ILOILO City – Sharon Estember, 25, lived in a remote mountain barangay in Tubungan, Iloilo. Improving her family’s lot had been a challenge.
One day a livelihood opportunity from the government came knocking on her door. It changed her family for the better.
A single mother, Estember became a beneficiary of the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in 2016. In October of that year she and several others from Barangay Molina, Tubungan started training on housekeeping.
After the 20 days of free training, they had on-the-job training.
Estember was able to secure a National Assessment Certificate Level 2 for Housekeeping NCII.
Eventually, she was offered by Kryz Vocational Technical School another training in Palawan, this time for Trainers Methodology Level 1.
She passed this training and became a certified trainer (national assessor) for housekeeping.
Now, Estember is sharing her skills in housekeeping to others.
“Sang una sa uma lang ko. Ang kabuhi namon sa uma kon indi ka magtanom, wala ka produktohon, so wala ka sang imo kinahanglanon,” said Estember.
Now, she is able to provide better for her family, and most especially to her child.
“Daku gid ang nabulig kang SLP. Nabuligan ko ang akon pamilya sa ila mga kinahanglanon, ilabi na gid sa uma, barakal abono kag hilu sa paray kag siempre sa kinahanglanon man kang akon mga libayon nga ga ereskwela, kag sang akon bata,” she stressed.
Estember hopes her story would inspire others to also improve their lives through government help like the SLP.
“Subong nga trainor na ‘ko, ako na nagatudlo sa iban. Nalipay ako nga makabulig paagi sa pag-share sang akon nga naman-an,” said Estember./PN
