Children and young people affected by disasters in Himamaylan City are set to benefit from strengthened community-based mental health support following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the local government and the Negrosanon Young Leaders Institute (NYLI) Inc. on Wednesday, October 14.
Himamaylan City Mayor Rogelio Raymundo I. Tongson Jr. and NYLI Executive Director Kevin G. Gaitan formalized the partnership at Himamaylan City Hall through Project Oasis, an initiative that aims to help communities address the emotional and psychological effects of climate-related disasters.
During the signing, Mayor Tongson expressed his gratitude to NYLI for partnering with the city to strengthen mental health support and promote the well-being of children and young people, particularly those affected by disasters.
The project comes amid the impacts of Typhoon Tino and other climate-related hazards in Southern Negros Occidental, which have disrupted livelihoods, displaced families, and affected the well-being of children and young people.
Under the partnership, Project Oasis will focus on Barangays Nabali-an, 1, and Cabanbanan in Himamaylan City. Planned activities include community consultations, psychosocial support sessions, and capacity-building for young people who will serve as Mental Health Champions in their communities.
“The effects of disasters go beyond physical damage. We also need to care for the mental and emotional well-being of children and young people,” Gaitan said. “Through Project Oasis, we hope to bring support closer to communities and help them become more resilient.”
The project aims to train at least 50 youth Mental Health Champions and provide mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and trauma-informed care to 1,000 children and young people across its target areas in Himamaylan City, Bago City, and La Carlota City.
It also seeks to establish three community-based support groups, develop referral pathways to connect community members with appropriate mental health services, and help integrate mental health support into local disaster risk reduction and management plans and climate change action plans.
Through these efforts, Project Oasis aims to make psychosocial support more accessible, provide safer spaces for young people to process their experiences after disasters, and equip local stakeholders to respond to the mental health needs of affected communities.
The partnership recognizes that disaster preparedness involves more than protecting lives and infrastructure. It also means ensuring that children and young people have access to care, support, and safe spaces as they recover from emergencies.
Implemented by NYLI through its Climate Solutions Center with support from the Loss and Damage Youth Coalition, Project Oasis works toward strengthening climate resilience in Southern Negros Occidental by building community capacity and supporting the integration of mental health into local disaster preparedness and climate action.
By bringing together local government, youth leaders, and community stakeholders, the initiative aims to establish sustainable support systems that communities can rely on during and after climate-related disasters.