In the Philippines, around 30 percent of children under 5 years of age are stunted. The Philippines’ rate of stunting places it fifth among countries in the East Asia and Pacific region with the highest stunting prevalence, and among the top ten countries globally with the highest number of stunted children. In addition, less than 10 percent of Filipino children can read simple text or comprehend a simple story. Although the Philippines has a basic literacy rate of more than 88.5%, pockets of illiteracy remain.

This project is in support of National Children’s Book Month & National Nutrition Month. The impact the hub is aiming to achieve from this project is to support the educational needs or rights of children in reading, writing, and language through the means of storytelling books written or translated in their own language and an information session on the importance of education. This project also aims to incorporate proper health and nutrition education to children and their caretakers to help them make healthier food choices.

This project’s reach to the youth, caretakers, and community leaders can help disseminate information and educate the community at its core. This can then initiate further discussion of putting more importance on literacy and health and nutrition in other communities, or decision makers, to maybe lead to more policy change.

The goal of this project is to conduct information sessions about the importance of reading, writing and language through a storytelling activity, and the importance of proper health and nutrition. The goals are to have a school supplies drive for the children in each community, to have a feeding program of a balanced meal to the community members, and to have a focus group with community leaders, and other decision makers on placing a renewed importance on literacy and health and nutrition.

Long-term goals would be to establish a community library at the school, for the children to have more access to reading materials and educational resources. As well as to educate not just the caretakers, but also the next generation youth to put an importance on healthy eating habits for proper health and nutrition.