ADDRESSING CHILD HUNGER AND MALNUTRITION
INVITATION TO SUPPORT
Fr. Ben Nebres, SJ invites us to support the food augmentation program of ACED (Ateneo Center for Educational Development) headed by Dr. Carmela (Mel) Oracion, Director. He says, “We really have to attend to the problem of malnutrition. A year or two of delayed education can be repaired, but a damaged brain of a child because of malnutrition can no longer be repaired.”
HUNGER IS OUR BIGGER CRISIS
Economist and Ateneo professor Cielito Habito writes in his recent No Free Lunch column in the Inquirer:
• COVID 19: 2,059 deaths as of August 4 – WE ARE ALARMED
• Filipino children deaths in recent years: 31,000 every year due to poor nourishment
• 30 million Filipinos, mostly children, are regularly hungry
• Bodies and brains are stunted depriving them of a healthy FUTURE
• WE HAVE TO BE EVEN MORE ALARMED
HOW WE CAN MOVE TO ACTION
Fr. Ben recalls, "A friend told me 40 years ago...
• Getting others involved in education and health for the poor is like spreading a GOOD VIRUS
• We have to be infected with the VIRUS of caring and concern ourselves
• Then invite others to see, be moved and help them be INFECTED with this VIRUS of CARING AND CONCERN
• From meeting the children and seeing their joy in the little food we share with them.
• Thank you for being infected with this virus of caring "
FOOD AUGMENTATION PROGRAM
ABOUT ACED
The Ateneo Center for Educational Development (ACED) was established 23 years ago. Its primary mission is the training of public schools principals and teachers. Through the years, its social engagements have included in-school feeding programs. The ACED team oversees the food augmentation program to ensure the effective and timely delivery of food packs to the beneficiaries.
ADAPTING TO COVID19
Covid-19 has forced us to adapt, to shift to alternative ways of bringing food to the children while preventing the spread of the virus. 18 June 2020 was the start of our Food Augmentation Program. In the fight against hunger, there is no time to lose.
OUR FOOD RATIONING PROGRAM
• Food rations for the child as well as and his or her family
• Providing vegetable packs once a week
• Aims to “keep the children in school” and do well in their lessons
• Beneficiaries can be identified based on their BMI or as recommended by the school principals if measurements are not available
• Vegetables are sourced directly from farmers
• Transport of food packs is done by people who lost their jobs
BENEFICIARY SCHOOLS
Maligaya Elementary School, Congressional District 5, Quezon City (300 beneficiaries): Principal, Dr Wilma C Manio; enrollment - 4,700 students; most students come from very poor communities; many parents are daily wage-earners (labandera, construction, tagalinis ng bahay)
Ramon Magsaysay Elementary School, Congressional District 1, Quezon City (200 beneficiaries): Principal, Mrs Shiarell Loida M Cruz; enrollment - 1,200 students; some students live inside the Manila North Cemetery; many parents are daily wage-earners (labandera, construction, tagalinis ng bahay)
WEEKLY FOOD RATIONING
Data on consumption by food groups reveal that less than 50% of children's diet in Metro Manila cities include fruit, vegetables, milk and milk products. Thus, our weekly food packs consist largely of nutritious vegetables to supplement the families' rice intake and directly sourced from farmer organizations:
WEEK 1 (cost, Php 87.50)
1 kg eggplant, 0.5 kg camote, 1 pc upo, 0.5 kg patola, 0.75 kg tomatoes, 1 pack monggo
WEEK 2 (cost, Php 84.00)
1 kg sayote, 0.5 kg baguio beans, 0.5 kg cabbage, 0.5 kg baguio pechay, 0.75 kg tomatoes, 1 pack monggo
WEEK 3 (cost, Php 84.50)
1 pc upo, 0.75 kg eggplant, 0.5 kg sitaw, 0.75 kg white corn, 0.5 kg okra, 1 kg tomatoes
WEEK 4 (cost, Php 80.50)
2 pcs cucumber, 1 kg sayote, 0.5 kg cabbage, 0.5 kg talbos ng camote, 0.5 kg eggplant, 1 pc upo
HOW TO SUPPORT US
DONATION LEVELS
- Php 90 benefits one family for one week
- Php 360 benefits one family for one month
- Php 3,600 benefits one family for one school year
CONTACT INFORMATION
Dr. Carmela (Mel) Oracion, Director, Ateneo Center for Educational Development (ACED)
Email: coracion@ateneo.edu
Phone: +63 918 917 1339
BANK INFORMATION
Account Name - Ateneo de Manila University
BPI (Php); Account No. - 3081-0006-29
BPI (USD); Account No. - 3084-0002-04; SWIFT Code - BOPIPHMM
Citibank NA (USD); Account No. - 0012-1325-19; SWIFT Code - CITIPHMX ; ABA No. - 021000089
BPI (Euro); Account No. - 3084-0602-07 ; SWIFT Code - BOPIPHMM
Please email the transaction receipt of your deposit to Dr. Carmela Oracion at coracion@ateneo.edu for proper identification, tracking and acknowledgement. All donations will be gratefully acknowledged with an Official Receipt.