Feeding hope: a case study on nutrition and education
Through its Joy Schools Program, Mondelez Philippines invests in, or more appropriately, builds the future of young people. A school in Tacloban, Leyte, is their newest success story.
In less than a month, it will be exactly one year since super typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda) hit the Philippines.
During its aftermath, international aid and relief goods poured in, monetary pledges were made to the area hit by what is still one of the strongest storms to make landfall in recent history. However, most of those efforts were relief in nature. But how about recovery and rehabilitation?
Mondelez Philippines answered this question by adopting the Panalaron Central Elementary in Tacloban into its Joy Schools program.
A proven formula
Started in 2011, the Joy Schools program began with one neighboring school. Sampaloc Site II Elementary is a public school located near the headquarters of then Kraft Foods (today’s Mondelez Philippines).
The program tackled three fundamental issues: nutrition, teacher training and facilities.
How did this translate into activities which the Company’s own people could contribute to? Mondelez Philippines employees participated in reading programs with the school children. Time was also invested behind painting activities. Food, of course, being the core business of the company, led to Nutrition Education seminars also being conducted.
And the success speaks for itself. From an initial goal of turning Sampaloc Site II into one of the top 10 public elementary schools of Paranaque, the program has exceeded its expectations. In school year 2013-2014, Sampaloc Site II shot up to become #1; it is now at the top in a category of 22 public elementary schools in the City.
Feeding it forward
Inspired by the successes of adopting one school, Mondelez Philippines, in partnership with Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), adopted four more schools in Metro Manila.
Starting June 2013, these schools also adopted the three-pronged approach. Nutrition involved a comprehensive 9-month feeding program to support 150 severely malnourished children per school. Teacher training focused on values formation and subject matter improvement. And finally facilities were rebuilt –kitchens, feeding areas, libraries, bathrooms and classrooms–with the last to be more conducive to learning and development.
But then typhoon Haiyan hit.
Bringing back hope
Mondelez Philippines saw the need to act. Thus, Panalaron Central Elementary in Tacloban became the sixth school and the first one outside of Metro Manila to be adopted into the Joy Schools Program.
Major renovations were done to the school as it was severely damaged by the storm. 18 classrooms were renovated, one new library built, a new kitchen and canteen created, and a playground rebuilt. And clever, sustainable fixes were also done through the renovation.
The seesaw and carousel of the playground is connected to a deep well pump that delivers water to the bathrooms. Rainwater gutters and tanks collect water also for bathrooms. All classrooms and buildings received solatubes and some solar panels to provide free lighting. These innovations help reduce the cost of water and electricity, to aid the school in getting back on its feet.
And this is a long-term commitment. Modelez Philippines has pledged to support Panalaron Central Elementary School for the next three years. The Company also distributed 2,700 Tang Project Recyclass chairs (recycled plastic chairs) to Panalaron and 19 other schools in Tacloban.
Mouths and minds
Aside from being its name, joy is at the very essence of the program. Joyful kids do well in school. Joyful kids are able to participate, integrate and retain more learnings from the classroom.
That is the power of nutrition and education. The two go hand in hand. Kids can only be joyful when they’re healthy. And education is best absorbed in a joyful environment. Through the Joy Schools Program, Mondelez Philippines proves that investing time and resources on the younger generation reaps rewards for the future.