Imagine your life in a rural coastal village in the Philippines, in a home above a makeshift chicken coop. Think of the smells, the sounds and the feeling of worry of where your next meal will come from. With little income, you are left concerned about your own health, and also the wellbeing of your child.
This was the reality for Ramely, a mother living in Iloilo City. Things began to change for Rameley’s family when they began receiving nutritious Rise Against Hunger meals through partner International Care Ministries (ICM).
She shares that the meals are a great help to her family, particularly her son, Alter. With the help of the meals, Alter has gained weight and recovered from malnutrition. In addition to providing regular nutrients, the meals also help Ramely to save money as she no longer has to spend her income solely on food.
Arnold, the pastor of the church Ramely attends, explains that the Rise Against Hunger meals are used as the primary food source for the ICM program called Home-Based Feeding (HBF), which primarily supports malnourished children. The introduction of the meals has helped malnourished children in the community reach their target weights. For children like Ramely, the meal packages also guarantee families more consistent access food, particularly when many men in the communities don’t earn enough income as fishermen to cover their families’ expenses.
Sandra, a health trainer in the community shares that the Rise Against Hunger meals have been a great substitute to the usual diet of plain rice for those involved in the ICM program. Having worked on Alter’s case, she shares that before the Rise Against Hunger meals, Alter was underweight by 3.4 lbs., and after 14 weeks of feeding, he even exceeded his target weight and recovered from malnutrition.
Chances are, if you are reading this, your everyday life looks quite different from Ramley’s. Visit our Get Involved page to find out how you can help create change for families and individuals like her around the world.