ACT program officer visits Cebu, Bohol

Asian Community Trust (ACT) Program Officer Megumi Nishijima recently visited Bohol in order to gain first-hand experience of the progress of its project being implemented in partnership with the Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc.

ACT program officer Megumi Nishijima attends meeting with farmers in project areas, November 18.

Ms. Nishijima visited Barangay Sto. Nino in the Municipality of San Miguel and Barangay Caluasan in the Municipality of Dagohoy last Nov. 17- 18, 2011 in line with the ongoing project "Building community-based health programs to promote health and prevent disease in Bohol.” The project started in April 2010 and is on its second year.

Mothers listen to the health discussion.

VPHCS staff Dr. Grace Molina, Cheryl Molina and Petty de Castro with Ms. Nishijima.

Community health workers picking lagundi leaves to be processed into lagundi syrup, a bronchodilator for common cough.

The ACT, Japan's first fund raising-style charitable trust, was established in 1979 to assist people at the grass-roots level in Asian developing countries. It has supported projects in more than five Asian countries, in fields spanning health, medical treatment, education, youth training, and development of rural communities. It has funded several projects in urban poor settlers and fishermen communities in Cebu.

Ms. Nishijima talked with leaders and community health workers of the farmers’ organization in Sto. Nino, the Hugpong Mag-uuma sa San Miguel (HUMASA) or the Farmers Association in San Miguel and the farmers’ organization Mga Mag-Uuma sa LACALSANDA Apektado sa Land Levelling (MALALA) (Farmers in Lacalsanda affected by Land levelling) in Caluasan.

Ms. Nishijima (extreme left) listens to a community health worker conduct a health discussion.

A health education was conducted by a CHW during her visit.

Later, Ms. Nishijima visited the VPHCS office on Nov. 21 and discussed with the VPHCS office about her visit insights and plans for the project.

Ms, Nishijima with VPHCS staff, Novemeber 21, 2011.