By Emmanuel D. Taghoy
IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay – In keeping with the women’s month celebration, the mothers from Ipil
Special Education (SPED) Center have undergone banana chips making and buko
juice processing conducted by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)
at the SPED Center in Barangay Poblacion here recently.
“The project is
conceptualized not only to provide service or donate materials but also designed
to empower and encourage our women to take pride in their work, to be
self-sufficient and to provide for themselves,” said Ms. Francis Melanie T.
Temonio, science research specialist of DOST-Sibugay.
Dubbed “livelihood
assistance to support women in building their skills and capabilities for
self-employment,” the two-day training was attended by some 22 mothers, who
were all members of the Ipil SPED Parents Association.
“The activity is a project
aimed at curbing malnutrition and poverty, as one of the few deep-seated
problems in most depressed and poor communities,” said Temonio.
She explained that very
low-income families were forced to sacrifice their daily food intake with
cheaper alternatives and low nutritional values that often leads to malnutrition
and, in extreme cases, to severe sickness and even death.
“Income made from sales
represents a significant sum for these women who have no other source of income
and enable them to purchase additional needed food for their children.”
Ms. Temonio furthered that
having contributed to the household income; the program would improve the
women’s self-esteem and realize their potential in business.