With Php150 a day, both her sons have finished high school.

Elizabeth Obaña, 58, a resident of Brgy. Salvacion in Agdangan, Quezon Province, used to make placemats and shoelaces from buri leaves and earn around Php100 a day. Her husband, Jose, on the other hand, was a fisherman who barely takes home Php50 a day.

Had their sons opted to continue to college, they’ll work extra harder only to support them and see them have better jobs. However, both started to work after finishing high school to help the family get up.

With two grandchildren under her care now, Elizabeth vows to support them only so she can realize her failed dreams for her sons.

Thankfully, various opportunities were opened for her family, which now paves the way to a better life for their family’s next generations through educating their two grandchildren.

 

More stable income

In 2004, Elizabeth became a beneficiary of the Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K), now Sustainable Livelihood Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The said project provides zero-interest capital seed assistance and capacity building to qualified beneficiaries for their micro-enterprise ventures.

Elizabeth loaned Php5,000.00, which she used as capital to start buying and selling fish.

“Mas regular ang kita ng pamilya namin dito. Araw-araw, bumibili ako ng isda at dinadala sa bayan. Kapag marami, dinadala ko sa ibang bayan,” she shared.

This new business allowed Elizabeth to take home at least Php300.00 daily for her family. With no children to support to school at that time, she was able to save from her daily earnings. This she used to expand her business and even fund the improvement of their home.

“Ngayon, sementado na ang bahay namin at  mas kumportable na kami rito. Dati sawali ang dingding namin, buri ang bubong. Wala rin kaming kuryente,” she shared.

 

Chasing other opportunities

In 2009, Elizabeth qualified for additional cash assistance under Self-Employment Assistance-Kabayan (SEA-Kabayan), which is the 2^nd level of the SEA-K program. This entitles beneficiaries to loan additional cash assistance for their home improvement projects and business expansion.

Elizabeth availed Php20,000.00 assistance, which she used to expand her buy-and-sell business. She would have qualified for a higher loan amount for any home improvement project but she opted not to avail such. Since she was able to improve her home with her daily earnings from her small business, she concentrated on expanding her business.

From her bigger buy-and-sell business, she was able to earn Php300 to Ph500 a day regularly. According to her, she has successfully paid her loan after two years where she paid Php345.00 per week.

Further, her family qualified for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in 2012 where two of her grandchildren became beneficiaries. The children are left under her care when her son separated from his wife. The program, according to Elizabeth, is a great help to support the health and educational needs of the children who are five and seven years old now.

 

A lifetime help

Elizabeth admitted that more than the financial help, she is more thankful to what the programs have taught her, especially on managing their family budget. According to her, this is the reason her business continuously thrives after a decade of operation.

“Sa mga trainings at Family Development Sessions (FDS) ko natutunan ang tamang pagbubudget at pag-iimpok. Noon kasi, kahit ‘yung puhunan nagagastos ko,” she added.

The SEA-K provides beneficiaries with capability building sessions to help beneficiaries successfully manage their small businesses. Complementarily, the FDS under the Pantawid Pamilya program teaches beneficiaries proper financial management besides other family development topics such as proper child rearing and improving husband-wife relationships among others.

“Malaking tulong na mas maunlad ang buhay namin ngayon dahil nasusuportahan na namin ang pangangailangan namin, lalo na ng aking mga apo. Nakakaipon na rin kami para sa paghahanda sa kanilang pagkokolehiyo,” she proudly shared.

For Elizabeth, as long as she applies what the programs (SEA-K and Pantawid) are teaching her, the help will never end even when she no longer receive any financial assistance. The opportunities provided to her by these programs will forever mark a change in their way of life, especially to the next generation of their family starting with her two grandchildren.***