Jami for Mingo

33% of Filipino children are malnourished and stunted. Studies show that this is due to long periods of hunger and inequality of access to nutritious food. To address this concern, NVC Foundation worked to formulate a nutritious and cost-effective food product that could be served to undernourished children. With the help of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-FNRI), we developed MINGO. Mingo is a natural instant porridge made from locally grown rice, mung beans and moringa. We have been using it for our nutrition program since 20211. NVC Foundation has served more than 23,000,000 Mingo Meals in 60 provinces across the Philippine archipelago. MINGO gives children of impoverished Filipino families hope for a better future.

Bike enthusiast Jami hails from Bacolod City, NVC Foundation’s home province. From June to July, he took part in the Tour Divide, a grueling backpacking race from Alberta, Canada down to New Mexico. To make his ride more meaningful, he biked to raise funds for Mingo for undernourished children in the Philippines. A Mingo Meal costs just P8.00 (about USD0.14) so every little bit of support goes a long way.

A Journey Completed

As America celebrated Independence Day, Jami celebrated crossing the finish line. He and fellow-Filipino participant Aldean Lim proudly held up the Philippine flag. Despite starting two days after other participants (due to delays with his visa), Jami finished strong. Whenever he thought of giving up, he thought of the hungry kids waiting for Mingo back home. His trek lasted 25 days and took him from Alberta, Canada all the way down to the border between the US and Mexico. He braved jetlag, loneliness, fatigue, the cold, and even bears! Thankfully, his efforts were not in vain because he raised enough for more than 65,000 Mingo Meals! Even after he completed the race, donations continued to pour in.

We thank those who have donated to his cause, prayed for him and offered him encouragement!

Note for Donors in the United States

Contributions by US citizens and establishments may be qualified for tax incentives subject to terms and conditions in Section 170 (c) of the Internal Revenue Code of USA for contributions to non-profits if donations are coursed through Facebook or the Negrense Volunteers for Change – USA website.