Dietary Program Serves 600 Students Daily at Daycare Centers in Taguig, Philippines
In the Philippines, the work to end hunger starts with a meal by providing immediate nutritional assistance and extends beyond it to create real impact for families and their children. As 29% of children are affected by stunted growth, Rise Against Hunger Philippines implements a dietary supplementation program at local daycares to improve access to education and nutritious meals for children facing malnutrition in Taguig, a city in metro Manila, Philippines.
With five centers in the area, the daycares serve more than 600 students ages 3 to 5 each day, where teachers, volunteers and parents prepare meals donated by Rise Against Hunger Philippines at the daycares with additional ingredients, including local fruits and vegetables. To ensure students continue to have access to meals during the summer months, schoolchildren receive take-home rations. For Aiza, a mother and program participant, these meals provide peace of mind, “They will get their food from the school feeding program and bring it home. He brings food to his brother and his older sister. That’s why the feeding program is a great help.”
This dietary supplementation program is among the many programs led by global network member Rise Against Hunger and in-country impact partners International Care Ministries and Convoy of Hope, serving more than 1.73 million people in the country each year.
Mary Fe Delos Reyes, Child Development Worker in San Jose Daycare Center
Child Development Worker in San Jose Daycare Center Mary Fe Delos Reyes says, “We have [the] school feeding program. So, it’s a great help because they learn to eat, may it be champorado [chocolate rice] porridge, or coco-milk dish. So, at least, they have a good start in eating.” She further explains that the nutritional quality of diverse foods has tremendously impacted the overall health and well-being of the students, encouraging parents to enroll their children at their local daycare center.
At the San Jose Daycare Center, this dietary supplementation program provides hope for a healthier tomorrow, kickstarting a family journey out of hunger, one meal at a time. Mary says, “The parents also enjoyed and are happy because their children, more than the things they learn, even with the matter of their health, has been provided.” Many students have gained weight and have more energy to sing, play and learn during class since the feeding program began at the daycare — paving the way toward brighter futures for children and their families.
Watch the video below to learn more about the Taguig School Feeding Daycare and hear from the program participants whose children now have access to quality education and nutritious meals — an impact YOU have made possible!
Your gift leads to resilience and self-sufficiency for people across the globe, one meal at a time. Consider joining the movement to end hunger with a gift of $10 or more to ensure more families receive hot meals from feeding programs in the Philippines and beyond.