The third and last day of the CADIS Asia-Pacific Conference was a full immersion in the projects.
The participants had the opportunity to see the places and listen to the stories of the beneficiaries of the project “Promoting Disaster Resilient Communities in Cebu”.
The project, funded by CEI, and in collaboration with the local partner VPHCS, reached the second year of implementation. A lot has been accomplished 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 has been organized. In this place, located on the hills of Cebu City, live more than 300 households. They were forced to move from the city because of the high living costs. Some of the families were coming from a settlement razed by fire.
They live in very precarious conditions. There is a lack of regulation and services of the settlement. The land on which the dwellings have been built has not been 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 to have more self-esteem and enhance their skills. The main source of income is informal vending of basic goods and the men as laborers in the city market.
A major challenge is to ensure school access to their children. Families often cannot afford to cover all the other expenses in schools though schooling is free, therefore their children did not study.
Regarding 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, worrying for other alternative sources of income.
In the afternoon, the visit continued in the Inayawan barangay where the Tierra Dulce women's association warmly welcomed the participants with singing and dancing.
Here the women organised themselves with the production of health and hygiene products such as natural oils, herbal cream and handmade candles. Although the economic and housing situation are improving significantly, there are still activities that can be implemented to further strengthen the resilience of the community.
Emotionally engaged 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 animated the will to continue resilience and capacity-building programmes.
