Malnutrition is still one of the leading causes of death in developing countries, which is why we at Outsourcing Angel, with the help of Tribu ni Bro, are continuously looking for ways to help curb its devastating effects.
On July 22, our group braved the heavy rains to provide food and nourishment to the children of the Dumagat Tribe in the province of Bulacan. As the country enters typhoon season, traveling to remote rural areas has become more difficult. But this didn’t stop our team from fulfilling our mission.
It took our group three hours to get to Ipo Dam in San Mateo, Norzagaray, Bulacan where the Dumagat families reside. The heavy rains have caused the nearby river to overflow, which made it difficult for the people in the community to reach the feeding site. Some of the local children had to hike a good 30 minutes, while others had to swim across the river.
Despite the weather, we were delighted to have a full house of 110 children and 30 adults. We weren’t able to conduct our usual storytelling and magic show due to the heavy rains, but we distributed balloons to the children to add more life and colour to the activity.
Getting access to food has always been a concern for people in the village, especially during the rainy season when the overflowing river makes it more difficult for them to secure food for their families. Feeding programs such as this are providing them relief from hunger and also fill the nutritional gaps common among the children in the community.
Apart from being a major hurdle for securing food, the overflowing river could also be a threat to the safety of the people of the Dumagat Tribe. They feel that a hanging bridge made of bamboo, nylon cables and nails will help them cross the river especially during the rainy season. The children are also in need of slippers and uniforms they could wear to school.
As we continue to find ways to reach out to impoverished communities in the Philippines, we are beyond happy to witness the immediate impact we are already making, seeing the smiles on the children’s faces and receiving the gratitude from parents. Through our feeding programs, we are opening the door to more projects that will help improve the way of living of underprivileged families.