Internship with Open Hands - Birth registration for the Vietnamese

Internship with Open Hands - Birth registration for the Vietnamese

Written by: Grace Hyunjoo Lee

In remote areas of the Philippines, there are people who live in extremely 

impoverished conditions. Many of them live without being registered as lawful citizens 

of the Philippines and often do not feel the need to register their children either. 

As a result, those children do not have the opportunity to attend school or get a job. 

Without proper education or support from the government, these children grow up 

to live a life suffering from poverty like their parents. 

Since 2021, the Ecosave club members have been supporting those children 

to obtain proper citizenship in order for them to be protected by the social safety net. 

So far, 18 children have obtained citizenship in the Philippines 

with our support. 

In July 2023, I had an opportunity to work for Open Hands with 2 other members 

of the Ecosave club for 3 weeks.We launched an effort to extend the birth registration 

initiative to include babies being born in Vietnam. We learned that birth registrations 

in Vietnam are different from the Philippines, as they can be made only at the time of birth 

with records of hospital visits.

In partnership with Open Hands, by raising awareness about the issue 

using campaign boards, fliers, and communication through social media, 

we supported birth registration for 12 babies in Vietnam. 

I felt very proud to lead the process of target setting, brainstorming, planning, 

and final execution. I feel appreciated that I am able to help out others with our skills 

and resources and continue to guide them through each of their journeys. 

I hope those babies and children will benefit from our social support and get 

one step closer to achieving their dreams.

Making sustainable dates cake for my dog!

Sustainable Dates Cake for my dog! 

Dates, otherwise known as "Daechu" in Korean or jujube, are a well-known low-fat, cholesterol-free snack for dogs to enjoy. This ingredient contains various vitamins, minerals and fiber, making it not only perfectly safe for dogs to eat but also providing them with health benefits. With our ecosave project promoting sustainable awareness of edible insects, I decided to integrate these two ingredients to create the perfect healthy and environmentally-friendly recipe for my dog.

Hence, I started baking dates/daechu cupcake for my dog. Because I wanted it to be extra healthy for my pet, I decided to replace normal flour with almond flour. But of course, the main ingredient was the edible insects. By using mealworm powder and edible dried mealworm and crickets to top the little cupcake at the end, I made sure that my dog was getting all the protein she needed. Since my dog loves to run, I found that it could damage her joints, which is why she needs to consume protein. Whilst thinking of the best protein source, I reflected on how our Ecosave club endeavored to create edible insect cookies for dogs and how edible insects are a nutritious protein source. 

By demonstrating how so many delicacies can become healthier with just edible insects, we aim to promote and spread awareness of the importance of using edible insects as an alternative food source for a more sustainable and an environmentally friendly future not only for humans but also for our lovely pets! 

My dog loved it!!

Written by : Ella Nakyo Hong