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Zinnia, M. Goco, Africa, Marietta Arangul, SFI staff
Fely Visraras, Africa Catungal and Marietta Arangul are three brave
Filipino women on the front-lines of the war on poverty and terrorism
in the Philippines. As the local coordinators for Mrs. Goco's Sambayanihan
Foundation's demonstration project, they are helping to carry out Eleanor
Roosevelt's vision and legacy of human rights for all people. They embody
Mrs. Roosevelt's spirit, in her words:
Courage is more exhilarating than fear and in the long run it is easier.
We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting
each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared,
discovering we have the strength to stare it down. Eleanor Roosevelt
In February 2003, Marianne Larned had the privilege of interviewing
Fely, Africa and Marietta and learning about their life-changing journeys.
These three women who previously were some of the poorest women in Pangasinan
have transformed their lives from the inside-out - reclaiming their
Filipino Bayanihan values, and then working together with other poor
people in their barangays (neighborhoods) to improve their lives, their
families and their country. Their inspiring stories are a tribute to
the power each one of us has to be a hero by helping others.
After being interviewed, these women eagerly escorted us to their remote
rural villages so we could witness the direct impact of the work they
had done through the demonstration project. Where once there was nothing
-- no jobs, no livelihood, no resources, no hope -- now there are several
successful "micro-finance livelihood projects." Women, working side-by-side
their children and grandchildren, are lifting themselves out of poverty
with basket-weaving, food processing, and making "ready-to-wear" clothes
(RTW/casual). Now, where there was a fertile ground for breeding corruption
and even, terrorism, families have their own small businesses and savings
accounts so they can plan for their future.
Marietta Arangul, Zinnia, M. Goco, mother and son
The results were especially impressive in one basket weaving community
in Malasiqui. You could see it in the smiling faces of healthy children
whose mother's can now afford to feed them three meals a day. You can
feel it in the warm welcome the women offer to visitors to their humble
workplace. You can hear it their enthusiastic voices, as they brag in
their broken English, about their success. You can feel the excitement
as an industrious 8-year-old boy shows off his new skill, a finished
basket he made and then poses with the bicycle he earned from the profits.
If you listen closely you will hear the women share their biggest secret
- how they're adopting family planning methods so they can limit the
size of their families to just four children. With a nation of 84 million
people -80% are devout Catholics --with 50% under 15 years of age and
having children --the implications are profound!
Intergenerational basket-weaving cottage industry
All of this positive economic and social activity started with one
woman learning a new skill, sharing it with her friends and creating
a powerful network of families. From one woman with an entrepreneurial
spirit and a $200 micro-credit loan, there are now 100 women who each
have a livelihood, a means to provide for their families - and hope
for their future. Together, they have created a basket industry -- and
a regional marketing and distribution system for all the Pangasinan
mango plantations.
Basket-weaving marketplace, boy with bike
In just five years, these three women have accomplished the awesome
task of empowering their people to get the support they need to care
for their families. Most importantly, they have been able to gain the
trust of the poorest people, and get them to work together for the good
of everyone in their community. They've worked tirelessly to document
the needs of more than 20,000 families; match them with community resources;
create agreements with local government officials to direct government
funds; and develop successful micro-finance projects and help to reduce
poverty by 10%.
Fely Visraras (Publcion, Mapandan)
Fely Visraras is from Publcion, Mapandan, the 3rd congressional district,
a city with five towns divided into 15 barangays and 27,439 people.
In the 1990's, Mapandan was a 5th class municipality, the poorest economic
classification in the Philippines. Since Fely was born into one of the
poorest families, she knew first-hand how ashamed most poor people feel
about their lives. As a Barangay Health Worker, she'd heard their stories.
She herself made$24 a year, barely enough to feed her growing family,
including grandchildren.
Fely was originally recruited by Joe Tomio as a volunteer coordinator
for Mrs. Goco's political survey. She'd done such a good job that she
was invited to be one of the six local
coordinators for the Sambayanihan Foundation's new program. Over the
years, Fely had gained people's respect and often served as a role model
for her community. She is friendly and well-known in her community.
And she's built strong relationships with key people -- tricycle drivers
and vendors - the people who talk with other people all day long, on
the streets and in the marketplace.
Fely learned a lot in the five-day Sambayanihan's Moral Recovery Program
Leadership Training in Baguio. There she developed new skills as well
as the confidence and desire to make important changes in her community.
But it was the values component of the training that most affected Fely
- and led to a powerful change of heart. During one of the exercises,
Fely realized how reactive she could be when falsely accused or confronted
by an angry person. Too often, she reacted resentfully or even revengefully.
Fely learned that in order to be a good leader, she must desensitize
herself from such reactive feelings - and become more of a peacemaker,
even in difficult situations.
Soon after the training, Fely's new-found peacemaking skills were tested.
One day, the local barangay captain unexpectedly lashed out at her family,
and even threatened them with a samurai sword. Fely was understandably
very upset, especially since her little grandson witnessed the outburst.
As an important person in the community, the barangay captain's job
was to help keep the peace. Fely had every right to bring charges against
him for his outrageous behavior. But she instead decided to take a few
days to calmly reflect on the situation - and on what she had learned
in the training. She knew that she must set an example for her community
-and she didn't want the violence to escalate. With time for reflection,
she realized that in actuality, nothing bad had happened. In time, Fely
was able to forgive the man for his outburst - and he was able to see
how wrong he'd been. The next week, he came to Fely's house to apologize
and make amends. "I'm so sorry," he said, remorsefully. Fely accepted
his apology - and then used the moment to share her concerns with the
captain. "Suppose something had actually happened to my grandson?" she
asked him. Today, the barangay captain respectfully calls her "Ate"
(an endearing Filipino phrase for "elder/wiser sister").
During the last 5 years, Fely has worked hard to ensure that all people's
human rights are being met. She now has a new, better-paying job as
a Barangay secretary. Thanks to a new land acquisition fund her community
developed, Fely was selected as one of 25 families who received a small
plot of land. She became the first person in her family to have property
of her very own. Fely is very proud of her new Mayor and is working
with him to create a plan to grow the native plant, pandan. Since it
is used for flavoring native cakes, as an herbal medicine, and is woven
into fabric to make the traditional Filipino barongs, it could give
a big economic boost to their community. Thanks to everyone working
together, Fely sees how her community is growing stronger, healthier
and more peaceful every day.
Susie's onion business with her grandparents
Africa Catungal
(Barangay Asin, Malasiqui)
As a relative newcomer to Pangasinan, Africa Catungal was an unlikely
candidate to be chosen as a Sambayanihan coordinator. Africa was born
in the distant province of Pampanga. An industrious young woman, she
had a respectable job as a helper for an American by the time she was
17 years old. When she was 19, her boyfriend tricked her into marrying
him and moving to his hometown of Pangasinan. "Let's go to church and
talk," he'd said. The next thing Africa knew, she was on a bus bound
for Pangasinan. The following day, they were in the Mayor's office getting
married. Everyone thought that it would be Africa's more beautiful sister
who was the man's likely choice. But Africa was kinder, was a hard worker
- and a good cook. She was warmly accepted into her husband's large
family and into his community of Barangay Asin, Malasiqui.
Africa, M. Goco, Zinnia with MBN Survey map
Africa and her husband had five children - and dreams for their future.
In order to send their children to college, her husband made the great
sacrifice of working overseas for ten years. He finally came home just
in time to see his two children graduate from high school. He was surprised
to see how they had grown over the years. He was proud of two daughters
who both graduated cum laude and served as student council president
and the Filipino youth SK chair. His daughter even had a prestigious
teaching assignment in Manila. And Africa now had a job at the Sambayanihan
Foundation. At first, Africa's husband tried to get her to quit, so
she would stay home, like more traditional Filipino women. But after
Africa invited him to come to see her office and see how she was helping
his people, her husband became very proud of his wife. "Now, you are
more popular than me," he teased her.
Africa was actually a great candidate as a MRP Sambayanihan coordinator
for her town. She learned a lot in the Moral Recovery Program Leadership
Training -- about herself and about how she could make things better
for the poorest people.
Before the training, Africa, like most people, thought mostly about
her own personal and family needs. After all, she was the primary care-giver
of her family - living too far away to receive any help from her own
extended family. During the training, Africa realized how if she worked
together with those in her barangay, they could accomplish much more
than any of them could alone. From then on, Africa found herself listening
more to others and finding ways to help them get the support they all
really needed.
Africa, M. Goco, Zinnia: RTW clothing business
Africa had always prided herself in being honest. But soon after the
training, her strong values were tested - and she was tempted with corruption.
It was time for the local barangay elections. The rich candidate offered
Africa a very tempting bribe: if she helped him get elected, he would
give both Africa and her husband good-paying jobs. Africa longed for
her husband to be able to work at home, so their family could finally
be together. But friends in other barangays had told her how the rich
candidate's son was abusive when he got drunk. Africa knew how this
tendency often rippled within families. She also knew that the strength
of a local leader's character was the key to creating a healthy community.
Instead of thinking of just her own family's needs, Africa took some
time to think about the good of her adopted community. For the good
of everyone, she knew she had to make a big sacrifice - and refuse the
corrupt candidate's tempting offer. "I knew that our barangay would
be much worse off if he was elected," she says, proudly adding, "And
the poorer, more qualified candidate won."
After 1998, when MRP ceased to be a government program, Africa concentrated
in serving her own community as a leader. She then joined the Sambayanihan
Foundation's staff, carrying out its important work. Now she oversees
the Micro-finance Program that has a 97% success rate. She's especially
proud that these poor women who each make less than $200 a month have
been able to collectively save over P 247,250 ($4,945) as of Dec. 2002.
Marietta Arangul (Pasima, Malasiqui)
The owner of a small sari-sari store, Marietta Arangul knew most everyone
in her community. She knew what it was like to live in poverty -- in
a tiny, house that leaked in the rainy season onto a dirt floor. Some
people didn't have running water, some only ate one meal a day, many
took their children out of school to help provide for the family. No
one owned their own land or their home.
People trusted Marietta and listened when she told them, "The government
really wants to know what your needs are." For far too long, the poor
had been neglected - as if no one really cared about them. Many people
felt too ashamed to even ask for help. Marietta gently reassured them
that they should let their needs be known. Instead of being poor and
feeling invisible, the MBN Survey (Minimum Basic Needs) would help the
government find out which families were the most needy so they could
get some help.
Marietta was hired by SFI to be one of the MBN Survey-takers. For six
months, she went door-to-door, visiting hundreds of families in fifty
different barangays. A great talker, Marietta was a natural at getting
people to fill out the surveys - even the very personal questions about
their impoverished lives. Since Marietta had come from a very poor family
herself, people felt less ashamed telling her the truth about their
meager existence.
Marietta Arangul basket-weaving
While Marietta's neighbors carefully filled out the Survey, she took
time to talk with them about how they could work together to address
these problems. Once they tallied the survey results, they would give
the data to their local leaders -- so they could rally the resources
from top officials in Pangasinan and even Manila. Everyone was most
willing to participate, especially when Marietta told them, "This is
something we can do for our children and their future."
Marietta had a chance to practice her new training skills during her
first Sambayanihan Circle. The local barangay captain tried to embarrass
her -- for not having her own pencils and food for snacks (merienda).
In the past, Marietta might have been intimidated by her local leader's
cynical attitude. Now, she was determined not to let herself be distracted
from realizing her goals. She continued her work, day by day, overcoming
obstacles. As a result, the people in these remote villages are now
receiving the support they need. "Even five years later, the regional
government is still using the data from this survey," she boasts.
Marietta has become one of the greatest success stories in the demonstration
project. In five years, Marietta received four loans from Sambayanihan's
Microfinance program called COMSEP (Community Savings & Enterprise Program)
which have allowed her to grow her small business. It all started when
she received one of the first micro-finance loans for her basket-weaving
project. Once people saw Marietta's success, they wanted to learn how
they could join her. From her start as a basket-weaver, Marietta has
now grown to become the middle manager of a thriving basket-weaving
industry. Each and every day, she buys hundreds of baskets from local
women and brings them to the marketplace. For each basket, Marietta
pays the women 50 pesos ($1.00) and keeps 5 pesos (10¢). These pesos
add up quickly. Marietta has been able to build her own home and furnish
it with a refrigerator, a TV and other amenities. Her husband now manages
the family's store and works in the mango orchard. From a borrower,
Marietta graduated to become one of the Account of Officers of SFI's
Microfinance Project. As a staff she cannot anymore avail of loans.
Her skills at handling her personal loans helped a great deal in handling
other borrowers as a full-time staff of Sambayanihan Foundation. What's
even more impressive is that she has helped more than 100 other women
create a steady income for themselves - so they, too, can care for their
families and plan for their future. Marietta is now part of a powerful
network of families and a growing enterprise that is lifting an entire
community out of poverty - and into a more hopeful future for generations
to come.
Young girl and basket-weaving community
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