LS Scholars volunteer for ACED Food Augmentation Program

QUEZON CITY, Philippines – As early as 6 in the morning, while the majority of the city is still preparing for the day, the ACED staff and volunteers are already hard at work. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, vehicles full of vegetables arrive at the Blue Eagle Gym for ACED to repack and transport to its partner elementary schools for distribution. The Food Augmentation Program is one of the primary programs managed by the Ateneo Center for Educational Development, better known as ACED. In recent years, ACED has committed itself to answering these fundamental questions: What is the future of a malnourished child? How can a hungry child learn?

In talking to some of the ACED staff members, there is one story they always share when asked why they are committed to the advocacy of the center. One time in one of their partner schools, a child fainted during class. The teacher took the child to the school clinic and when he woke up, the teacher asked him what happened. Matter-of-factly, the child explained how he hadn't had a meal to eat that day. Because of financial constraints, the child and their siblings would take turns having meals every other day to save money.

ACED realized that although training for school teachers and leaders was still necessary for improving the educational system, they needed to consider other factors that may affect the performance of elementary students in public schools. Education and malnutrition are two concepts that might not have obvious connections at first but in reality, are intertwined. It is a well-established fact that malnourished or hungry children are proven to be less able to absorb new knowledge. Children need to have their basic needs met to perform well in school.

Recognizing this fact, ACED worked with its partner schools in identifying malnourished children in their schools.  They started with an in-school feeding program, providing nutritious meals to students in need. Adapting to the barriers presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, ACED reimagined their previous in-school feeding programs into a Food Augmentation Program wherein food packs were given to beneficiary public school children and their families. The weekly food packs consist of nutritious vegetables, fruits, and root crops sourced directly from their Luzon-based partner farmer communities.

To assist with the program, scholars from the Loyola Schools volunteer to organize and pack the vegetables every morning and afternoon on the designated days. As a form of service and an expression of gratitude, scholars are required to render a specific amount of time helping different Ateneo offices and departments with various tasks, and they are free to sign up for opportunities that arise.

Klei Borja, a financial aid scholar volunteer shared, “Being an ACED volunteer, I got to be part of a small community, even for just a short while. There's a sense of community built in the way that I worked with fellow volunteers--most of whom I also just met that day--all of us knowing that we were contributing to a significant cause!”.

To express their gratitude for the gift of scholarship, Andrea Tiongco, another scholar, mentioned, "I was actually an ACED scholar when I was in High School and I thought that I was already knowledgeable about the projects that they had but partaking in their food augmentation program allowed me to see all the hard work that the office pours in for its beneficiaries.".  In a way, volunteering for Ateneo’s initiatives like this allows the scholars to pay it forward to other people in need.

To get to know ACED and its various programs and initiatives, please email them at aced@ateneo.edu or visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AteneoACED.

Photos courtesy of ACED