MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)--The Marawi Covid Recovery Project (MCRP) of the Community and Family Services International (CFSI) was reported to have uplifted the socio-economic conditions of internally displaced persons (IDPs) of Marawi and other vulnerable population in the province.
MCRP Project Coordinator Farida Mangcaan said 3,071 out of the 4,000 target households were already provided with livelihood support under the livelihood component of the project.
She said the support is a mix of urban-based livelihood for households previously served by the Marawi Recovery Project including locally stranded individuals and the community-based support to livelihood (CBSL) in the municipalities of Ditsaan-ramain, Marantao, Piagapo, Butig, Lumbayanague and Masiu.
Mangcaan said that through CFSI's project monitoring and evaluation as well as home visits they found out that most of the livelihoods were able to survive and thrive amidst the challenges brought about by the pandemic and the IDPs' prolonged stay in transitory shelters.
She further said that some were able to adapt by expanding their livelihood out of their sales, out of their gains in farming, or diversifying their operations and doing other income-generating activities.
"For the 24 CBSL projects, na improve yung mga pinakamahirap na parte ng kanilang mga kalsada o daanan kung saan nakafacilitate to transport yung kanilang farm produce, nagkaroon ng access ang mga service providers, at mas napalakas yung kanilang social cohesion o yung kanilang pakikiisa bilang isang komunidad," she said.
[For the 24 CBSL projects, it improved the most difficult parts of their roads or paths facilitating the transport of farm produce, the access of service providers, and social cohesion or solidarity as a community.]
Mangcaan also disclosed that community project participants become aware of the importance of Bayanihan and demonstrate a participative attitude towards activities aiming for the progress of their respective sectors.
Meanwhile, Bay-Rama Farmers’ Association President Musa Maruhom Tambilawan affirmed that his group received farming equipment from CFSI which helped reduced their land preparation time and increased their productivity and income.
"Noong wala pa ang mga equipment, two to three months yung land preparation pero ngayon naging two to three days nalang [when the equipment was not there, the land preparation took two to three months, but now it's only two to three days], he said.
The MCRP is funded by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. (APB/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)
