A couple of weeks ago, ROC also donated 902 lbs. and 800 lbs. of taro to the patients at Belau National Hospital and the Women’s Association of Palau. The taros are products of Taiwan Technical Mission Farm, a 10-hectare tourism garden in Aimeliik.
“I hope that these will encourage people to substitute their imported food, especially imported rice, with taro,” ROC Ambassador Maggie Tien said on Wednesday. “Save your foreign exchange and put it into even better use.”
According to research, nutrients from taro are much better quality than those from rice. So the ambassador urges people to go back to their traditional local food.
“Taro is one of your valuable sources of nutrition,” Tien said. “Revive your traditional local plants.”
ROC donated 1,600 lbs. and 500 lbs. of taro to Head Start and OMUB, respectively.
Yorah Demei, Non-Communicable Disease Administrator from Public Health, accepted the donation on behalf of OMUB. PCAA Executive Director Doroteo Nagata and Head Start Program Director Eydeline Ikeya accepted the taros on behalf of Head Start.
According to S.G. Sun, Head of Taiwan Technical Mission Farm, Palau needs to give more attention to planting more local food for food security.
Tien also commended the volunteers at OMUB and staff at Head Start for doing a good job.
“They have such a big heart; they volunteer their time, their resources and energy for the service of their fellow people,” Tien said. “And I think this is a good opportunity to show a very humble token of our respect for them. We hope that from time to time we can share our resources with them so that we can boost their morals.”
In Palau there are 11 cancer homebound patients that OMUB is helping.
Head Start Program is federally-funded. It has been around for the past 30 years. There are 13 Head Start programs in the country, and it maintains about 500 children under its care.
