More than a year after the partnership between Okada Foundation Inc. (OFI) and Kabisig ng Kalahi (KnK) was launched, a bountiful harvest continues to bless the community gardens it established across different parts of the country.
Meaningful progress was also reported in the joint effort to combat malnutrition and improve food security across the Philippines, as the collaboration of OFI and KnK, through its community building platform in multiple barangays, empower families to grow their own food and generate income.
KnK founder and director Victoria Wieneke expressed her gratitude and pride in the success of the initiative. “I was so thankful for such a productive year. With the help of Okada Foundation, we were able to reach many communities and make a real difference in people’s lives,” said Wieneke. “Even nearby communities began reaching out to us, hoping to participate.”
The partnership was focused on two flagship programs: the Food Share Program (FSP) and the Complementary Nutrition Program (CNP). These seek to improve food access, promote nutrition, and support sustainable livelihoods.
OFI President James Lorenzana highlighted the need to address hunger at the grassroots level, recalling the beginning of their partnership with KnK. “We recognized that food security was a fundamental issue we needed to prioritize,” he explained. “Working with them reaffirmed Okada Foundation’s mission to tackle malnutrition and empower communities through sustainable solutions.”
The FSP involved the creation of community gardens and training for families in basic agriculture. In Barangay Dayap, Calauan, Laguna, 60 families received rice assistance and farming guidance to help them grow their own food or sell crops for income.
Following its initial success, the program expanded to Barangay La Mesa, Calamba and Barangay Diezmo, Cabuyao in Laguna, as well as Dolores and General Nakar in Quezon Province.
Wieneke shared the visible impact of the gardens. “Beyond the joy of seeing families come together, we saw real changes,” said Wieneke. “Families were eating healthier, and the gardens became an added source of livelihood.”
In addition to food assistance, beneficiaries received educational materials for local libraries, reflecting the program’s dual focus on nourishment and learning. Lorenzana reiterated that the initiative encourages self-reliance through a ‘pledge-to-work system’, promoting self-reliance and skill-building alongside immediate aid.
One solo-parent beneficiary shared how the program gave her a chance to earn extra income. In addition to harvestable crops, she received a high-speed sewing machine that helped support her family further.
The president of the Putol Farmers Association echoed the program’s impact and how they no longer had to worry about where to get rice to feed their families. “Nutritious meals came from our communal garden,” they said.
Lorenzana expressed his hope that their programs would continue to expand to more communities and touch more lives over the years. He further encouraged deeper cooperation between the public and private sector, citing the “meaningful change we observed in the overall attitudes and behaviors of our beneficiaries.”
“The Okada Foundation aimed not only to give out aid, but to change lives by empowering the communities to work together in sustainably standing on their own,” he concluded.
