Enhancing Denoman: Now and Beyond

by Riezyl P. Barbadillo

..When we first set foot on RHU, Roxas, ZdN (October 2012)

The team left Barangay Denoman last October 2012 with hopes of returning on March 2013 with more activities for the community. True enough, the team had their calendar filled with more activities for the community for their March to April 2013 exposure.

We allotted the first two weeks to adjust, settle down and to finish surveying the households which were not covered in the last exposure. After completing our data gathering and after organizing the results, we began to implement our planned activities. We conducted a health teaching on proper hand washing at the Denoman Covered Courts which was intended to communicate to the children the method of proper hand washing and its implications to their health. Our group decided to conduct this through a role play which was patterned after the television show “Showtime”. The children enjoyed as they learn from the story portrayed in the play more so when they got their prizes from the question and answer segment of our health teaching.

Our group also conducted a weigh in for the children as part of our initial data to assess the current nutritional status of the children. The data gathered will be used as a baseline for comparison for assessment and monitoring for the next exposures of the group.

The group conducted our first Barangay General Assembly. Over 100 people from the different puroks of the barangay attended the assembly. The group started with the presentation of the results they acquired from their survey. After the data presentation, we had an open forum with the people and asked them to name their health concerns. The people were able to name nine health concerns which were then prioritized with the group. This was then followed by a small group discussion facilitated by the members of the group. Each group discussed on suggestions and plans for the named health concerns. The activity concluded with the temporary plans that the people and the group formulated together.

The group ended the exposure with a Palaro at the Barangay Covered Courts as their Culminating Activity. The registration started at 9 o’clock in the morning. The event started with a Hataw that was led by the group. It was then followed by a series of parlor games participated  by children and adults. The children also showcased their dancing talents in their intermission numbers. The activity ended with a raffle draw for four major prizes that the group prepared.

This exposure indeed marked a new beginning of a connection of the team with the people. The rapport that was established during our first exposure was even more strengthened. In the next exposures, we are looking forward to spending more time with the people. Now that we have identified the concerns of the people, the group will devise plans based on the needs of the community. Our activities will be more inclined to utilizing the resources of the community. More activities will focus on the promotion and prevention aspects of health care. We aim to conduct more health teachings to be able to enhance the people's knowledge about their misconceptions of common illnesses. We will also conduct activities so that we will instill this knowledge in them for life rather than temporary.