Diplomas, Not Diapers!

Dear Friends of Roots of Health,

We hope this message finds you well, full of hope, and inspired—because we have so many exciting updates to share with you!

1. Sison Partnership: Training in Mindanao Taking Root

We’re happy to share progress from Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines and home to some of the country’s most underserved communities. In the municipality of Sison, Surigao del Norte, local leaders are taking bold steps to address teen pregnancy. Thanks to the steadfast leadership of Councilor Karissa Fetalvero-Paronia, the Sison Primary Care Facility is now applying the Adolescent Sexuality and Reproductive Health modules we introduced during our Training of Trainers (ToT).

In July, we worked with 18 staff, including municipal nurses, Human Resources for Health staff, and social workers, who participated in vibrant, skill-building sessions. Simultaneous workshops were organized for Sison’s Barangay Health Workers who showed up strong with remarkable energy and heart, making this our most dynamic ToT yet!

These local heroes are now championing youth-friendly, non-judgmental care by using our teaching modules in youth education sessions, putting teen pregnancy prevention into practice. We're so proud of their progress  and grateful to support them with ongoing technical assistance.

2. New Partnership in Tondo, Manila via TCI

From Palawan to Tondo, our journey brings adolescent-focused care where it’s most needed. In Aroma, Tondo—where youth face overcrowding, early adulthood responsibilities, and heightened vulnerability to risky behavior and abuse—we partnered with the Tondo Community Initiative (TCI) for a Young Couples Communication training of trainers. We equipped TCI staff with the tools to teach consent, healthy relationships, and contraception to young people whom TCI is deeply committed to serving.

Our visit to Aroma was sobering. On the very first day of our training, a massive fire displaced thousands. In that chaos, the despair was real, but so was the resilience of our partners and the community. We believe that, through education and care, we can help young people in Aroma reclaim stability and hope. 

3. Celebrating 16 Years of Roots of Health!

We can hardly believe how fast time has flown.  We just marked our Sweet 16! Even as rain fell on our celebration, nothing could dampen our spirits. Together as a team, we took time to celebrate how far we’ve come, from our beginnings in Palawan to our growing impact on reproductive health nationwide. 

Thank you for each year of trust, partnership, and encouragement. Because of you, more young people across the Philippines have access to care, education, and a better chance at a healthy future.

Keep Growing With Us

Your support makes everything we do possible. Help us reach more young people with the care and education they deserve.

With gratitude,
The Roots of Health Team

Thank you for being part of our mission to ensure that every person, no matter where they live or who they are, has access to accurate, empowering information about their health and rights. With your support, we’ve continued to reach underserved communities, train future healthcare providers, and create innovative tools to fight stigma and spread awareness. Here are a few highlights from the past few months that show the impact you’re making possible.

More Than a Pad: Empowering Girls with Knowledge

Bigger school, even bigger impact! In February, our second PAD-ibig Diaries event landed at Rizal High School in Pasig City—the biggest high school in Metro Manila! After last year’s launch at Palawan’s largest school, we’re thrilled to have brought this fun, empowering initiative to even more girls. We handed out menstrual pads in beautifully illustrated packaging, each one wrapped with diary-style messages on puberty, relationships, consent, and contraception.

Reaching the Unreached: SRHR for Indigenous Women

From February to May, our team focused on outreach for Indigenous (IP) women. In some of the most remote areas of Palawan, our team traveled for hours—by car, on foot, crossing rivers, and climbing mountains—to bring vital sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) information to indigenous women. These are communities often left behind, but their right to know and care for their bodies matters just as much. In places like the one pictured, our team set up makeshift shelters by the water and held sessions wherever women gathered—sharing life-changing knowledge on consent, contraception, maternal care, and more.

Training Future Nurses to Fight HIV Stigma

As the HIV crisis in the Philippines continues to worsen, we’re stepping up our efforts—starting with the next generation of healthcare providers. We’ve launched a new module for nursing students focused on compassionate, rights-based care for people with HIV (PWH). Many PWH still face stigma and discrimination, not only from their communities but also within the very health systems meant to support them. By educating nursing students early on, we’re helping ensure they enter the field ready to uphold human rights, provide quality care, and become powerful allies in the fight against HIV-related stigma. Check out the link below to see highlights from one of our training sessions.

Your continued support means everything to us, and to the thousands of young people, women, and families we reach across Palawan and beyond. Thank you for standing with us in the fight for health equity, dignity, and rights for all. We’re so grateful to have you on this journey.

In solidarity,

The Roots of Health Team

Links:

• Outreach with IP Communities
• Training nursing students to combat HIV stigma