In line with one of the pillars of the University Extension and Training Modalities Program, “Adopt-a-Barangay Program,” the College of Nursing has been active in raising awareness against malnutrition.

The said program was held last February 16, 2022 at Barangay Salvacion, Echague. It was an Inter-College Extension Strategy and Approach towards transforming a selected Barangay into a self-reliant, empowered, and progressive community.

One of the challenges of living conditions in a third world country like the Philippines, is to address the problem of malnutrition in the most sustainable way possible.  It is not enough to just feed them every time, it is also essential to instill in them the importance of the value of food and nutrition in every meal, so that when they decide to prepare their own food, no matter how cheap and simple the preparation is, the nutritive value is what counts.   

A series of feeding program activities and fun games was conducted to promote community’s involvement in establishing a better foundation of children’s health in the community. The student nurses involved started the program with health teaching regarding proper handling and preparation of food. It involves washing hands repeatedly, usage of safe and clean water, storing foods carefully, avoiding contact with raw and cooked food, and most importantly cooking food thoroughly.

They also stressed the importance of including fresh fruits and vegetables, like green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, and eggplants. These could be grown in the backyard, and the inclusion of these vegetables and fruits in the nutrition of the community is one of the vital solutions in combating malnutrition. Additional weighing activities was also incorporated in the program for the monitoring of the health improvement among the target population. The changes in the weight of the children indicates the effectiveness of the feeding program, and it also gives an idea to the College of Nursing group whether their choices of meal prepared were really beneficial.

This program is a two-way accomplishment, both of the parties benefited from the said activity.

When we have healthy youngsters, we are assured of a healthier future in the coming generations.  In line with this belief, the College of Nursing, and the Isabela State University in general, is filled with enthusiasm to continue to the pursuit of a healthier, stronger and self-reliant nation!