Filipino–Australian community leaders and Rotary members in Sydney have strengthened support for an advocacy campaign addressing teen pregnancy and reproductive health challenges in Palawan, Philippines.
The initiative, Protecting Dreams – Rotary’s drive against teen pregnancy in Palawan, is a partnership project of the Rotary Club of Puerto Princesa D3830, Rotary Club of Burwood D9675, and Roots of Health (Ugat ng Kalusugan). The advocacy is now also being supported by the Rotary Club of Blacktown City, spearheaded by Filipino–Australian president Tess Sayas.
Recently, the Rotary Club of Blacktown City hosted “Roots of Health: Changing Lives in the Philippines”, a special presentation by Amina Evangelista Swanepoel, co-founder and executive director of Roots of Health, at Grace’s Place in Doonside on 5 May 2026.
Amina co-founded and leads Roots of Health/Ugat ng Kalusugan, bringing experience from Human Rights Watch, the Guttmacher Institute and UNHCR India in human rights, youth health and HIV education. A graduate of Wellesley and Columbia, she is also an Atlantic Fellow, Ashoka Fellow, Equity Initiative alumna, Asia Society Young Leader, and board member of the Forum for Family Planning and Development.
Reproductive health remains a major concern in the Philippines, where many women and young people in marginalised communities continue to lack access to essential education and clinical services. Advocates say this contributes to high rates of adolescent pregnancy and deepening socio-economic disadvantage, limiting opportunities for healthier and more secure futures.
For more than 15 years, Roots of Health has been one of the few reproductive health organisations operating in Palawan, delivering education, clinical care and community programs to women, adolescents and families in underserved communities. The organisation says its work helps improve health outcomes while supporting better socio-economic opportunities for the communities it serves.
During the presentation, Amina spoke about some of the underlying causes behind the Philippines’ teen pregnancy crisis.
“While religious views are a factor, it’s not actually the most significant factor in the teen pregnancy crisis. The crisis is rooted in cultural conservatism, which leads to discussions about sex and sexuality being taboo. Young people and older ones alike don’t have the knowledge and information they need to make informed decisions about their health and even when they do, they also lack access to services. These are some of the key root causes of the Philippines’ teen pregnancy crisis,” said Amina.
“Roots of Health has been able to help reduce the rate of teen pregnancy in Palawan because of our holistic approach. We provide young people with the knowledge they need, we provide access to contraceptive and reproductive health services, and we partner with our government counterparts to help ensure that whether a young person comes to us or to a government health centre, that they’ll be able to access adolescent-friendly services,” she added.
The event was attended by Rotarians, community advocates and supporters of women’s health initiatives, including members of the Australian Filipino Women’s Support Network.
The Philippine Consulate in Sydney also supported the event, attended by Consul Marianne I. Bringas.
The Rotary Club of Blacktown City said it was honoured to welcome Amina for the presentation, describing the session as an opportunity to hear directly about the challenges faced by remote communities and the impact of Roots of Health’s programs on the ground.
Roots of Health is also a recent recipient of a Rotary District Foundation Grant, with supporters emphasising the importance of continued advocacy and community support for reproductive health education and services.
The advocacy initiative was further supported by the Rotary Club of Burwood, headed by president John Kane and past president Walter Bock, who also focuses on overseas projects in Palawan and Gingoog in the Philippines.
Also supporting the advocacy were Heavenly Culture World Peace & Restoration of Light (HWPL), led by HWPL Ambassador Australia Marilie Bomediano, the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG), and the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG), together with dignitaries from the Philippine Consulate in Sydney.
Organisers encouraged the community to continue supporting the vision of Roots of Health in helping women, young people and families build healthier and more self-reliant futures across the Philippines.
Prior to the Sydney presentation, Amina and partnership coordinator Maria Sophia Ariola attended the Women Deliver conference in Melbourne, where Amina participated as one of the panel speakers during the four-day event.
