One of the municipalities that Goducate’s Community Development Workers for Barangays (CFB) project covers is Alimodian, in the province of Iloilo, Philippines. Alimodian is divided into 51 barangays (villages). Getting to some of these barangays is quite challenging. For example, to get to those furthermost ones takes an hour’s bumpy ride from the town proper, crossing mountains and rivers. This area covers 7 barangays with a population of 4500. Goducate sent a 7-man team to give health-care services and education to both the children and adults.
The trekking that had to follow the ride was challenging. It meant an hour’s mostly uphill walk under the scorching heat of the sun. However, the hospitality of the community offered to us on our arrival more than made up for the rigors of the journey. During the lectures, the people were very attentive and willing to learn about hypertension, diabetes, moringa, and hygiene practices. The adults were given free blood pressure and urine checks, and the children underwent nutritional assessment. The village leaders were very participative and also grateful that Goducate was able to go to their areas.
Since Goducate desires to help people help themselves, the team worked with those people who have leadership skills, who can lead and mobilize their own community. At the start of the program we allowed them to observe what we did, then we gave them little tasks while coaching them and eventually letting them do the work on their own. One of those was Mrs.Prizel Andea, a mother of 4. Her husband works in the army. She hosted the team for 4 days, helped with the BP taking by facilitating the registration and managing the crowd. She also made her own moringa powder and expressed a desire to do house-to-house demonstration of making moringa powder in her neighborhood.
Goducate CDWs always look out for more of these natural leaders, to be maximized to their full potential so that they can also help others help themselves.
