The Ecosystems Work for Essential Benefits (ECOWEB), Inc. has implemented livelihood project to the 100 families or 524 individuals who are Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of Marawi City with the funding support from Christian aid.
A total amount of 150,515 pesos was allotted for the project in respond to the Marawi City crisis under the Survival and Community Led Respond (SCLR).
SCLR is shape for the principles of Humanitarian response, is not only delivering assistance but it is a process of contributing to longer term objects of people’s empowerment. Affected people are not victims but instead they are survivors with a capacity needing support for survival and recovery.
The selection of the beneficiaries are based on the vulnerabilities identified such as the elderly, person with disabilities, solo parent, pregnant and lactating mother, person with chronic illness, family who have more than five children, residence to main battle areas and those who left with no property and source of livelihood. The beneficiaries were identified along with the certificate of the Brgy. Chairman of the place of their origin and certified also by the Brgy. Chairman of the host community were they evacuated.
IDPs were requested to come up with a basic business plan to assure that they can attain the objective of the project and that is to create a profitable business, to have other source of goods aside from relief, to improve and increase their livelihood condition, and to develop their management, technical and financial skills. The IDPs independently form themselves into groups or Self Help Groups (SHGs) and apparently, they are the one who choose their own leaders or representatives.
Among the livelihood project implemented are the following:
- Ihaw-ihaw business by the Sansarona Group (composed of 13 families or 62 individuals) located at Sta. Elena Iligan City, worth of PhP29, 031.
- Mini Groceries by the Macapado group (composed of 30 families or 125 individuals) at Sta. Elena Iligan City, worth of PhP29,144.
- Food Cart by the Basak Malutlut Group (composed of 14 families or 70 individuals) at Upper Hinaplanon, worth of PhP25, 905.
- Food Cart by the Alongan Clan (composed of 9 families or 44 individuals) at Tambacan, worth of PhP25, 635.
- Bigasan by the Survivors group (composed of 22 families or 108 individuals) at Kiwalan, worth of PhP15, 800.
- Karenderia business by the Kangegenawae group (composed of 12 families or 50 individuals) at Sta. Elena, worth of PhP25, 000
One of the IDPs who received the livelihood project is Ms. Linang Minere, 59 years old from Raya Saduc, Marawi City and now residence at Sta. Elena Iligan City. She is a solo parent and the head of the family since her husband died, she has six children. When she was asked what she can say with the livelihood project, she said “I am thankful for the livelihood project of ECOWEB; I never thought that it is possible, they gave us what we asked. It helps my family a lot. In our case, my Karenderia business supported our daily needs.”
Ayonan H. Malik, a 44 years old, a father of eleven from Bandara Ingud Marcas Marawi City one of the most affected area on the Marawi siege said, ‘’I am extending my warmest thanks to the livelihood project of ECOWEB because it helped us to start a business after what we had experience on the Marawi siege.” He also added that he extend his warmest gratitude to those partnering organizations who made the project possible.
Mrs. Aina S. Macada-ag is also another beneficiary for the livelihood project she is a second wife of a senior citizen and a grateful mother of two she said that she was deeply thankful towards EcoWEB for giving them opportunity in choosing the type of livelihood they wanted to venture.
The Marawi siege dry up completely the image of the city and its people, it’s awaken the nation that things could be possible. The Marawi crisis greatly affected the livelihood of the Meranaos, innocent lives was taken while the rest become homeless thus,ECOWEB believes that thru the livelihood project they had implemented it can give hope to the resilient citizens of Marawi City to face life and start a new one despite the storm they had experienced because of the war.
