It is hard to find time to volunteer in this world full of hustles, but its benefits can be even greater for one as a volunteer.
Ms. Ayleen T. Luis’ journey as a Barangay Nutrition Scholar (BNS) of Daclan for almost four years taught her a lot and it helped her in many ways. During her first time as a BNS, she struggled to interact with the people in the community and work as a volunteer. But as time went by, it made her realize that volunteering does not only help others or the community. It also helps oneself. Being a BNS honed her physically and mentally. She learned how to interact and communicate with different people with different personalities; became more self-confident; gained more knowledge and skills especially about nutrition through activities, seminars, and pieces of training; and developed her skills in documentation and record keeping. Most of all, it makes her happy because she has an opportunity to serve and is able to share God’s Word with her community.
BNS Luis together with the Barangay Nutrition Committee (BNC) members, rural health midwife, the Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), other stakeholders in the barangay, as well as support from the municipal level through the Municipal Nutrition Committee (MNC), Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) and Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) has successfully implemented their nutrition programs despite the challenges of the pandemic.
She actively participated in all the activities such as in the conduct of Operation Timbang plus for 0-50 months old children, active participation in the conduct of Barangay Mobile Nutri-clinic, celebration of the Nutrition month, implementation of the 120-day for malnourished children which was conducted on a weekly basis through a combination of hot meal and take-away ration.
BNS Luis acknowledges that nutrition is not the task of a single person or sector thus, she coordinated with various individuals and stakeholders to source out support for their nutrition activities and projects whether in-kind or cash. She initiated the distribution of request letters to individuals and stakeholders like egg poultry owners, storekeepers, vegetable dealers, and organic growers who are capable of donating. She also ensured that the malnourished children receive all the goods and commodities distributed to them. Some of the goods distributed were Nutri-packs which contain beans, oatmeal, insumix, eggs, iodized salt, vegetables, fruits, and other goods; and hygiene kits containing facemasks, rubbing alcohol, soap, toothbrush, and toothpaste. In addition, the Municipal Agriculture Office provided seeds and other farm inputs which were used to maintain the “Gulayan sa Health Center” anddistributed to the supplemental feeding beneficiaries and other constituents of barangay Daclan.
Moreover, her strong spiritual background inspired her to add sharing God’s Word to her activity she called “Spiritual feeding.” She believes that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God as found in the Bible in Matthew 4:4. The spiritual feeding activity of BNS Luis was in response to the alarming effect of the pandemic on mental health that could lead to stress, anxiety and depression even among children.
Lastly, she acknowledges her fellow volunteer workers, Daclan BHWs, and their Rural Health Midwife for their help, support, and companionship all the way in implementing most of the program and activities of Nutrition as stated in Hebrews 13: 16, “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
Yrgyl Sucdad/ Bella Basalong
