Philippines: Asset Based Community Development

 

Community members in Balidbid, Santa Fe, Cebu, mixing organic feeds for their livestock. © IFI-VIMROD, used with permission.

This year we aim to:

• support 520 families to move from poverty to running sustainable, productive businesses,
• provide introductory training to 180 people in sustainable agriculture and
• train 14 communities in community-based disaster management
• train 150 community officers in financial management skills

ABM works with two Anglican Church partners in the Philippines, the Episcopal Church in the Philippines and IFI-VIMROD, a development arm of the Philippine Independent Church. With both partners, ABM is working to help reduce poverty in rural areas in the Philippines through building up the strengths of communities, leading to economic empowerment.

This year, ABM and IFI-VIMROD mark almost 10 years of working together. This strong partnership has engaged with more than 30 communities across the Visayas region in the central Philippines. People in these communities have come together to learn and appreciate their own capabilities and resources, and have enabled themselves to assist each other to become drivers of their own development.

The members of Marikaban Innovative Shellcraft Makers Organisation (MISMO) in Santa Fe, Cebu, have long recognised fishing as their main source of income. Families depend on the daily catch to meet their food needs. Low or no fish caught due to dwindling fish resources or inclement weather usually means taking out loans to feed the family.

Some women in Marikaban have basic knowledge for making jewellery from shells but they needed seed capital to start making more items to sell. With project funds, they are now able to make more jewellery, household items and souvenirs from recycled shells. Other members are learning shell craft making and have started earning additional income for their families.

Nelly, a MISMO member with six children, said “this project gives me income to buy rice, to give a little bit of school allowance to my children, and some extra for other household needs.’

Nemfa, another member, said, “I buy food for my family from the money I earn; sometimes I can buy a present for my kids, like buying ice cream for 5 pesos.” Nemfa extends her gratitude to the Australian people for their support.

MISMO was formed in 2015. From profits earned the organisation has since built a centre made from local materials where meetings and group activities are held. They have also branched into rice retailing which provides additional income to members and allows families to get rice on credit during periods when they are without cash, until they are able to pay for it.

You can also watch the story of Marikaban’s shellcraft makers at this link: IFI VIMROD Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Project in the Philippines

Your donation to this project will enable more women and men like Nelly and Nemfa to feel confident in being able to feed their families, and groups like MISMO to expand their economic activities to benefit both their members and the wider community.

PH001EE needs $107,268 in 2019 (tax-deductible)

• It costs $10 for one community officer to attend training in book-keeping.
• $100 provides one household with a grant to begin or develop their own small business activities.
• $1,300 can provide a start-up loan or grant to a community group.

This project receives partial funding from the Australian Government.

 

HOW TO DONATE

You can make an online donation to this project.  

 

Alternatively, for donations by cheque/money order (made out to the Anglican Board of Mission – Australia), telephone or email, view contact details here. Please don’t forget to include the project name and/or code with your payment details.

Gifts to ABM will be applied to the support of project(s) selected. In the unlikely event of the project being oversubscribed or not proceeding to completion, donations will be applied to a similar project to the one(s) selected.

 

IFI VIMROD Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Project

This video features the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) project run by the Visayas and Mindanao Regional Office for Development (VIMROD), of the Philippine Independent Church (Iglesia Filipina Independiente – IFI).

This is part of the Community Development Program:  Learn more about ABM’s Programs

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