One of the major challenges that constantly faces our beloved Philippines is the present nutritional situation of the country. Being a nurse myself I couldn’t help but shed a tear whenever I come face to face with this reality, from images in television of children dying in hunger from various parts of the country, news articles depicting increases prevalence rate of malnutrition, and even from day to day experiences of seeing these little ones beg for food on streets.

A 4-YEAR-OLD boy eats rice in Sultan Kudarat. JEOFFREY MAITEM, INQUIRER MINDANAO

That is why I really felt grateful whenever I read about programs from various organizations that seeks to improve this reality. One of this is Doleful’s Kapit Bisig Para sa Kabataan (KBPK) in South Cotabato.

An all-time high of 89% over-all improvement rate was achieved in Dolefil’s Kapit Bisig Para sa Kabataan’s (KBPK) Phase V (2011-2012). In 2011 alone, over 5,000 children, ages 0-8,now have better nutritional status, the program’s ultimate goal. Following this success is the launching of KBPK’s 6th year (Phase VI), which aims to rehabilitate more than 5,000 kids from 10 municipalities and one city of the South Cotabato province from 2012-2013.

The launch of KBPK’s 6th year was spontaneous with the Province’s culmination event for the Nutrition Month (July) in Koronadal City on July 27, 2012. Graduates of KBPK Phase V, along with their parents, were also present to celebrate their newfound health and agility. Likewise, winners of the “Gulayan sa Barangay” Contest (part of the program’s food security initiative) were announced during the event. Winning barangays received gardening tools as prize, which will help them improve and expand their backyard gardens.

The Provincial Gov’t of South Cotabato, Dolefil and Mahintana Foundation, Inc., along with numerous business partners and sponsors, are hand-in-hand (hence, “kapit-bisig”) in addressing undernutrition in the province.

“I am grateful to Dolefil & Mahintana for their partnership with the Province of South Cotabato, in programs covering health, education, environment & basic social services,” South Cotabato Governor Arthur Y. Pingoy Jr. stated.

For its 6th year, the project components (health education, deworming, micro-nutrient supplementation, livelihood programs, backyard gardening, etc.) are focused on sustainability and capacitate families to address the nutritional needs of their children. To date, almost 15,000 undernourished children have been improved nutritional status through the KBPK Program of Dolefil.

It is my hope that more organizations will follow the steps of Dolefil until our country will no longer witness hungry beggars on streets or hear about incidences of malnutrition.

Way to go Dolefil!