Women in Biodiversity Conservation: It’s Impact to Community

Barangay San Isidro is an island community in the municipality of Lavezares with roughly 1000 residents. Fishing is the main source of living of the people. Few individuals resort to upland farming, while others subsist on rock scrapings from the mountain and bought from them by local construction companies in the mainland. Most of the women in the community do not have job. Healthcare services are inaccessible. Despite all odds the weather brings, the ill and the dying must cross the sea for medical assistance. Moreover, potable water is scarce with the well on top of the hill as the only water source of the community. Such conditions make Barangay San Isidro among the poorest Barangays of Northern Samar. The women supported with the knowledge in preparing the nursery for the propagation of mangrove. The mangrove seedlings produced and sold to Department of Environment and Natural Resources, DENR, and the Department of Tourism, DOT, with the coordination of Local Government Units as well as the local women folks in the plantation of the mangroves.

To address the most pressing problems faced by the community, trainings and seminars were conducted to increase the people’s awareness and to capacitate the community in terms of organizational development and livelihood. Just like the experiences of other development practitioners, the passive and unreceptive attitudes of the people were observed. It took some time for the women to realize that helping each other would help them alleviate their condition. The academe being the prime mover and organizer of development programs for the women continued to inspire them and found new hope for and from the women. They were taught about the value of savings, self-reliance and commitment as very important factors for their success. They were motivated to carry out a microfinance project from a “piso-piso” savings for the future. Driven by their willingness to uplift their lives from poverty, the “piso” per day contribution raised to 20 pesos each week. The group also increased in number as weekly meetings were conducted, which led to the realization of their vision, which became clearer as they got involved in the program.

This is where the Womens’ Association for Inter-Island Development or WAIID was born. Because of their strong commitment to help themselves and others, they continued their efforts through the help of different agencies both Government Organizations and Non-Government Organizations to finance their projects and activities. At present, WAIID has a total of P70,000 assets coming from their weekly contribution. The organization is able to lend 4000 to 5000 pesos to a member every week for putting up small businesses, such as sari-sari store and food vending, which support the needs of their families. On top of meeting the daily needs of their families, their aspirations levelled up as well. They aspired of sending their children to school, which has driven them to fund a scholarship program for their kids. Their livelihood came in varied means; they also sold mangrove propagules for planting projects. The men likewise, helped by means of performing heavy tasks which the women were limited at doing, such as in the crab-fattening farm. Monthly livelihood trainings and seminars were conducted by different agencies knowing the womens’ group commitment and activities reflective of good governance.

The effort did not end there. The island’s rich Lalaguna mangrove eco-park, which puts the island in the map of stunning ecotourism destinations in the province, offers a great potential for future livelihood and ecotourism program of the community. The site will be in the roster with the majestic rock formations of Biri Island in tour packages which are in the offing. Managed by the WAIID women, a pavilion built at the site caters to tourists; with a good provision of food and other amenities and a nice tour around the mangrove forest makes everyone feels nature at its best.

“Opportunity knocks once,” so the cliché goes and these women had a good grip of it. Having a sense of ownership of these opportunities and the desire to live better lives for their families and the community propel them to redefine life out of poverty. They turned shortcomings, both personal and government services, to become self-sufficient through the support of brave men and women who took the chance to see what was behind the thick foliage of mangroves; better lives for the once downtrodden. The Womens’ Association for Inter-Island Development (WAIID) has so much to succeed in the future; it could be a model community to look up to someday.