ADRA thanks you wholeheartedly for your generous responses to our winter appeal, which highlighted our work in Mongolia. Thanks to you, revitalizing development projects are taking place all over Asia, from the far north to the tropical southern regions.
In fact, thanks to your ongoing support women in the Philippines are making major strides in their work for economic independence!
Supported by ADRA’s project TOGETHER (Uniting Towards Gender Equality For Enjoyment of Women’s and Girls’ Total Health and Rights), the Hibago Women’s Rural Workers Association has received a livelihood grant that marks a significant step towards great economic empowerment. Based in the Barangay in Hibago, Ocampo, Camarines Sur, the local BULSA (Barangay United Loans and Savings Association) allows people to pool their resources, save money, and put into practice useful life skills they’ve learned through the TOGETHER project.
The grant received by this women’s group enabled them to open a retail store selling locally grown rice. This has helped to create greater independence and resilience for this entire community. Previously, community members and families would often be torn by unthinkable dilemmas: would they spend their money on healthcare expenses or necessities like food? Women would often feel the pressure to sacrifice their own health and nutrition for the sake of their families. The TOGETHER project aims to address this issue by empowering women economically. You have ensured that many mothers and sisters in the Philippines no longer have to sacrifice their own healthcare for their family to be able to eat.
Mary Jane Enciso, the president of the Hibago Women’s Rural Workers Association, expressed gratitude for the support received, highlighting the transformative impact on their lives and the community’s unity and aspirations for a better future.
By supporting ADRA, you have jointly ensured food and income for previously food-insecure communities, while also empowering women to take charge of their own healthcare needs without needless sacrifice or compromise. Thank you for your continued support in making initiatives like this possible!
TOGETHER operates additionally in Cambodia, Kenya, and Uganda, with help from supporters like you and with generous funding from Global Affairs Canada.
