Roots of Health work to empower women, young people and families in Palawan, Philippines to lead healthy reproductive lives by providing rights- and results-based educational and clinical services.

Goals of Roots of Health 

Roots of Health seeks to improve the health of women and young people and to reduce the incidence of unplanned pregnancy and HIV. They achieve this by providing accurate sexual health education in schools and universities, partnered with non-judgmental, high quality clinical services, and work with local, regional and national government partners to strengthen systems for sustained change.

Why does ANZA support Roots of Health?

ANZA is passionate about ROH’s mission to provide free comprehensive non-judgmental reproductive healthcare, one girl and woman at a time. Without groups like ROH, the community would have little or no access to reproductive health care, free contraception and no formal high school educations programs would be provided. The care and education being provided by ROH is vital to break the cycle of poverty.

How ANZA members have helped Roots of Health

• 33,000php donated to the High School education program. The program teaches about puberty, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.

• • Only 52% of over 7,000 students knew a girl can get pregnant the first time she has sex. After ROH intervention, 95% of students knew this.

• 712,000php was raised from the cancelled ANZA/ANZCHAM Grand Charity Ball. This money was used to purchase:

• •  A tripod and recording equipment to develop and create online educational content. Due to COVID and restrictions on face-to-face learning the education, programs weren’t able to continue. 

  • Implanon contraception devices

  • Pre and post natal medical supplies

  • PPE and COVID testing for frontline medical staff

• 40,000php raised to provide:

• • 5 pregnant women the opportunity to hear their baby’s heartbeat

  • 15 women with contraception for 1 year

  • 12 youth mentors the support and training they need to assistant fellow youths in the community

  • 60 HIV tests

  • 3 women received comprehensive prenatal care 

• 30,000php to make 3 Tagalog dubbed sexual education videos to be shared across social media and local barangay health centres.

How can you help Roots of Health?