Tuesday, December 30, 2008 Tribes get livelihood from Heifer
TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- Celebrating Christmas is more meaningful for three communities as they are set to receive gifts for livelihood projects.
Sitios Cogaue (iBiga tribe), Burayucan (iGamonnang), and New Balbalan (iBalbalan), all in this city, receive this gift from Heifer Philippines Inc. (HPI) through its gift for peace expansion.
A total of 150 families benefit from HPI's three component programs: animal dispersal, horticulture, and provision of agricultural equipment.
HPI project director Mihan Buliyat said the project proposals were approved by the Executive Committee for implementation in 2009.
He said the local project partners are International Association for Transformation (IAT) covering Burayucan and New Balbalan and the Tabuk Lumin-awaaan Center-Social Action Center of the Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk for Cogaue.
For Cogaue, 15 heads Steer-Yearling (cows) will be given to 15 families; 124 Doe (goats) and five Buck to 31 families; and 138 hens and 46 roosters to 46 families.
The same beneficiaries will also receive under horticulture vegetables seeds, crop seeds, farm tools, veterinary equipment and biologics, biogas digester, fencing wire, and vermin worms.
Also included are the rehabilitation of their village water system and the construction of a solid waste collection stand.
Dubbed the Co-Share project, Buliyat said the household partners will first undergo a series of trainings to ensure sustainability of their livelihood and to operate and manage for life to serve as their main income.
"Beneficiaries will multiply as another year enters since the initial gifts are passed on to other families in the community or be exchanged with the other beneficiary-tribe," he said.
For Burayucan and new Balbalan, 24 Heifer (carabao) and 24 Steer (cow) will be passed on to 24 families while two bulls to two families; one rooster and three hens to each household; vegetable seeds, crops for communal farms, legume seeds, and fruit tree seedlings.
Agriculture equipment such as forage seeds, farm tools, veterinary supplies and biologics, worms for vermin composting, and the establishment of a communal farm will also be given.
Buliyat said income derived from the purchase price of the animal will be returned to HPI while the income from purchase price will be pooled to fund related livelihood projects of the community.
HPI personnel who went to Nepal on a study tour will conduct the training to the end users.
The Gift for Peace II or "Genuine Inter-tribal Facility in Transformation for Peaceful Co-existence, Entrepreneurial Empowerment, Attitudinal Change, Continuing Education, and Environment Enhancement II is an anti-poverty intervention program of the government and HPI.” (PIA)
