By MST Business: Ranzelle Ann Sombrero was a quiet girl, raised by her grandmother. She hardly participated in school activities and was always absent due to various illnesses. Like thousands of children affected by typhoon Yolanda in November 2013, Ranzelle was traumatized by the storm surges caused by the world’s strongest storm that hit land. Thankfully, there was someone looking out for her, someone who thought she deserved to experience joy in her young life. That someone was her teacher, Villa Nacilla, at the Panalaron Central Elementary School in Tacloban. Ranzelle was just one of hundreds of thousands of malnourished Filipino schoolchildren. The National Nutrition Council’s Operation Timbang showed that 574,519 out of 8,808,792 children under 6 years old were undernourished. Studies have shown that health-related factors such as malnutrition can lead to poor school performance of children. Social development and welfare workers have called on increased interventions, such as school feeding programs to address the problem. In June 2014, Ranzelle’s school became one of the adopted Joy Schools of MondelÄ“z Philippines. Seeing Ranzelle’s undernourished condition, teacher Villa made sure that Ranzelle would be part of the Joy Schools’ daily feeding program. Turns out, those daily meals helped do wonders for Ranzelle. The daily rice, viand, fruit and snack she received for nine months helped make up for what she lacked at home. Slowly, she became more active in class—always reciting, raising her hand to answer teachers’ questions. Two years later, Ranzelle not only passed the 4th Grade, but was also awarded first honor—a far cry from the timid, listless girl she used to be. Ranzelle is a living proof of how with a little joy, great things can happen for the future leaders of the country. Launched in 2013, the Joy Schools program aims to help create joyful centers of learning through interventions for nutrition, teacher training and facilities improvement. Unique in its own right, the Joy Schools aims to help turn sadness into joy for three of the most pressing problems of public elementary schools today. Now celebrating its 52nd anniversary, the company formerly named Kraft Foods, through its strong partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress, has seen more than a thousand stories of joy created with the help of its nine-month daily feeding program for undernourished students, urban gardening seminar for schools and parents, teacher values formation and skills training, as well as facilities improvement to create a conducive and joyful learning environment. As of March 2015, 85 percent of its 1,064 feeding beneficiaries achieved normal nutritional status, from being undernourished. Feeding programs were found to be great motivators for attendance with 90 percent of students attaining perfect attendance last school year. Their constant attendance ensured they achieved and maintained above passing grades for the whole year. Teachers in the adopted Joy Schools received exclusive training from the Ateneo Center for Educational Development and the Learning Library, while parents received training from the East West Seed Foundation and supplies to grow their own vegetables. All Joy Schools received books and sports and play equipment for their students’ enjoyment. Truly, joy was felt by everyone. “Two years into our Joy Schools program we have seen that the true joy comes from the passion and dedication of our partners, teachers, principals and parents,” says Maria Cindy Lim, head of corporate affairs of MondelÄ“z Philippines. “Together, we are able to help the students create joy for themselves, to write and weave these stories of joy that hopefully they will remember forever. We’ve helped create more than a thousand stories so far, and we’re eager to help write a thousand more as we continue our program this year,” she says. Source: Article
