Calape, Bohol – Twenty-five (25) fully trained and empowered women of Barangay San Isidro, Calape, Bohol in Central Visayas are ready to take on their tasks as community mobilizers and peer counsellors on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF). This was so after the women underwent a short course on IYCF last 8-11 October 2014.

Hailing from the different sitios of San Isidro, these volunteers, mostly mothers, have not only re-evaluated their current IYCF practices but are now determined to help other women know about their and their children’s rights to good nutrition.

Chosen as the Bohol Province’s ‘model barangay’ for IYCF community mobilization and peer counsellor, Barangay San Isidro is one of the forty-three bara
ngays of Calape. The municipality is Region VII’s first Nutrition Honour Awardee in CY 2000.  The municipality has its own rural health unit and an LGU community hospital, Calape Mother and Child Hospital, located within its premises, factors that enable easy access to women and children seeking IYCF support.  

Following the four-day course, where they were reviewed on basic nutrition and infant and young and child feeding practices, taught the different counselling techniques, and given a chance to apply the things that they have learned in the practical sessions, these newly trained peer counsellors have declared their intent to make sure that women and their children know their rights to good nutrition.

Funded by the National Nutrition Council and facilitated by the NNC RO 7 staff and locally IYCF trained Municipal Nutrition Committee members, the training were held at the San Isidro Barangay Hall. Barangay Nutrition Committee members were also present during the opening and closing ceremonies and have also voiced their commitment as IYCF team members.

NNC 7 will be conducting three more trainings of this kind, in other provinces throughout the month of October.// NGS