MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)--Folks from four villages in the municipality of Butig are thankful for the aid poured into their communities.

This, after the Community and Family Services International (CFSI) turned over Tuesday, November 15, community projects to support the livelihood activities of the villagers. The projects consisted of one warehouse each for Barangays Pindolonan and Butig Proper, two solar dryers for Barangay Malungun, and a hanging bridge for Barangay Samer.

These barangays are among the areas where the Marawi COVID-19 Recovery Project (MCRP) of CFSI is implemented. The projects are part of the community-based support to livelihood (CBSL) component of the MCRP that aims to improve the livelihood and resilience of communities affected by protracted displacements and the COVID-19 pandemic.

MCRP is funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) but the target barangays also provided counterparts in the implementation of the CBSL projects such as additional manpower and resources for the construction.

Malungun Punong Barangay Bacarat Casimra conveyed his thanks for the two solar dryers their barangay got from the MCRP adding that the project will benefit farmers in his village since Malungun is a producer of palay and corn in Butig.

He said children can also use the area as a playground when the drying of the harvest is completed.

Samer Punong Barangay Mangontawar Amatonding Jr. also thanked CFSI, DFAT Australia, and LGU Butig for the hanging bridge project. He said, previously, villages used a zipline track to transport their produce to the other side of the barangay posing a risk to the farm products during wet weather.'

The hanging bridge, he said, will not only improve access but ensure easier transport of farm products. "Babaguhin nito ang kabuhayan sa Samer, lalakas ang development sa Samer," he said.

Amatonding also underscored the impact of the project on the promotion of peace in the village stating that unstable livelihood can contribute to conflict by forcing locals to resort to violence to obtain the necessary resources they need. (APB/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)