23 SEPTEMBER 2020
While all children have the right to live healthy lives, not everyone has the means to do so. This is especially true during humanitarian crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
How often do you change your toothbrush?
To some, this might seem like a silly question, but it actually tells a lot about the inequalities many Filipino children are facing.
Not all families have access to basic hygiene products. Some cannot afford it, while others live in areas that are just too faraway from markets or clinics.
It is the same for sanitary napkins, not all girls can access them.
While all children have the right to live healthy lives, not everyone has the means to do so. This is especially true during humanitarian crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When the lockdown started, our everyday lives became more challenging,” Gelyn said in Waray, “The pandemic caused us a lot of problems.”
Gelyn is a 13 year old high schooler from Western Samar. She lives with her grandmother and aunts.
Gelyn’s grandmother is a fish vendor; however, the pandemic forced her to stop working.
“Due to community lockdowns, my grandmother was not allowed to go out,” said Gelyn, “so we had to wait and rely on relief goods.”
“Meanwhile, both my aunts are out of work,” Gelyn added, “it is more difficult for persons with disabilities to look for jobs right now.”
With no steady income, Gelyn’s family had trouble accessing basic needs, such as toiletries.
Small steps, big changes
Gelyn and her family are not alone.
Many other Filipinos are unable to provide the basic needs of their families, especially now during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lack of access to hygiene products can lead to health complications, which can then easily spread within a family or a community.
To respond to these issues, our RAISE Above Project, under our Youth Economic Empowerment Program decided to distribute menstrual health management and hygiene kits to girls and young women across Western Samar.
These products were given alongside information packets on COVID-19 prevention, health tips, and other safety protocols.
Small steps like these can lead to big changes among communities, and more importantly, among girls.
“Our toothbrush were already old,” Gelyn narrated, “and now I can finally replace it.”
The elderly are more vulnerable to infectious diseases like COVID-19; hence, the greater need to keep everyone in Gelyn’s family healthy.
“Despite the pandemic, I want to remain hopeful,” Gelyn said, “I know things will eventually get better.”
Gelyn is also a Sponsored Child. The RAISE Above Project empowers adolescent girls, young women, and young men by making them better realize their rights to education and skills development. It is funded by Dubai Cares.
Emergencies, Sexual and reproductive health and rights, COVID-19, Disaster relief, Sexual and reproductive health services
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