March 3, 2015, Nanays in Cangumbang, Palo have their monthly Future Funds meeting
The meeting of the Nanays of the Cangumbang. Palo community has come together for their monthly future funds meeting at the Volunteer for the Visayans Community Centre. Community coordinator Maila and volunteer Judith teach the mothers various skills and techniques on how they can save and make money for the future funds program.
The VFV Future Funds program records and monitors mothers who have signed up to save 6 consecutive months of income and pool their money together to allow them to have access to future loans incase of emergencies and investing in income generating activities.
The program also encourages the nanays to set personal and financial goals in each meeting while the coordinators help keep track and reach their goals. From financial budgeting, saving for post-secondary education, improving the diets of their children, investing in entrepreneurship, and children’s success in school. Community coordinator Maila monitors their progress and keeps them on track to reach their goals for an improved future for their families.
Community volunteer Judith also encourages the mothers to participate in more income-generating activities to allow for easier savings of money for their future funds program. Such skills and activities include selling handicrafts like bracelets and making local delicacies.
One particular area she is passionate about is investing in homemade peanut butter rather than purchasing it from the store, then selling it for extra income. Just one tablespoon of peanut butter is high in protein with nutrients to help increase the weight of the children.
What’s the next goal for the nanays? Creating a vegetable garden just outside of the VFV centre in Cangumbang for them to sell to VFV volunteers in the Nutrition Program, like Judith, who provides healthy homemade meals to sponsored children in the Cangumbang community. abundant with vegetables found in traditional Filipino cuisine, leftover crop will be sold within the community.
With this program and partnership with Volunteer for the Visayans, the nanays, their families and the Cangumbang community can reap and sow the rewards of sustainable food supply and extra income.
Written by: Monica Belen Luzano – Media Intern from Canada