Accessing Nutrition and Water in Urban Slums in the Philippines

In Manila, where over one in ten children experiences hunger and one in three suffers from stunted growth, French volunteers at the ANAK-TnK Foundation deliver community-based nutrition programs in urban slums. As part of an International Solidarity Volunteer (VSI) program, the volunteers were sent by the French association Fidesco, a member of the French volunteering network France Volontaires. They provide practical training to local health workers on creating balanced diets with limited resources and offer hot, nutritious meals to children. 

Meanwhile, the French organization Better with Water (Eau et Vie) deploys volunteers from the French association La Guilde, a member of France Volontaires, to help enhance access to clean, affordable running water in vulnerable urban neighborhoods. Collaborating with local stakeholders, they establish social water enterprises and educate communities on hygiene practices. These initiatives help reduce the risk of waterborne diseases and improve overall well-being in areas often overlooked in city infrastructure planning.