In a mountainous barangay of Igbarabatuan previously called Brgy. Milagrosa in the Municipality of Anini-y, there lives Nanay Mary.
Visitacion Galino Saim, 64 years old, fondly called in her community as “Nanay Mary,” is a very industrious wife to her husband.
Nanay Mary is married to Tatay Jose, 67 years old and a mother of three children namely Marichu, 35 years old; Roque, 26 years old; and Monica, a single parent with two children.
Farming is their main source of livelihood. She grows crops and vegetables for peddling as well as raises animals. Aside from her passion and industry in farming, she is an active church and community worker.
Her skills led her to become the President of Milagrosa Vegetable Planters Association (MIVEPA), an SLPA (Sustainable Livelihood Program Association) organized and funded in 2016.
SLPAs are organized as part of the process of implementation of the Sustainable Livelihood Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to assist the people’s means of livelihood and continuity of economic activities and businesses. Community associations are formed to ensure collaborative efforts in project management for a more sustainable livelihood.
The group has undergone a 15-day Season-Long training on Vegetable Production with Demo Farm conducted in partnership with the University of Antique in Barangay Milagrosa. A total of 37 members of MIVEPA joined the training in September 2016.
Each member received a starter kit of various farm tools and inputs such as seeds, seedling trays, sprayer, shovel, hose, net, and organic fertilizers.
“Sara ka pamaagi nga nadevelop ang amon kaugalingon ang seminar kag nakatugro idea sa pagpananom kag pagsagod kang tanom,” said Nanay Mary.
She earned a 50 percent profit share during the first and second cycle covering months of September 2016 to August 2017 and 80 percent profit share on the 3rd cycle covering October 2017 to February 2018.
She persistently monitors the association members and continues to seek technical assistance for the welfare of the association and those members actively working in the farm and grow vegetables for individual disposal.
Aside from working in the farm and being the association president, Nanay Mary manages to look for alternative ways of earning income while waiting for harvest season by engaging in hog raising and making “ibos” (rice cake) to sell in the neighboring barangays.//dswd6/ba/tfal
“Sibol Kakayahan, Sibol Kabuhayan”
Credits to SLP Antique