Project REACH Empowers Communities Through Student-Led Health Education
Project REACH, a community health teaching initiative led by student nurses, brings health education beyond the classroom and into the heart of local communities. Designed as an innovative extension of the Health Education course, the project aims to empower, engage, and enable individuals and families toward better health and well-being. It provides student nurses with a meaningful avenue to integrate classroom knowledge, practical skills, and professional values into real-life community settings.
Anchored on the Sustainable Development Goals, Project REACH supports SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 17 (Partnership for the Goals). The initiative also reflects the University’s core values of Pioneer, Compassion, Service, and Truth, as students volunteer their time and effort to deliver updated, evidence-based health information to underserved populations.
The University’s adopted barangays face varied and persistent health concerns, including preventable diseases and emerging infections. In response, faculty members integrated community engagement into the Health Education course to ensure that student nurses gain early exposure to health teaching and public service. Through Project REACH, students move beyond theoretical learning and experience firsthand the role of nurses as health educators and advocates.
As part of the program, student nurses conducted health promotion activities in two Pangasinan communities. In Barangay Bantog, Asingan, sessions focused on Pertussis, Antibiotic Overuse, and Teenage Pregnancy—topics relevant to both communicable disease prevention and adolescent health. Meanwhile, in Barangay Balangobong, Binalonan, the second group addressed Oral Health, Heatstroke Prevention, and Mental Health Awareness, particularly Anorexia Nervosa.
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