MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)--A resident here is now earning more than P100,000 per month after completing a training conducted by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in 2018.

Sittie Nurjehan Macapondag, an internally displaced person from Barangay Norhaya Village in the city's most affected area, said DICT has transformed her life with numerous opportunities online. 

“Ang laking tulong ng DICT kasi natransfrom ako from being an IDP from ground zero into earning six figures a month,” she said.

[DICT has helped me transform from being an IDP from ground zero into someone who earns a six figure a month.]

Macapondag now has a rate of $20 per hour for her online jobs. She said she preferred freelancing since it enables her to earn while just staying at home. 

From ground zero to online opportunities

Macapondag said she used to work as a nurse abroad in 2015 and returned home to Marawi for her family. When the siege broke out in 2017, Macapondag said the earnings she gained abroad vanished. 

However, Macapondag saw hope after she got interested in joining the Rural Impact Sourcing (RIS) Technical training of DICT. She also preferred freelancing in order to earn income while spending time with her family at home. 

“Kumita ako ng around P40,000 during the training sa first month ko as freelancer. Doon na nagstart ang opportunity na pumasok sa buhay ko,” she said. 

[I earned about P40,000 during the first month of the training as I work as a freelancer. There, opportunities started to come into my life.]

During the training, Macapundag was the only trainee who was able to get a client abroad. Equipped with digital skills and knowledge, she was invited to various events to be a resource speaker. To date, she has conducted six trainings since 2019 on various topics such as social media marketing, website development, and e-commerce development for professionals and  Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises. 

Instrument for others’ success

Macapondag said she is elated as she is able to help other people. She also became a resource speaker of DICT in its various technical trainings. 

“Masarap sa feeling na nakakatulong ka din kasi marami akong naging estudyante na kumikita na. Hanggang ngayon nagtratransform ako ng IDP o individual lalo na sa rural area. Ang ganda sa feeling na naging instrumento ako ng digitaljobsPh training,” she said. 

[It's nice to feel that you can help others because I've had many students who are already earning. Until now I am transforming an IDP or individuals, especially in rural areas. It fells nice that I have become an instrument of digitaljobsPh training.]

The outstanding freelancer also urged the trainees, especially her fellow IDPs to pursue their dreams despite challenges. She noted that there are challenges along the way before achieving great things in life. 

She is also grateful to DICT who capacitated her with skills and knowledge in ICT. (LELA/PIA ICIC)