Dulang Paglaum
Hope to Feed a Child
Report for 2007

During 2007 the project fed 1,827 malnourished children at a total cost of $27 per year for each child in the program.

Not Just a Feeding Program
This is not just a feeding program for malnourished children from 0-6 years old. It is an Integrated Nutrition Program (INP) that tries to inform parents, especially the mothers, to embrace the responsibility of mothering.

There is a curriculum for the formation of parents that includes: catechesis, natural family planning, health and nutrition, cooking and cleanliness.

In addition parents are required to have a vegetable garden or locally known as F.A.I.T.H. (Food Available In The Home).

For city residents we demand at least one square meter where they can plant vegetables needed for the nutrition of their children.

The project was launched on 14 February 2006, at the parish of Our Lady of Fatima, Lapuz, La Paz, Iloilo City but the actual feeding of children did not start until 3 May 2006.

The malnourished children were fed 5 days a week for 6 months with 1,655 children taking part in the first program.

Feeding centers were established in the parishes of: Lapaz, Arevalo, Buenavista, Estancia, Maasin, Alimodian, Culasi, Pedada, Leon, Igbaras, Layog, Sinunag, Buyo, Nueva Valencia, Cabatuan, Leganes, Sta. Teresita, Pitogo, St. Clements, Buntatala, Fundidor, Sta. Monica, Caingin, North Baluarte and Sanitarium.

624 Children Gain Normal Weight after 6 months
Sadly, 263 children were still below normal weight and 131 children very below normal weight.

For one reason or another 178 children just stopped attending the feeding program. The rest are still going through the whole process of the feeding.

The project uncovered the attitudes of some people and the reality of poverty experienced by the poor.

One mother refused to enroll her child to the program for people might think that they are so poor. Feeding programs are only for the poor and they are not that poor as far as she was concerned. How proud can we become?

Others refused to enroll their children because of the responsibilities demanded by the program. They have been used to a lot of dole outs as poor people.

There are no dole outs, only partnerships and parents must be willing to embrace wholeheartedly their responsibilities, or their is no partnership.

If parents do not undergo the formation process sustainability of the whole program can not be assured.

The commitment to liberate these children from malnourishment was given life by our volunteers, who have labored to feed our children and teach their parents.

We are likewise indebted to our benefactors who made this program possible through their financial help.

To all of you, thank you very much!

May you continue to journey with us as we feed the next batches of children. "Whatever they grow up to be, they are still our children."

"The most important of all things we can give them is unconditional love. Not a love that depends on anything at all except they are our children."

This report is based on information kindly supplied by Monsignor Meliton Oso, the program coordinator, and taken from his annual project report.

Total Funds Raised and Donated to the
Feeding Program in 2007 was $630 US Dollars
Enough to feed 136 children for 6 months

This recent $360 donation made on Oct 31, 2007
will make a difference.

Just $3 will feed a malnourished child for one month

The receipt above was for $270 USD collected for the
Feed a Child program and donated on June 22nd 2007.
I apologize for the very crumpled looking receipt.

Anything you can afford to donate will make a real difference to one, or more, of these children.

Give what you can whether it's $1, $3, $5, $10 or more, it doesn't matter because what ever amount you can give will truly make a difference.

The $ refers to US Dollars (USD)

" No one is so poor that he/she cannot give "
Make a Donation of Any Amount - You Choose