Philippine E-Journals

IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR NUTRISKWELA

Michelle L. Ventanilla | Kamlesh Devi Chambal | Alex Cecilio

 

Abstract:

Colegio de San Juan de Letran, through the Community and Extension Services Department, implemented Nutriskwela is a supplemental feeding project for six years, which aims to help address malnutrition in Brgy. Bucal. The stakeholders were undernourished children ages 3 to 5 years old. Using descriptive research design, results revealed that 77% of children beneficiary gained weight, while 57% achieved a normal nutritional status at the end of feeding. Mothers of beneficiary children gained nutrition knowledge, specifically on proper food preparation, food safety and sanitation, table setting, napkin folding, and flower arrangement. To sustain the improvement in nutrition of beneficiary children, one of the goals of the Nutriskwela project was capacity building of mothers of beneficiary children. They were taught livelihood activities such as food processing and candy making. The ability to share expertise to the partner community, satisfaction gained for the contribution to improve the nutritional status of the beneficiary children, clear understanding of the school-community partnership, increased their social and cultural awareness, strengthened desire to help other people, and opportunity to practice of skills in real-life setting were among the significant learnings shared by the faculty. On the other hand, significant learnings shared by the student volunteers were appreciation of their present condition, value of sharing, and how to impart values and its importance to child development.