Community Outreach Programs
Community Action During COVID-19 Pandemic
The pandemic has disrupted normal life and business throughout the world. Here, the town folks are experiencing the same hardships. Sulu Garden Foundation has been providing free meals to fisher folks and villages up in the mountains that are normally difficult to serve by the already stretched resources of the local government.
Medical Missions
Volunteer medical doctors, dentists, nurses and Sulu Garden staff joined together with the Philippine Army’s 61st Infantry Battalion based in Camp Monteclaro to provide much-needed medicines, medical assistance, dental treatment and food to outlying villages up in the mountains. Before the pandemic emerged, we conducted our medical mission in the mountain village of Dalije on March 8, 2020. Major surgeries were conducted in the mountain elementary school. Food and even slippers for the mountain folks were made available, including school supplies, vitamins and pain medications. Kids especially enjoyed the ice cream. Beneficiaries totalled over 600 men, women and children who came from other nearby villages.
Medical Mission for the Fisher Folks
Fisherfolks are considered among the poorest of the poor. Sulu Garden’s facilities are close to villages whose main livelihood is fishing. As the catch dwindles from overfishing and illegal fishing by commercial fishermen along the shores further exacerbates their already precarious situation. Medical missions help to at least alleviate the medical and health issues that the young and the old experience due to lack of money. Malnutrition among children is a particular concern. Dental problems were common. Here is our medical mission in September 2019.
Touching the Hearts and Minds
Poverty takes away opportunities and dreams. Even just as simple as going to a restaurant for a nice meal never happened for so many families. Since the Foundation partners with Sulu Garden Restaurant, we had been able to invite different indigent families to dine in the restaurant, with the best food that children will especially enjoy. We have been doing this for many years and are a source of pleasure. It is a learning experience for us because we learn more directly about the situations and conditions that many of our less fortunate have to endure.
