their nutrition and health. But aside from this, we also enlighten their families on their roles in ensuring the health of their children, and educating them on the many external factors that can cause malnutrition.
 
Together, we can reach more families with our nutrition and health programs.
𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿.
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/call-for-donations/
 
(Photo by Maria Theresa Cortes for Action Against Hunger)

Trained to Train her Fellow Evacuees: Meet Soraya Camid, one of our #RealLifeHeroes

/in , /by
“So kapangunab sa lima na ipakalidas ko mga sakit (Proper handwashing helps a lot in preventing diseases.)”

This is Soraya Camid’s constant advice to her fellow evacuees. Soraya and her family were one of the many people who were displaced because of the Marawi Siege back in 2017. After being trained by Action Against Hunger on basic hygiene promotion, she now volunteers as a Community Hygiene Promoter (CHP) in Sugod, Madalum, Lanao del Sur.

Last October 15, Soraya, together with her fellow CHPs and our Iligan team, celebrated #GlobalHandwashingDay by raising awareness on the importance of handwashing in preventing disease transmission and saving lives. They conducted a hygiene promotion session in Madalum, wherein Soraya shares her gained knowledge on WASH with her community.

Despite the struggles she experienced, Soraya moves forward and works hard to influence her community positively, making her one of our Real-Life Heroes. (Photos by Lowelyn Sumayo for Action Against Hunger)

Written by Lowelyn Sumayo.

Maximizing Efforts to Ensure Coverage of the Immediate Needs of Vulnerable Families

/in , /by

Around 13.4 million Filipino families considered themselves poor, resulting to the highest self-rated poverty recorded in the last five years according to the 2019 SWS Survey. As poverty has direct effects to food insecurity, the hunger crisis in the Philippines is expected to worsen because of the pandemic.

Now more than ever, we are maximizing our efforts to ensure coverage of the immediate needs of vulnerable families that do not have access to food. With your help, we can provide more food packs, cash distributions, and livelihood support or cash-for-work programs for the communities we are working with.

𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄.
https://actionagainsthunger.ph/call-for-donations/

(Photo by Alfons Rodriguez for Action Against Hunger)

Real Life Heroes: Nora Landas

/in , /by
Last week, we sat down with Nora Landas, one of our Real-Life Heroes from Barangay Ilomavis, Kidapawan City. Nora shares the struggles of living in an evacuation site and the anxiety and stress that came along with them.
 
“It is never easy to live in tents. You’re not able to do the things you used to do, and it’s really a different feeling comparted to being in the comfort of your own home,” says Nora.
“How long are we going to be like this?” is a usual sentiment of mothers, young adults, and even children who are living in evacuation and transitory sites. Not only have their lives have changed due to the Mindanao earthquakes, the pandemic has worsened the situation ever since social activities in the sites have been limited.

(Photo by Debbie Olivo for Action Against Hunger)

 

It wasn’t until Nora and her fellow volunteers applied mental health and psychosocial (MHPSS) care practices that insights in the community started becoming more positive. “The PSS sessions conducted in our respective assigned areas rekindled the social involvement between members of the community.” People appreciated the things they’ve learned from the sessions while at the same time enjoying the company of other parents and adults.

(Photo by Debbie Olivo for Action Against Hunger)

Together with our Earthquake Response Team, volunteers also provided the participants with education and information on nutrition & health.

Nora and her fellow volunteers were trained on a series of community-based PSS Sessions conducted last February by Action Against Hunger Philippines and funded by the European Union. The activity aimed to give equal importance to mental and social health among internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Life-saving Humanitarian Assistance to People Affected by the Mindanao Earthquake is funded by the European Union, and implemented by Action Against Hunger Philippines, CARE Philippines, and ACCORD Incorporated.

Written by Debbie Olivo.