TRECE MARTIRES CITY, Cavite - The “farm family” as the focus of the HiLING Program of the Agricultural Training Institute-Region IVA underwent series of capacity building activities as one of the major components of the program. This year, two batches of HiLING program are currently being implemented: one in Quezon province (Sariaya) and one in Cavite province (Maragondon).

For HiLING Sariaya, launched in April, the fathers, mothers and youth had their respective interventions such as Climate Smart Farm Business School, FFS on Vegetable Production, Training Courses on Gender and Development, on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, on Organic Agriculture with TESDA NC II Assessment and just recently, the children had their fair share.

Last September 20-22, 2018, the mothers and their kids participated in the “Training Course on Early Child Care and Development” held at City of Springs, Los Baños, Laguna. The children were trained on how to properly wash their hands and how to brush their teeth, in partnership with the Municipal Health Office of Sariaya, Quezon. They were also taught on the importance of eating “GO, GROW and GLOW” foods. They also had creative activities such as origami and coloring and writing simple letters facilitated by ATI-IVA staff.

On the other hand, the mothers had lecture and hands-on sessions on the proper nutritional needs of children, affordable menu using readily available and abundant produce in the farm and actual cooking lessons. They were also provided ideas on possible livelihood enterprises using mushroom, squash and banana and some business tips and costing by a practitioner in the field, Ms. Sheryllene Aguilera. On the second day, they were given free cooking utensils, casserole and frying pan as take-home.

The graduation ceremony for HiLiNG - Sariaya is set on November 21, 201 at Sariaya Municipal Covered Court, Sariaya, Quezon.

Content by Ms. Mariel Celeste C. Dayanghirang