Health & Nutrition

Keeping Children Healthy

Lack of access to health services and proper nutrition prevent children from reaching their full potential. To keep children from diseases and malnutrition, World Vision initiate projects to ensure families eat nutritious food, have access to clean water, enjoy quality health services, and are well-informed about infectious diseases like TB, HIV, and AIDS.

World Vision’s health initiatives start from conception, where we educate pregnant and lactating mothers about proper infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices. This year, 9,979 pregnant women and lactating mothers with children zero to 23 months were trained on IYCF. We also reached out to 894 community health workers, volunteers, and peer educators so they can conduct IYCF trainings in their communities.

To address malnutrition, World Vision continues to teach parents and caregivers proper and practical feeding, health, and hygiene practices. In the past year, we successfully rehabilitated 730 children through the Positive Deviance/Hearth approach, locally known as Pinoy Nutrition Hub (PNH).

Through the Channels of Hope (COH) program, we worked with schools, local government units, and faith-based organizations to provide children and youth aged 12 to 17 with relevant information about HIV and AIDS. Likewise, we continue to mobilize TB task forces that can identify cases of tuberculosis in their communities and help patients receive appropriate treatment.


THE JOY OF GOOD HEALTH

Anabelle would spend an average of P250 per day to support her children’s medical needs. It worried her and her husband especially when Jomar, their eldest son, was about to enter pre-school.
To help her children be healthier, she enrolled her sons to World Vision’s Pinoy Nutrition Hub (PNH), a nutrition-focused program that aims to rehabilitate malnourished children in their own homes. During the 12-day workshop, Anabelle learned how to prepare balanced meals to ensure sustainability of feeding even after the end of the sessions.

“Cooking nutritious meals is new to me but I am committed to learn and apply it in our home for my children,” Anabelle expressed. “A healthy body is the least that I can provide to them.”
Families enrolled in PNH also received vegetable seedlings. They used it to grow a garden in their backyard where they can source fresh vegetables and crops. Anabelle’s vegetable garden is an indication that nutrition feeding is being sustained after the PNH sessions. READ FULL STORY


First 1,000 Days

World Vision and the Crowd-Based Monitoring of Milk Code Compliance (CMMCC) project join breastfeeding advocates in lauding the Congress for the passage and enactment of Republic Act 11148 or the “Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act.” The law aims to provide health and nutrition services to children in the first 1,000 days of their lives, which is considered the “window of opportunity” that can determine the child’s lifelong health. During this stage, it is crucial to ensure that infants receive only breastmilk from their mothers for at least six months, and are given proper complementary food with continuous breastfeeding up to 2 years and beyond.


We aim to

Health & Nutrition
Improve the nutritional status of children aged 0 to 59 months
Health & Nutrition
Increase the protection of children 0 to 18 years old from tuberculosis, HIV and AIDS

We keep children safe and healthy

  • Pinoy Nutrition Hub addresses malnutrition by rehabilitating malnourished children using local and affordable means. We teach parents and caregivers good practices for feeding, proper hygiene and health care.
  • Channels of Hope for HIV organizes local volunteers as trainers to sensitize communities on HIV and AIDS. We create local plans to promote community action against the spread of these diseases.
  • Social Mobilization on TB gathers TB Task Forces together to identify sick people and to refer them to health centers for free diagnostic and treatment services. TB Task Forces also monitor the completion of treatment and advocates for support from stakeholders and relevant government agencies.
BECOME A CHILD SPONSOR

Testimonials

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“Every time I get a letter from the children, natutuwa ako kasi I see their progress. I don’t want them to miss their right to education just because of poverty. I promised that for each achievement I get, I will celebrate by adding more sponsored children. For my fellow OFWs, it is never too late to help. We are given the privilege to earn more. Maybe that “more” is given to you because you are asked to share them with others. A blessing is not a blessing unless you share it.”

-Joanne Rico, World Vision child sponsor

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“One thing that really made me committed [to my sponsored children] is knowing that God does not change His mind when He blesses me, so if He is consistent, what is stopping me from being the same? No one has ever become poor by sharing and giving. I have always felt that I have more than enough and the little amount I can share with a child or two would certainly make a big difference in their lives.”

-Melizza Guiao, World Vision child sponsor

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“I prayed to God to let me be an instrument of love. It really matters that we give what we have and that we support children, their families and communities; that we do not give up on their dreams. Iba ‘yung tumulong tayo sa hindi natin kakilala kasi alam natin na it’s the goodness of the Lord leading us to help these people.”

-Florian Torres, World Vision child sponsor

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“I needed to think less of myself and see where I could give. We always complain about certain things we aren’t happy about in the Philippines. Education for everyone is really something that I can contribute to and not just complain about. It’s my responsibility as a citizen of the Philippines, as a Christian, to share, to return what I feel God has blessed me with or what I feel that my country has given me. The most fulfilling for me would be the times I got a letter from my child. Actually the first time I got a letter, I cried. I was surprised by the emotion it brought out in me.”

-Elyse Pilapil, World Vision child sponsor

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An officer who rose from the ranks and life of  poverty

He is a high-ranking officer of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)- a picture of distinction, confidence and discipline. As the official PCG spokesperson, you may have seen him on television warning the public on an impending danger or calming them after a tragic incident on the Philippine shores.

He is Commander Arman Balilo: a former World Vision sponsored child.

Arman grew up in the slums of Caloocan City, where poverty and misery was the norm. Right after school, he would sell rice cakes to help put food on the table. On other days, he would sell quail eggs and newspapers near the local high school. “Pag di pa kasya yung kinita ko para makakain kaming pamilya, maghahanap pa ako ng scrap gaya ng bote at metal para maibenta ko, pandagdag sa kita,” Arman shares with World Vision.

Arman also recalled the days he would go to Sunday School, “I would attend class shirtless, my face laced with mud. But one day, during what probably was the darkest time in my life, I came across World Vision. Nilapitan ako ng isang WV project staff, inimbita niya kami ng mother ko to know what World Vision is all about, what it can do to help me and my family. I eventually joined the WV Child Sponsorship Program and to make a long story short, it changed my life.”

Suddenly he had opportunity. But Arman knew it wouldn’t be easy. He had to walk some 10 kilometers to and from his high school. Every single day. “Getting to school ws the least of my concerns. While my classmates never had to worry, I couldn’t even afford to buy a single piece of bond paper or find a working typewriter for school projects.”

In college, as his friends partied and splurged on fun and food, Arman had to do with bread and instant noodles during lunch breaks. Instead of giving up, it made Arman even more determined to keep his grades up and earn a college degree. He knew that education was his ticket to a better life.

Today, Commander Armando Balilo a public servant and an inspiration to his loved ones and former poor community,  is blessed with a loving wife and two beautiful daughters. He is also currently sponsoring two children from Palawan.

-Cdr. Armand Balilo, Philippine Coast Guard