Hunger and malnutrition affect 1 in 3 Filipinos, and the consequences of this last more than a lifetime. Social Weather Stations’ (SWS) survey from late 2019 stated that 2.1 million families suffered from involuntary hunger, ranging from moderate to severe. These difficult circumstances have only worsened with the onset of COVID-19, trapping many families in their homes, struggling without work, unable to feed themselves.
To address the needs of the hardest-hit communities and families, ASSIST has launched KuBO (Kusina ng Bayan sa Oras na pangangailangan or Community Kitchen in Times of need) as a movement to fight hunger and malnutrition in the Philippines. The name of the project takes inspiration from the traditional Filipino stilt house or nipa hut as well as the folk song of the same name that enumerates different nutritious vegetables in the Philippines.
As part of GlobalGiving’s Accelerator Program, a fundraising opportunity for nonprofit organizations around the world, ASSIST has raised USD 6,011 to build community kitchens for KuBO that will provide nourishment to an initial 500 family beneficiaries residing in the hunger and povertystricken areas of Manila on a regular basis.
The fundraising was conducted only through June 8 to 27, and through this initial fundraising, ASSIST hopes to not only gain the support needed to establish these community kitchens but also foster a sense of Bayanihan, a spirit of communal unity and cooperation to help our fellow Filipinos. The program will eventually be scaled to sustain the community kitchens to feed these families on a regular basis, to reach communities outside of Manila, and to empower the target beneficiaries through education on sustainable food preparation, hygiene, and sanitation.
