Meals of Love and Legacy
Engracia grew up in Semfer Stito—despite not going beyond the 6th grade, her business aptitudes were evident when she provided manicure services, haircuts, and cigarette sales to provide for her family. Eventually, though, her profits from these endeavors were not enough to cover her family’s expenses. She found DBA, attended our trainings, and, after completing a business plan, started her business of selling snacks and meals out of her home.
This path, though, was not without obstacles. Her small home was demolished by the owner of the land she was staying on. This meant the primary place where she would cook her meals and sell her snacks was unavailable. This is a common occurrence in many impoverished areas of the Philippines. Many of the very poor—such as in many larger cities in Western countries—live in squatter areas; when the owner or the Government decides to use that area, they must leave. Because of this, the homes that are established are quite small, no more than 20–30 square feet, and constructed with materials that make them highly susceptible to fire. However, Engracia was undaunted. She found a new place to call home, and DBA is helping her acquire supplies. Now her main motivation is to provide for her grandkids and make sure they have school supplies and, more than that, the academic opportunities she didn’t.
Without our team here at DBA, our partners, and our donors, this would not have been possible. Thank you!