Women Working To Better Their Lives and the  Lives of Others

One cannot help but marvel at the ways some women help to better the lives of other women in their communities.  Here are a few examples of several such women we met during February 2013 while doing volunteer work in Ferrol Municipality on Tablas Island/Romblon Province in the Philippines.  Each  story is unique and we hope conveys the admiration that we feel for the resourcefulness and support that these women give to each other, their families and their communities.  We certainly were very much inspired by their ready willingness to share with us. Perhaps they can be an inspiration to you as well.  

Maricris –Vice President of Tablas Women Livelihood Association (TAWLA)                                                                 

 Through our workshops, it was Maricris who took care of the day to day details, including things like participant registration each day, ensuring placement of tables and chairs, and even staying with us to ensure that we had transport back to Bonsoran/Binucot Beach that evening when our transport/driver didn’t appear.  Maricris has recently completed her Rudolf Steiner/ Waldorf Teacher training given by a Waldorf educator from Germany.  She took the role of a true teacher in tabulating daily attendance and organizing other details essential for each day’s program to run well.    

 Maricris is a skilled weaver and operates a small sari sari store.  Her husband is a carpenter and her son is a commercial artist.  Her son helped us by doing excellent calligraphy work for the graduating certificates, completing each name to perfection.  As well, he surprised us by hand painting an original beach scene on one of his mother’s hand woven baskets.  This has great potential for tourist sales with original designs for resorts, beaches and other features of Tablas Island.

Maricris also arranged several  field visits over a number of days for us to see a few of the participants at work in their home settings.  She travels by motorbike taxi, jeepney or sometimes rides her husband’s bicycle.  During our workshop series,  Maricel ‘s uncle died and most of her extended family went to Manila for the funeral. This left her with additional responsibilities to care for and feed a bed ridden uncle at home. But she still managed  to ensure that the workshops went well.  Hers is a strong family showing many talents. Maricris works very hard in an effort to better the lives of her family members and also the lives of others in her community. 

 

Maricel: President of TAWLA

Each workshop day we picked up Maricel and her dear little baby girl at home next to the fish farm some 4-5 km. from Ferrol Poblacion. On day one she showed us her hand woven bags made from recycled jelly powder mix bags or snack bags discarded and recycled.  Some while back a volunteer showed women in her community how to cut these bags into small strips, fold and weave them into different sized sturdy, water proofed bags. 

 

 

 

 

During our workshops, Maricel managed to learn and apply new skills, all the while giving the best of care to her little one. Even while they were so involved in the 10 workshop series, it amazed us  to see these mothers put their little ones as number one, thereby helping each other to participate equally in workshop activities.

We were fortunate to meet Maricel and her family one day while they were out for a Sunday afternoon adventure.  In the other photo she proudly displays her workshop group’s ‘golden rooster’.
 

In the photos below, Maricel  was our tour guide for the final two  of our particpant field visits: Art work from marble dust and soap making

 

Criszel:

An exceptionally talented young mother is Criszel who introduced us to her brand of innovation in the workshops.  Criszel trained as a Massage Therapist on Borocay Island. She has computer skills which she was able to use for the workshops, both on her own and in collaboration with the group in which she participated. She has great potential for independent enterprise and also for promising group work in future. She was always willing to try new techniques and new lettering.  Here are some of her creations. The first is drying on the back of the baby carriage before the stencils were removed! 

A Big Surprise for Lydia on Certificate Awards Day: Unbeknownst to Lydia, this group under Criszel’s leadership designed and painted identical t-shirts on their days off from the workshops.  In the first photo below  Criszel is first on the left and in the second one is last on the right.  One thing so pleasing to Lydia is that Criszel is on email and says she’ll be able to check it once a month and thereby keep us updated on how they are doing. During our stay in the Philippines, it is this group that was referred to the Tablas Fun Resort on a special assignment to   design and produce a promotional type t-shirts for the resort.

 

Candy:

When visiting Candy at her home on Binucot Beach Lydia felt very discouraged to see this Philippino woman with her infirm husband slumped over in a wheelchair.  Candy proudly showed us her wedding picture of her some 35 years ago when she married this man from Holland.  Over the years they’ve made a life together in this community overlooking the mangrove next to Villa Michaela’s where we stayed for the month of February.   Candy showed us the marble chip work her son had done in school, introduced us to her elderly mother living with her, her sons, her sisters and brothers and numerous other family members all living on the property.  Unique to this visit was their collection of golden roosters which, when shown to the group, produced quite a few variations of this unique Tablas Island wild rooster!   It was not until several days later did Lydia realize what may be the impact of the workshops on Candy’s life.  Almost before day one was finished, Candy said that she was so appreciative of being introduced to something for her to do at home that she enjoyed.  So it began.

 

Candy right away mobilized her resources.  She got her son to help her with lettering, computer graphics and painting techniques.  Right away she travelled by motorcycle taxi to Odiongan (nearly ¾  hour away) to buy t-shirts and paint supplies to work on her own.  She made Lydia’s day many times but the first  was when she arrived wearing an embossed t-shirt that she and her son had done of Sunset Beach.  The design was unique and the lettering even moreso.  Each day she could hardly wait to show us what their work from the previous day and evening had produced.  One day she came saying that today she couldn’t show us the latest t-shirt because her husband had refused to take it off!

 

The day following our encouragement for the participants to try and sell their t-shirts, Candy arrived at the Villa where we were staying with her sales strategy planned.  We stayed out of the way.  Michaela immediately gave Candy an idea for a design she wanted.  Candy and her son went to work, returning several days later with a couple of samples.  This time we were able to see her in action with the staff giving their input!  It surprised us a few days later to see her having butterflies while waiting to make her sales pitch Michaela. 
 

What a delight! What a thrill to see her turn from shy to enthusiastic and beaming with reluctant confidence. This is life changing for her.  As Allan says, “if we only help one it still is worthwhile.” 

When we left, we left our printer with Candy as her son has a computer.  With this she will be able to print out designs for other members of TAWLA. 

 

Cecile

Our initial contact with TAWLA was through its organizer, retired Social Worker from the University of Manila Faculty of Social Work and native of Tablas Island, Cecile.  In their family trips to the island, Cecile was noticing many unemployed but skillful women and, as she says, like any life-seasoned social worker, she has chosen to give of her time to facilitate the organization of Tablas Women Livelihood Association.   Thanks to her efforts, TAWLA now has formal legal status and shows good potential to help improve these women’s lives.

Pictured below we meet some of these women for the first time with Cecile. At this point, Cecile was realizing that the small barangay hall initially planned for our workshops was not going to be adequate for the growing group of interested women.  Some new members joining were the mothers of Cash Assistance Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) who receive PhP 1,500. monthly ($1.25/day Canadian) for the entire family (on average  7 to 10 members).

 

Cecile worked with members of the municipality’s social services team and Mayor Jason helped to arrange for a large meeting room for the workshop.

Fluent in Tagalo, the local dialect, Cecile helped to supplement Allan’s illustrated marketing presentations and workshop exercises.

Cecile works quietly behind the scenes to help better the lives of the members of TAWLA.

This is not the only social development initiative that Cecile and family members are involved in.  Cecile is Chris Bock’s Mother In Law.  Chris, who is always looking to help in very positive ways, has purchased a building that will house a Day Care/ Kindergarden Waldorf Center as well as a Tourism Training Center in which they plan to display local crafts.  We did manage to visit the building later during our stay:
 

 

Mila, School Health Nurse

Sometimes somethings are just meant to happen.  One day when Allan was at the printers, he began talking with a Mila.  It was not long before he directed her to come to the school supplies store where she found Lydia.  You can imagine the common interests these two have!  Lydia invited Mila to come and speak to the 43 women at the workshop.  The morning Mila was to come, the weather was terrible (heavy wind and rain).  Would you believe, Mila arrived, the women arrived and Lydia invited Mila to speak to the women.  First, though, we reviewed the food pyramid with the ladies and gave Mila a copy of the food models so she will be able to use them in her work.  We then talked about Food Safety, looked at videos on nasty microorganisms and Mila then talked to the young mothers about diarrehea and babies, how dangerous it is and how to treat it.  Mila spoke to the women in their dialect, Tagalo which they really appreciated. 

 

 

 Lydia and Mila exchanged email addresses.  Lydia wrote Mila, asking her to tell about her life and her work.  Here is an exert from Mila's letter to Lydia describing her life......

I got my Bachelor of Science in Nursing in Philippine Union College now called Adventist University of the Philippines at Silang Cavite.I had my training in the college where I studied, with its aim to Train for Service

We were exposed to work in the community like giving health lectures,to pregnant women,home health care,parenting and other issues pertaining healthy lifestyle,drug prevention and control, I love to talk to mothers about nutrition,

I worked as a nurse at Manila Adventist Medical Center at Pasay from 1981 to 1985, then I have a chance to work also in Saudi Arabia from 1985 to 1991 at ALbaha Hospital. During the Gulf War I decided to return home for good,

1991 month of May I started to work in the Department of Education as a School Nurse.

In school , I learned to love children,taking care not only the physical condition but treating them as a whole person, the physical, emotional,social and mental aspect.In here, I was exposed to different emotional problems of children, im so blessed I had good parents .

I also found joy visiting their homes, especially those families with sick members, I give health teachings, and much more comfort them and pray for the sick.It`s a joy serving people, I may not be that rich, when it comes to money but then, Me and my family are happy when we give our time to people who need visits and comfort.That`s all we have and be able to give our concern and compassion especially the poor ones.

I worked in Odiongan North District at Batiano,Odiongan Romblon near the Pier.

I been working with the pupils in school for at least 21 years now and I discovered a lot of problems not only physical, but emotional ,I mean children who are in a dysfunctional families,like separation of parent, alcoholic parents abusive it can be verbal and physical, Children who dont eat 3 times a day because of poverty, children who are under the care of other people because the mother went away ,Oh name it and I meet all this kind of Problems, rape and incest also,

Sometimes I have a sleepless night thingking if how can I be a good nurse to help those children, I m blessed I have my family and my children who have also a passion like me sometimes they go visit the families sing to them and pray for them .

I think I told you a lot of things mam But i was just so emotional when I talk about children.

Mam lydia I have no picture this time cause I dont Have a camera , but I will try to send you one.

Il be sending you also some of my pictures during my visitation and those children, I do my extension of duty after work in school.

 

       Thank you to Mila for sharing with us.  So appreciated!  For all of us who work or have worked with children and families, this goes right to the heart of our feelings for what is so important in life and why the work we have done and are doing is so meaningful to us. 

 

 

Product Development and Marketing Workshops

One cannot imagine how things will turn out when one set out to do something new, especially in a foreign environment.  In teaching, Lydia’s usual class size in Family Studies was under 20, so when thinking about conducting hands on workshops, 25 was the suggested limit for participants.  We did 10 full day workshops with 43 people attending each day, including the day of the typhoon like weather when all ferries were cancelled!



43 Participants showed up first day.....how do we handle this?
 

An excellent room is found.  Chairs and tables are brought in by participants each day.

 Each morning the participants carried 50 stacking chairs and 8 tables from a storage shed to the large empty room that served us well for our workshops.   We had a borrowed white tarp which served as a screen for the projector that Allan carries as hand luggage from Canada. 


Tables set up each morning, returned to storage shed each evening.
 

Canvas for a screen. Projector from home.  We are all set!

The young mothers participating cared for their little ones as we conducted the workshops. That brought the numbers to well over 50!    These mothers and their families live on $1.25 Canadian/day social assistance.   

Allan brought his marketing expertise, incorporating many pictures of the local market to bring marketing principles to practical reality for TAWLA (Tablas Womens' Livelihood Association) participants.  Below are a few examples of their handcrafted work needing markets!

 



 

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How could we work with such a large number of people?  The morning sessions were first presentations, then group work.  For the group work, they formed eight groups, each having a card table sized table to work around.  As you will see in the slide show, they grouped around those tables to prepare their marketing presentations and do their practical.

 

Lydia had brought a limited number of jewelry kits (40) she had made up from beads that were donated from the Colchester Community workshop.  Coupled with Walmart style jewelry kits, these worked well for the participants to learn basic necklace and earring making.   Fishing line and fasteners would be more appropriate another time, using native seeds and shells with the exception being earring making.    Participants were very interested in a number of samples, giving them ideas for how to use the native cowrie shells and seeds.   This island, especially this area, has the best anywhere for collecting shells that wash ashore from the rich coral reefs that surround the island.

 

 

Lydia decided to take on a venture that she was not sure would work!  A few of the women were producing limited product, most having no market or if there was a market, people here have very little money to pay for anything.   Lydia was surprised to be able to buy fabric paint and tshirts at the local hardware store (one half hour away).    In Bamenda, Cameroon, Africa  we had a sign made for the school project.  It was there we saw how one could cut a stencil from ordinary paper and effectively use it.  So, armed with 20 utility knives and some printouts, we began to experiment in groups cutting letter stencils.  Day three, we attempted our first stenciling on tshirts.  Results were good.  The fabric pen sets brought from Canada helped make the lettering more legible.  One of the groups, in their evaluation, said that it took a lot of courage to take a brand new tshirt and put paint on it.  Allan noted that participants were reluctant to write on paper because paper is precious.  In Allan’s marketing activities, they used markers and Bristol board. 

 

Early on, we were able to buy heavy plastic portfolio bags, one for each participant.  Inside, they had a pen, small notebook, a good sized board to work on (good when you don’t have a table to work on or if the table you have is ridged bamboo)  and a ruler.  Each day they added to their own stencil collection. 

What an interesting progression to watch.  Participant showed real ingenuity in using the stencils and the basic colors.  One young mother had access to a computer and printer and did great lettering for her group.  That group totally surprised us, arriving for the closing dressed in four stunning turtle tshirts they had made  on their day off! 

All the things Lydia worried about had a solution.  The participants are very used to making do with what they have.  The painted  tshirts dried quickest laid out on the top of the hedge with  Bristol board underneath.  The drying tshirts were stored in the nearby Catholic church overnight.  An iron was purchased to set the paint.  They often ironed on a towel on the floor!  Nothing seemed to be a problem for them including one day when we arrived we found  a big wedding happening in the room where we usually had our workshop.  We were adequately accommodated in the day care center, fortunately free that morning.  Moving was never a problem with so many willing hands.     

As we moved through the workshops, Allan’s marketing lessons took on a very practical application.  There were over 60 tshirts hand painted.  So, a marketing plan is needed.  Each participant was to see if they could sell their tshirt.  So a price needed to be set.  A top rate person named Tess was brought to our workshops by Cecila.  Tess is a first class business person and very skilled in all aspects of business.  She showed the participants how to use a formula to determine price.   At a cost of 110 pecos per tshirt, allowing for other inputs, labor based on hand painting 7 tshirts a day (now that is quite a day!) etc, they determined that the cost was 247 pesos so the tshirts could sell for 250 for the domestic market and 400 for the wider market.  That is $6.00-$10 Canadian, yet these women who live (entire household, some with 5-7 children, elderly parents and others) on 1500 pesos social assistance a month (1.25 Canadian a day), this sounds good.   And better yet, a way to be creative and productive besides making babies. 

OK, the reality of selling.   To relate one person’s story.  Next door to the place we are staying lives a participant.  Her name is Candy.  We visited her week one.  He husband of 25 plus years was born in Holland and is in a wheel chair.   In the household live children, sisters and brothers and an elderly mother.  Candy seized the opportunity to ‘get out of the house’ and immediately moved forward with the project idea.  She brought a painted turtle tshirt to the villa and sold it to Michaela.  Michaela began asking questions about designing a tshirt for her staff, red in color with a sunset picture and Sunset Beach  Binucot Cove written on it.  So Candy went to Odiongon by motorbike taxi, bought red tshirts and her own paint and set to work.  Candy’s son has a computer and became very interested in helping with design and new painting techniques.  Candy also contacted her daughter in Manila to buy fabric pens for lettering for them.  Candy made two sample tshirts, came to show them to the staff and Michaela, went home to appear again in two days time with two more sample tshirts.  Like Allan says, when you see the change in her life, the light in her face, you know you have helped one.  

http://www.slideshare.net/LydiaSorflaten/product-development-and-marketing-with-low-income-women