Gaining confidence through empowerment
The story of Jorgito Casana, SLED Project Participant

 
Jorgito or Jitoy Casana is one of the original settlers in Barangay Magupange and came from a very poor family. He married Solidad (Soling) Marmito who came also from the village. Jitoy and Soling are blessed with three children. They are the farthest family resident in the village, living in a house made of palm leaves and wood.  Farming is their only source of living. 

For the past 10 years Jitoy and Soling lived in the village, they did not participate in a single community activity except during election. Besides being busy farming, Jorgito added that “I personally feel so shy when I meet people in the barangay (village) because we have no formal/proper clothing to wear and I thought that the other residents would criticize us or come up with bad intrigues.” 

During the implementation of Sustainable Livelihood and Enterprise Development (SLED) project, Jitoy was identified and became a partner family.  He participated in the Cornerstone Workshop and other trainings of the project. Other project participants noticed that a month after the cornerstone workshop, Jorgito, together with his family, started attending mass during Sundays, and he later became the church guitarist. They also observed that Jitoy was the earliest participant to arrive in the venue during the series of trainings after the Cornerstones.  Two weeks before the POG Ceremony (to original families), Jitoy and his family moved their home near the center of the village.  Later on he was elected and became an active SHG leader actively participating in SHG activities and community affairs. Jitoy said that “the Cornerstone Full Participation enlightened me on my role in the development of our community.”

Jorgito and Soling Casana with their water buffalo

The project also helped Jitoy maximize the potential of his small farm lot. Jitoy received a water buffalo, goats, banana plantlets, vegetables, fruit and forest tree seedlings, and farm tools. He has now his own integrated farm and has earned money from the vegetables he produced. “Now my family can have as many vegetables as we like. I do not have to buy. The money we have saved can now be used for the school expenses of my two elementary school children.”

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