Support 50 Muslim Girls to Become Nurses

In 2016, Asia America Initiative made a commitment to provide scholarships, books, and other learning materials to support 50 Muslim girls in Sulu to achieve a nursing degree and license to practice the healing profession. In the past 3 years, we have surpassed that goal by supporting more than 225 students to become registered nurses and midwives and revitalized degree programs at both Sulu State College and Mindanao State University.

At the elementary school level Asia America Initiative, in partnership with the School Nurses of Sulu, the Nursing School of Mindanao State University, the Jolo Fire Department [Bureau of Fire Protection], and the National Red Cross, hopes to inspire students to become part of the nursing or first-responder profession. We have organized and funded the training of more than 500 elementary and high school students in approximately 55 schools to become volunteer Little Nurses. They receive a "go" backpack with basic first aid items and a bright orange vest that will identify them in a large crowd. 

Dire poverty, armed conflict, classrooms without books or chairs and lack of quality public health facilities has led Sulu in the Autonomous Muslim Region in Mindanao to be considered as one of the most impoverished regions of the world by the United Nations. Sulu, currently under martial law, is considered the most underdeveloped province in Mindanao. Any hope of higher education seems out of the realm of possibility for most of the 400,000 school children in Sulu. With less than 20 doctors for some 1 million residents of the province, nurses are often the lead health care providers.

"We highly value our young nurses," says Tanjung Elementary School Nurse Monira, RN. "They participate in all of our health and hygiene programs in the school where we have more than 1,400 pupils. In case of an emergency inside their classroom, they can immediately assist a sick or hurt child. Their role is to intervene until the school nurse can arrive."

I asked Little Nurse Sarhada, a fifth-grader at Tanjung Elementary, why she volunteered to become a Little Nurse. She responded with a big smile: "I want to help other people, and how to cure any type of pain.  I want to show my gratitude for all the blessings I have received.  Like for example, if another student stumbles and falls down, I will rescue that student. I want to share the lessons I have learned by being a Little Nurse."

We invite you to contribute whatever you can afford to this beautiful platform for children to express their desire to serve others. Please continue to be part of our Nursing team by clicking on the link below.  

Happy Holiday Season to all!!

Support 50 Muslim Girls to Become Nurses

Links:

• Asia America Initiative Website

To foster enthusiasm in youth who come from impoverished environments to enter the nursing profession requires exposure to performing service for family and friends at an early age.  Sulu Province in the southern Muslim Mindanao area of the Philippines is such a place.  Dire poverty, armed conflict, classrooms without books or chairs and lack of quality public health facilities has led to Sulu to be considered as one of the most impoverished regions of the world by the United Nations. Any hope of a higher education seems out of the realm of possibility for most children. With less than 20 doctors for some 1 million residents of the province, nurses are often the lead health care providers. In 2016, Asia America Initiative made a commitment to provide scholarships, books and other learning materials to support 50 Muslim girls in Sulu to achieve a nursing degree and license to practice the healing profession. In the past 3 years, we have surpassed that goal by supporting more than 200 nurses to become registered nurses and midwives and revitalized degree programs at both Sulu State College and Mindanao State University.

"The contribution of hundreds of textbooks and other learning materials has been a great help to our instructors and students," states Dr. Annisa, Dean of the Graduate School at Mindanao State University. "In addition, test scores have dramatically improved."

The Rainy Season of 2019 in the Philippines has fostered an epidemic of deadly dengue fever across the Philippines. Helping to stop the spread of this deadly mosquito-borne disease has involved elementary student nurses, especially in the southern province of Sulu. The little nurses are inspired to make nursing their career by the pride they feel in fighting the epidemic conditions through cleaning stagnant water and debris piles where mosquitoes breed. The confidence level of the little nurses in each school is raised when they know they are helping to protect their friends from the deadly dengue virus. They feel the appreciation and love from those children’s parents, their own, their teachers and school nurses. These real life experiences are the impetus the students need to seek higher education as qualified nurses.

Asia America Initiative supports the Nursing program with funding support by Global Giving donors.

Thank you!

UPCOMING EVENT

On Thursday July 18, Global Giving is offering a Bonus Day which will match your donation at the $100 level or above. If you are interested in providing a smaller monthly contribution for these young nurses, Global Giving is offering a match at 100% ! Just select "monthly" when making your contribution. Thank you !

Links:

• Asia America Initiative website