selfhelpgroups

Juana Literato (far right), leader of the Starfish-Tocong women’s self-help group, discusses about their group’s savings and financial records. She is one of the project participants of the livelihood cash grant program implemented by Sentro Para sa Ikauunlad ng Katutubong Agham at Teknolohiya Inc. (SIKAT) and Oxfam Pilipinas as part of the emergency response for the typhoon survivors in Barangay Salvacion in Pilar municipality, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte, Philippines. (Photo: Heyssab Areef Hassan/Ox

Women entrepreneurs make a comeback in Super Typhoon Rai-devastated Siargao Island

PILAR, Siargao Island – To help augment the income their husband’s income amid the COVID-19 pandemic, at least 120 women from the surfing village of Salvacion formed themselves into six self-help groups (SHeGs) last year to sell rice and other goods to their community.

Empowering women through saving

A month ago, Marianne Penido borrowed Php 500 from “Reyna ng Tahanan” (Queen of the Home)—a self-help group (SHeG)—in the coastal town of Dolores in the province of Eastern Samar.