The birth of self help approach is labeled as the “outstripping of ignorance”, the birth of a community-based program which is anti-incapacity, anti-incapability and anti-oppression and considerably the birth of a pro-equality community based program.
Pag-ugmad is a child friendly institution catering to five huge communities in Davao City that champion the cause of the children.
The strong partnership of UCCP Pag-ugmad and Kindernothilfe for twenty six (26) years through the Widespread Impact Program and Child-focused Community-based Development Program made way for its adoption of the Self Help Approach which aims to unleash human potential by developing and empowering poor women in the community in economic, political and social aspects.
Self Help Group (SHeG) is the organized groups following the Self Help Approach. It is an informal association of poor women with 15-20 members, voluntary in membership with emphasis on self and mutual help. Homogeneity and affinity, non-political and non-religious in nature and most importantly, it practices rotational leadership.
Implementing SHA has been an uphill struggle since the mental set-up of the community is patterned on dependency and of getting something from the organizing institution.
But the persistence and determination of the Project officers and the community facilitators was not in vain. At the end of 2009, thirty (30) SHeGs were organized and a total of P66,307.15 was saved by the two hundred ninety nine (299) members. Our area for SHA Promotion is the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS), an island across Davao City which can be reached in fifteen to twenty minutes by barge or by boat.
Success Story
One of the income generating activities of the SHeGs is Food Processing. This was made possible through the initiative of the group itself. They invited a resource person from the community to teach them the basics of food processing.
In this particular group one of the women said she benefited from the training because she already earned an income through Coco lumpia selling. Before the training, she had a hard time thinking of what to sell to augment their income. Upon the introduction of coco lumpia, she now has an additional income and she can now give school allowance to her children.
Another woman recounted that never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that she could save some extra money. It was hard to meet their daily needs. How could she put aside some extras for savings? But with the introduction of Self Help, she has proven that, indeed, savings can be possible.
