Education is said to be the best weapon to change the world. And because the young generation is the hope of the nation, the faculty of Umapad Elementary School in barangay Umapad, Mandaue City believes that every child deserves a good education.
The school has to address first the nutritional needs of children for them to perform well in academics.
The school has a total student population of 1,128 from Kindergarten to Grade 6, of which 165 are malnourished.
Their lack of nourishment may result in low school attendance that may eventually lead to dropping out of school.
To help the children keep up with school activities, Umapad Elementary School, together with Zenith Foods Corp. and Jollibee Group Foundation, launched a two-year feeding program dubbed as “Busog, Lusog, Talino (BLT)” last Aug. 12.
Two weeks after the launching, feeding coordinator Eusavia Oja said of the 40 pupils from grades 1 and 2 who were served meat and vegetables during schooldays: “The pupils have gained weight and their performance in school has also improved.”
“The children were really malnourished at the start. Some of them were thin and looked sickly and weak. They have began to show an improvement in health.”
However, the remaining 125 malnourished children could not be accommodated yet by the program due to lack of funds.
Interested parties wishing to contribute or help these children may join the program. Please call 4203877 or visit the Umapad Elementary School along UN Avenue, barangay Umapad, Mandaue City. /Seth Bolo