Livelihood Project News

On February 22, 2011, EVACF founder and three EVACF volunteers undertook a day trip to Pampanga to visit with some of the recipients of SACOP loans. EVACF has provided to SACOP PHP 650,000.00 interest free, SACOP in turn manages micro-loans to women in the Pampanga area, which are designed to help them develop their businesses. We were able to meet with some of the women who have received loans through SACOP and understand how relatively modest amounts have benefited their businesses and their families.

Susana Tejada utilised her loan of PHP 8,000.00 to expand her Polvoron manufacturing business. Since taking her loan last year, Susana’ s project has been so successful, that not only has she paid back the original loan and she has also managed to open a small corinderia in her house. Susana runs the Corinderia 24 hours a day during the week and uses the weekend to produce Polvoron. Susana is a single mother with five children, all of whom help with the family business when they are not at school.

Fiona Napao took over the Sari Sari store attached to her parents house in San Rafael, Mexico a few years ago. She took a PHP 10,000.00 loan from SACOP in December last year to expand the available inventory. The clean and attractive Sari Sari now earns approximately PHP 3,000.00 a day which benefits Fiona’s whole family.

Mary Ann Cueller’s small Sari Sari in San Rafael, Mexico, took a loan of PHP 5,000 to expand her stock. She told us that although it was a small loan it made a big difference to her and her children’s lives and meant she could avoid taking unofficial loans, (which have substantially higher interest rates). The loan has been paid back and the store now makes enough that she can pay the daily allowance for her three children to attend school and replenish her stock regularly.

Elmie Esguera’s loan of PHP 10,000.00 allowed her and her husband to open a Mini Grocery store attached to their home in Paroba Mexico. The store is well made from sturdy materials and is kept very tidy. The Mini Grocery generates revenue of approximately PHP 3,000.00 each day which has allowed them to repay the loan fully and helps them to keep the store stocked and to support their three children. The couple’s long term aspiration is to open a bakery.

Ana Marie Pacheco has a small Sari Sari store attached to her home in Sabanila Mexico which she has run for the past 13 years. Ana Marie requested a loan of PHP 8,000.00 last year to allow her to expand her stock. Ana Marie puts all proceeds from the store back into her business which she hopes to be able to continue to expand. Ana Marie sells phone credit and frozen items in her store in addition to providing micro loans to other members of the community to purchase small electrical goods.

Maria May Esguera has owned her Sari Sari store in Sabanila Mexico for ten years and took her loan of PHP 8,000.00 to expand her stock. The Sari Sari store generates income of between PHP500 and 1000 daily and helps to pay her son’s school fees while also helping to support her husband while he is studying to become a civil engineer.

Imelda Layag of Anao Mexico has a store attached to her family’s ancestral home and also operates a rolling market both of which sell fruit and vegetables, meat and fish. Imelda has had her business for ten years and requested her SACOP loan to help her expand her business to include more groceries as well as fresh produce. Imelda’s business helps to support her family, including her two children while her husband is working in Afghanistan as a security officer.

Anne Bulters, EVACF member

Livestock Raising

Livelihood Project Grants have been provided for carabao and carts.  Achievements to date are as follows:

Small Retail Stores

A Bakery Business in Talak

A Bakery Business in Talak

Woodworker at Tahan Walang Hagdanan Workshop

Mount Pinatubo Trekkers

The lunar landscape of the Mount Pinatubo Crater has grown into a popular hiking destination for adventurous locals and tourists alike.  The Aetas of Santa Juliana, the starting point for tours of the Crater, have long been active as guides for treks into the crater.  Having lived their lives on the slopes of the volcano prior to its eruption, they are intimately familiar with the region and the changes that have taken place since the eruption.

Recently, with the help of the EVA Charity Foundation, a group of Aetas have begun organizing their own ecotourism tours.  Through their efforts, they are hoping to give steady employment to Aeta guides from the region and maintain the environmental purity of the Crater.  With the assistance of outside donors, EVA has managed to supply the organization with tents, sleeping bags, rucksacks and water bottles.  In addition, an EVA member, who runs an international tourism business, gave the group training in dealing with foreign clients, preparing pre-trip packing lists for guests and other tips. (Click here for photos)

This is only the beginning.  The Aetas' dreams for the future include a cultural center at the base of the Crater, designated parking areas to preserve the environment, and further training in environmental safety and tourism for new guides.  Anyone interested in helping with donations of time, equipment or money would be most welcome.  Those interested in trekking can contact the Department of Tourism at (045) 9612665 or 9612612 or the Santa Juliana Multipurpose Cooperative at Cell no. (0973) 605364 or (0973) 538475.

Training

EVA funds also provide equipment and training for small livelihood groups in the Pinatubo Region.  These investments, primarily involving Aeta women, enable them to support their families, thus keeping their children off the streets and keeping the indigenous community intact.

Recent EVACF-SACOP Loan Projects:

3 Cycle-parts, 8 Sari-sari, 1 grocery, 1 Carinderia, 1 coconut & charcoal trading, 3 Native Kakanin making, 2 auto supply shop, 1 meriendahan, 1 merchandising, 1 chicharon dealer, 1 egg dealer, 1 photo video, 1 rolling store. The locations are: 4 in Arayat, 17 Porac, 1 Maryland resetlement, 3 San Simon, 3 Bacolor, 2 Minalin, 1 Angeles City, 1 Magalang.