In General Nakar, Quezon, Lizel, 38, helps families in her Indigenous community access health information and connect with services that can help protect their children’s health.
For the past three years, she has worked as a community health worker, helping families access health information and services for their health and the well-being of their children. As a member of the Dumagat Indigenous community herself, Lizel understands the families she serves—their traditions, their concerns, and sometimes their hesitation toward formal health services.
“I was nervous at first, and sometimes I felt discouraged to continue the work because some families in the Indigenous community have become accustomed to not having their children vaccinated or going for prenatal check-ups,” Lizel said.
Misconceptions about vaccination and formal health services persist, including the belief that natural immunity is sufficient to prevent infectious diseases, as well as mistrust of newer vaccines due to lingering concerns surrounding the Dengvaxia issue in 2017. Pregnant women have also relied on traditional hilot (birth attendant) and healers as primary sources of health information and birthing assistance, driven by cultural ties and fear of mistreatment in hospitals and health facilities.
Understanding these concerns, Lizel continued to engage families through conversations about care during and after pregnancy, immunization, and other health practices. Over time, she observed that fewer families consistently declined or missed these services.
“I am happy because now, compared to before, when there were about five parents who were persistent in refusing or not following check-ups and immunization, there are now only around two parents,” Lizel said.
Through Save the Children’s health education and capacity-strengthening activities, Lizel gained additional knowledge on managing common childhood illnesses, disease reporting, and communicating and engaging with Indigenous families. She applies this knowledge when speaking with families and responding to concerns in her community.
“I was happy because Save the Children has been a great help to us. It has made a big difference for me because the additional knowledge they shared is also what we bring back to our community,” she said.
Lizel uses posters and flipcharts during community outreach to help families understand the importance of vaccines, breastfeeding, childcare and proper handwashing, among other health practices. These materials give families another way to learn, particularly in communities where reaching health facilities or accessing reliable resources can be difficult.
“When they see the materials, they can also teach their children about them because, aside from what they already know, we have helped add to their knowledge,” Lizel said.
Her familiarity with the community makes conversations about health more accessible and helps families feel comfortable approaching her with questions or concerns.
“They would message me and say, ‘Ate, there’s someone here who has these symptoms.’ Then I would go to them and report the case to a nurse or midwife,” she said.
For Lizel, her role is not only to share information but also to connect families with services and ensure that their concerns reach the health system.
As a member of the Dumagat community, she understands that building trust takes time. Even when the work is difficult, she continues to engage families and support them in accessing the care they need.
“There are times when I feel discouraged, but as long as there is even one person who believes in me, I will not falter,” Lizel said.