Of course, to our very own community - the Barangay (sorry I can't give out the name as it can send me to jail. LOL. let's just name it Brgy. Magic).
For the past seven weeks, we were sent to a community in Batangas where we were expected to act as program managers whose objectives are to mobilize the community leaders to implementing nutrition programs (making it their own) and hopefully, to have behavior change towards nutrition among the members of the community.
I was both excited and anxious to be doing such feat. It was a big responsibility on our part of course as nutrition, whether we like to hear it or not, was really not a great concern in this level. Yes, there were feeding programs implemented but it wasn't really the barangay's effort to address malnutrition. In fact, most of the barangays don't have an exact budget for nutrition; it is included in the health category or worse in the "others".
The barangay we were assigned attempted to address malnutrition by having their own feeding program for more or less 4 months. but the barangay captain saw that it wasn't effective as mothers were kind of hard headed. They would ask to get their child's share and eventually share it with her other children. So, that was the case, feeding programs was seen by the community not as a way against malnutrition but as a time where they get free food for their children, malnourished or not. I guess I should write a separate blog about the community's perspective of malnutrition or something about mallnutrition.
Anyway, the first two weeks were about community diagnosis. this is when we have to do house to house interview to determine nutrition-related problems. we did 24-hour recall for all age groups and an interview on their food practices. it was a really tough job. it required your whole mind, body and heart. It required your whole time and attention. We needed to brave the long road going to the farthest area of the barangay while being under the scourging heat of the sun. We needed to brave even the rain as we thought that we would be a fool if we just sit around waiting for the rain to stop. We even learned how to be brave in front of barking big dogs. We learned to really be efficient and flexible in terms of using our time. I learned to ride the jokes of the community members even when I didn't actually understand. And lastly, we made ourselves everything to the barangay. Even when we were exhausted, we put a smile in our faces once we where outside our house which we later earned a compliment from the community. We were glad to hear that they were happy to have us as we were always courteous and smiling.
During our second week, we also got the image of "kalsada girls". It was a compliment I would say as people would always see us in the road doing our house to house interview from morning until before 6 in the evening. It reflects how hardworking we were as we needed to.and then, another image was also relayed to us by our cute new friend (a grade 2 student who is Kap's granddaughter. Let's call her Ish). She told us she would always peep in our window and would always see us facing our laptop, not talking to each other at all. She said we were busy all the time. Yes, we were as that was the time when we needed to submit our community diagnosis paper. but what Ish really wanted was to play with us. So we told her that she could come anytime. She also asked us to watch TV with her which we agreed. Ish is actually a mature child so she didn't have a lot of playmates. She was adorable so to say. She would think about others first, especially her family who is living in a city.
After the diagnosis, we were expected to present it to the barangay and plan for programs to address the problem. We actually had to form a Barangay Nutrition Committee (BNC) to head the programs on nutrition which we did. At the launghing of the programs, the BNC members took oath and we saw how happy they were being part of this committee. And so, we started to implement the programs. Thanks to our fellow interns (student nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapist, speech pathologist and medical interns) in the barangay that we were able to coordinate all the programs well and implemented it successfully. and of course, thanks to the BNC who gave all their support to these programs.
So that was the success factor of this community practicum - being able to mobilize the officials, owning the programs. We strongly believe that no matter how successful the start of the program is if the people who will be left to facilitate it wouldn't feel the same burden as us, it will result to a downfall. Sustainability is achieved if the BNC regards the program as their own. and that was Brgy. Magic had shown and we were really touch.
I miss living there. It has been almost 3 weeks. and I am most excited of seeing the barangay grow.
Stands the mighty barangay hall
The river which was just 2 houses behind the house we were living in. It separates the barangay and another barangay.
Even during rainy days, we chose to work.
The road to the farther area of the barangay.
The school where we held an activity.
We're giving our best ideas to have a successful launch.
A mother's class lesson for our daycare mothers
They bloomed in no time, our Purok Gulayan! (thanks to Mr. Sun, Mr. Rain and the green thumbs of the community members including us, hahaha)