The third and final day of the CADIS Asia-Pacific Conference was a full immersion in the projects.
Participants had the opportunity to see the sites and listen to the stories of the beneficiaries of the project “Promoting Disaster-Resilient Communities in Cebu”.
The project, funded by the CEI and in collaboration with the local partner VPHCS, has reached its second year of implementation. Many advances have been made in two years, but there are still some needs to be improved.
The first barangay visited is called Nangkaville, where the Nangkaville women's association was organized. In this place, located on the hills of Cebu City, more than 300 families live. They were forced to move from the city due to the high cost of living. Some families come from a settlement that was razed to the ground by a fire.
They live in very precarious conditions. The settlement lacks regulation and services. The land on which the houses were built was not properly prepared and therefore the risk of landslides during a storm or typhoon is very high.
Despite the difficulties, the women organized themselves into an association to assert their housing rights and to find new sources of income.
The project helped them gain more self-esteem and improve their skills. The main source of income is the informal sale of basic necessities and the men work as laborers in the city market.
An important challenge is to guarantee access to school for their children. Families often cannot afford to cover all the other school expenses, even if the school is free, so their children have not studied.
As for the most urgent needs, it emerged that mental health is a critical issue. Many women suffer from anxiety and depression because it is difficult to sustain such a precarious family and economic situation. At the same time, they worry about finding other alternative sources of income.
In the afternoon, the visit continued in the barangay of Inayawan, where the Tierra Dulce women's association warmly welcomed the participants with songs and dances.
Here the women have organized themselves with the production of health and hygiene products such as natural oils, herbal creams, and handmade candles. Although the economic and housing situation is improving significantly, there are still activities that can be implemented to further strengthen the community's resilience.
Emotionally involved by the stories of the women who shared their successes but also their insecurities, the participants had the unique opportunity to hear these stories from the direct beneficiaries. It was certainly a moving experience, but one that fueled the will to continue the resilience and capacity-building programs.
