Children in the remote town of Villareal in Samar face severe malnutrition and are at risk of being infected with life-threatening diseases, including COVID-19, amid difficulties in getting access to clean water and toilets.
To help address the problem, the ON Semiconductor Foundation awarded $30,612 USD (approximately 1.5-million PHP) to Save the Children Philippines to provide access to potable water and clean toilets to around 500 children and their families in the next eight months.
The Behavior change through Inclusive Water, Sanitation and Hygiene programming for marginalized Group (BIG) project will be implemented in barangays Cambaguio, Igot, Macopa, Conant and Plaridel.
Atty. Alberto Muyot, chief executive officer of Save the Children Philippines, said access to water and improved sanitation, and hygiene behaviors cannot be compromised especially with the current pandemic.
“Water, sanitation and hygiene practices are fundamental human rights and contribute to the nutritional status of under-five children. However, these practices are hindered by poor infrastructure and low socio-economic status of many households in low-income provinces in the Philippines,” said Muyot.
At least 168 children will learn basic sanitation and hygiene to protect themselves from COVID-19 infection and other diseases. At the same time, around 318 families will be provided learning sessions on improving practices on water, sanitation and hygiene. Over 80 households will also be provided access to clean toilets.
The ON Semiconductor Foundation is committed to serving the needs of communities through the investment of resources. Its primary focus for giving is in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) education, health, disaster relief, environment and human services.
“Investing in the communities in which we operate and where our employees live is critical to our organization as we look to continue our legacy of giving and volunteering,” said Theresa Haywood-McCarley, senior director of corporate social responsibility and board secretary of the ON Semiconductor Foundation.
The project complements the existing Nutrition among Urban Poor through Unified Response (NURTURE) First 1,000 Days project being implemented by Save the Children Philippines in the identified five barangays. The program includes parenting sessions geared towards the desired behaviors on maternal newborn and child health and nutrition, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), family planning, and early child development and child protection as a nutrition sensitive approach.
ABOUT SAVE THE CHILDREN PHILIPPINES
Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding 100 years ago, we’ve changed the lives of more than one billion children. In the Philippines and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn, and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.
ABOUT THE ON SEMICONDUCTOR FOUNDATION
The ON Semiconductor Foundation is committed to serving the needs of communities through the investment of resources. After a conversion of the ON Semiconductor’s global corporate giving and employee volunteer programs, the ON Semiconductor Foundation was established in February 2019 and became a nonprofit organization formed under the laws of the State of Arizona in January 2020, in an effort to continue the legacy of giving and volunteering in the communities where it does business and where its employees live. For further information about the ON Semiconductor Foundation, read more here.