A person’s ability to grow, to learn, do well in school, earn well, and contribute to society, starts during the child’s first 1,000 days of life.

This is when a child’s brain begins to grow and develop and when the foundations for lifelong health are built. This is according to research studies on the “powerful insights into how nutrition, relationships, and environments in the 1,000 days between a woman’s pregnancy and a child’s second birthday shape future outcomes.”

“Nutrition, in particular, plays a foundational role in a child’s development and the country’s ability to prosper. Poor nutrition in the first 1,000 days can cause irreversible damage to a child’s growing brain, affecting the ability to do well in school and earn a good living—and making it harder for a child and family to rise out of poverty.”

Targeting this crucial part of child development is the aim of the Children’s First One Thousand Days Coalition (CFDC) in the Philippines headed by former senator Joey Lina as national project chairman. The organization was formed to confront the serious problem troubling our nation — malnutrition during a child’s first 1,000 days of life.

CFDC aims to guide this initiative through its operations manual on how NGOs can help achieve the objective of RA 11148 or the “Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Magnanay Act” passed in 2018, together with DILG, DOH, and DSWD. The operations manual was launched Jan. 13.

It calls for a whole-of-government approach, in collaboration with civil society organizations and the private sector, to fight malnutrition plaguing the Filipino mother and child, former Senator Lina, a Manila Bulletin columnist, said.

Specific interventions aimed at optimizing the health of both mother and child throughout the pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and post-pregnancy stages are outlined in the manual. The importance of comprehensive dietary guidance during pregnancy, promoting balanced diet rich in essential nutrients, and providing trimester-specific nutrition is stressed, as well as the need for monitoring and evaluation – focusing on breastfeeding support, optimal nutrition, and growth.

The whole-of-government approach is stressed through collaboration with local government units (LGUs), formation of a Thousand Days Committee (TDC) by NGOs, and establishment of a joint NGO and Barangay First One Thousand Days Nutrition Committee (NBJC) to educate communities, identify pregnant and lactating mothers, and enroll them in the nutrition program.

The CFDC is supported by many organizations who are its members, among them Rotary International, Lions Club International, Kiwanis International, Junior Chamber International, The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines, The Fraternal Order of Eagles – Philippine Eagles, Knights of Columbus, Knights of Rizal, Save the Children Philippines, World Vision Philippines, Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals, Philippine League of Government and Private Midwives, Crusade Against Violence.

This movement launched by the CFDC needs the active support of the private sector. Corporations may consider including a nutrition program in their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, or they can support an NGO. Church, civic, and school groups can do volunteer work to conduct the program activities.

The future of our country needs well-nourished citizens.

Studies show that countries that fail to invest in the well-being of women and children in the first 1,000 days lose billions of dollars to lower economic productivity and higher health costs, the 1,000 Days website emphasized.