World Vision launches malnutrition project in Batangas

To support the Philippine government’s effort to curb malnutrition in the country, World Vision along with local government and school officials in the municipality of Laurel recently launched Project SENSE or Sustained Nutrition through Social Enterprise.

(L-R) Michael Macabasag, World Vision staff in Batangas; Hon. Randy James Amo, Laurel Municipal Mayor; Enrico Menichetti, World Vision advocate; Jun Gordornes, World Vision Resource Development Director; World Vision guest Sher Coria; and Jocelyn Mariscal, World Vision Associate Director for Luzon and Mindanao.

The project is a fundraising campaign of athletes and World Vision advocates Enrico Menichetti and Victor Consunji. Both Menichetti and Consunji ran for seven days last April in The Sahara of Morocco. The race is said to be the toughest on Earth because of the expanse and arduous condition — at 40 degrees Celsius — of the dessert.

“We thank World Vision and its advocates for this initiative. This is timely because the local government is intensifying our campaign on health and nutrition in our municipality,” Randy James Amo, Laurel Mayor, said, adding that health is more important than wealth and advised his constituents to avail of health benefits and programs given to them.

Menichetti agreed to Mayor Amo’s statement and briefly narrated his experience running the 250- kilometer Sahara where runners had to overcome dunes, tough terrains, and extreme heat and exhaustion to reach the finish line. “If you like sports, like running, you have to have a healthy body. I hope that this project will help you to achieve that,” Menichetti told the students.

To welcome Menichetti, students showed their artworks as part of their school slogan and poster contests. Menichetti along with World Vision directors Jun Godornes and Jocelyn Mariscal were judges. Three winners each from the slogan and poster categories got a certificate and gifts from World Vision.

Aside from the contest, the community also held a brief demonstration on how to do an organic fertilizer, where both Mayor Amo and Menichetti participated.

Project SENSE will assist the community in providing healthy and nutritious food among children while helping schools plant organic vegetables and fruits in their garden. Several weighing and height scale were already provided to the local government for use during children’s regular health check up.

World Vision/ July 16, 2018

World Vision is a global Christian relief, development and advocacy organisation dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.

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