Provide primary health care for street children

In Metro Manila, there are about 70,000 Filipinos without a decent home to live in. These homeless people are traditionally having more family members but mostly, has no sufficient income to support their family members. Sadly, most the children of the streets are suffering from hunger and malnutrition making them more susceptible to disease and early death. Some of them are on the streets asking for food to feed their stomach. They often attending school with an empty stomach, making it harder to focus on lessons. Hence, Childhope Philippines Foundation is in active participation of helping these children. 

Through its banner program, the Street Education and Protection Program, providing basic but urgent needs to ensure the continuous and holistic learning and development of its street children participants. These include education, psychosocial interventions, medical and health services, paralegal services, and skills training among street children. Session on the streets is conducted 5 days a week, Tuesday to Saturdays, 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm through Childhope’s 16 Street Educators.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this project is to assist street children to give adequate and sustainable help to children facing hunger and malnutrition for better development in their health. The main objective is to provide/ feed a decent meal to Childhope’s street children participants every after sessions in order to slim down the possibility of having undernourished children. It specifically aims to give nutritious food to the entire participants so that they will regain their weight and eliminate hunger and malnutrition to street children.

To keep in track of street children’s health status, Childhope’s Mobile Health Clinic (KliniKlaye) and with the help of its medical doctor, visits an area at least once every two weeks to all designated areas and will conducts nutritional status monitoring and health check-ups in order to diagnose medical cases and give proper and modified health management to children.

LONG-TERM IMPACT

Childhope Philippines seek relationships with organizations, corporations, foundations, and individuals that share a passion for serving children for making them healthy and happy. This project is an unmissable opportunity to eradicate global hunger and malnutrition among street children and will push through the promotion of school attendance, improve performance, and nourish growing bodies. Together, we can help provide a healthier and nurturing environment for children. We are a street child's hope.

Childhope’s innovative Junior Health Workers Project has made health services accessible and reachable for more street children through the child-to-child peer approach.

It has enhanced child participation in bringing health services to urban poor and street children in Metro Manila. Since the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children stressed children’s rights to participate – the project is an actual embodiment of this right, in the delivery of health services. The JHWs, also children themselves, are able to help and reach out to other children by conducting primary health education sessions and first aid and escorting them to public health centers.

The Junior Health Workers Project utilizes the child-to-child approach in advocating health issues and practices among street children and their peers. 

Currently, the project has trained 44 street and urban poor children from Metro Manila as Junior Health Workers (JHWs) to reach out to other children, to provide first aid, primary health education, and referrals to health centers for medical services. They assist the street educators of Childhope in mobilizing health services and resources for the other children who need it.

The project started in July 1999 when World Health Organization consultant, Dr. John Howard, visited Manila to assess the availability and accessibility of health services to street children served by Childhope. Thus the project was conceptualized to improve the accessibility and mobility of health services with support from WHO-Geneva. For 2003, the project is assisted by Children International, St. Charles Philippine Medical Mission, and the Catholic Women’s Club. Support is needed for 2004 for the program.

How Does One Become A JHW?

A Junior Health Worker must be able to meet the following criteria: he/she should be at least 13-18 years old; have leadership skills; be able to prepare simple reports; be either male or female; be responsible, talented and patient; withstand difficult circumstances; be faithful/committed to his/her job and last but not the least, be sensitive and caring towards other children.

These children are selected from among children who have attended basic training workshops conducted by street educators, community social workers or health volunteers on the following topics:

• Values Clarification;United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC); Substance Abuse Prevention Education (SAPE); STD-HIV/AIDS; and Adolescent Sexuality.

After the basic training workshops, the youth undergo a more extensive four-day training on various topics required for their roles and functions as JHWs. The topics include: primary health care; personal hygiene; objectives and principles of basic first aid; the human reproductive system; sexually-transmissible infections (STIs); and preparation of a plan of action.

After training on these topics, the youth are assigned as JHWs in different areas.

What Do JHWs Do?

The Junior Health Workers administer first aid, simple home remedies, and accompany the children to different health-related agencies, for which they do systematic follow-up. They are also involved in the training of new JHWs.

Before referring other children to health centers, the JHWs complete the Health Screening Tool (HST). The Health Screening Tool is a form that evaluates the health condition of the child to be referred to the health centers. This serves as a referral form and gives the attending physician in the health centers an overview of the health condition of his/her patient.

Denise, 16 years old

Denise is a 16-year-old JHW who was just trained in August this year at the OMC Retreat House in Mapayapa Village, Quezon City. May Carl wants to become a nurse someday. She says even before she became a JHW she was already interested in helping other children. "Hindi pa ako JHW, nanggagamot na ako." It was through her Tatay Kiko (the street educator in her area) motivation and stories about the JHW Project that she decided to train and become one. On one occasion, one of the children in their area, a eight-year-old named Edward, fell and her head hit the pavement. Denise brought Edward to PGH for medical attention. She says that when she is able to help, "Magaan ang pakiramdam at nagpapasalamat ako kay Lord."

These JHWs are willing to help other children and even adults in times of emergency. They can be counted upon to reach out to other children especially in areas where health services are not accessible.

We need your help....

Currently, Childhope is expanding the training of the Junior Health Workers and is aiming to train children working on the streets. Childhope needs the support of individuals and groups for the JHW project. For inquiries please call 8563-4647 or 8561-7118 or email igivehope@childhope.org.ph. You may also log on to www.childhope.org.ph.