Make a Difference - Adopt a Barangay

I. INTRODUCTION

In its endeavor to achieve the goals and thrusts of Rotary International on Health and Hunger, Literacy, Rotary Family and Water Management to enhance the health, happiness and general well-being of the people everywhere, the RC Kalibo, District 3850, Kalibo, Aklan, Philippines, initiated as its club project, the adoption of a depressed Barangay (village) for development, along a fourfold integrated program on (a) better health and well-being; (b) improved means of livelihood, (c) opportunities for education and training; (d) self-reliance and self-government.

The integrated development approach is being adopted in the belief that the basic problems of the villager common to all developing communities, namely, poverty, disease, illiteracy and civil apathy cannot be solved if dealt with separately. The problems being interlocked , poverty affecting health, illness reducing productivity, ignorance stunting his livelihood, with growth and progress depending on his determination to achieve through reliance on his own capacities and cooperation with his neighbors, the approach should necessary be made on him as a total individual with the awareness of the forces that besets him, if , we expect to improve his condition and his outlook in life significantly.

II. THE PROJECT AREA

A. LOCATION. The initial site of the project is the Barangay Fatima, located at New Washington, Aklan, East of the Poblacion of New Washington, the port town of Aklan, with an area of 157 hectares.

This Barangay is one of the many depressed villages in the service area of the club. It was selected as the initial site of the project because it is accessible enough to the members and other government and private agencies and is ideally situated to serve as a show window for other villages and civic clubs to observe and follow. Only after the club is certain that the project in this village has attained stability and a reasonable degree of success, will it attempt to transfer the site to the next village.

Barangay Fatima, has plain and fertile lands, that are planted mostly to coconut trees and adjoins Batan Bay on the East and Visayan Sea on the North, Barangay Ochando on the West and Barangay Dumaguit on the South, where most of its people earn their livelihood through fishing, coconut farming and as fishponds laborer. There are some areas which are devoted to fishponds and some upland areas planted to bananas and vegetables and where poultry and livestock are raised for home consumption.

B. CLIMATE. The climate in the village is tropical, with two monsoon seasons. There is no district dry and wet periods but with pronounced rainfall from September to November. The average annual rainfall varies from 8 to 10 inches. The temperature is almost uniform throughout the year, ranging from 27 to 28 degrees centigrade.

C. POPULATION AND INDUSTRY. The population is estimated at 1,194 as of 2006 which is distributed among 205 households with an average of about 5 members. The average growth is 2.1 percent annually.

Of the total population, approximately 45 percent are engaged in and dependent largely on fishing and 30 percent dependent on coconut cultivation and 25 percent on labor as stevedores or port workers and fishponds laborers. The average annual per capita income is low, about P4,500 monthly attributed mainly to low productivity due to poor fishing and vocational practices and lack of modern technical and managerial skills.

III. THE PROJECT.

A. OBJECTIVES AND GOALS. The project seeks to transform this depressed village into an economically and socially viable community mainly thru self-reliance and by helping people help themselves. The specific goals are:

1. Increased farm and fishing productivity through better agricultural and fishing practices and diversification.
2. Provide more opportunities for better livelihood.
3. Increased opportunities for higher and better education and the development of manpower skills.
4. Improved health, well being and sanitary conditions.
5. Improved living conditions and family life
6. Development of effective leadership and followership.
7. Development of cooperative awareness and self-reliance.
8. Promote social, cultural and spiritual upliftment.

B. DURATION

Three Rotary years, beginning RY 2007-2008 to RY 2009-2010.

C. THRUSTS AND STRATEGIES

1. To increase farm productivity. Despite the tremendous potentials for growth, the pace of agricultural and economic development through the years has been plainfully slow. The average production of coconut (the main crop), for example, is only about 600 kilograms of copra per hectare per year, representing only 40 percent of the plantations estimated capabilities. Crude production practices compounded by poor and inefficient land utilization have contributed to the generally low farm productin.

To increase production efficiency, the following strategies shall be undertaken which involve a lot of self-help incentives and a minimum of outside material or financial help.

a. Introduce a package of improved cultural techniques relative to the existing crops being produced which shall consist of improved cultivation, proper fertilization, weeding, pest and disease control, and green manuring. Demonstration plots shall be established in selected and strategic farmer-cooperators’ farms to demonstrate modern and better farming practices and techniques.
b. Introduce a suitable multiple cropping system to utilize efficiently the cropable spaces under and between coconut trees and provide additional/alternative economic activities and income. Commercial crops like cacao, coffee and ginger shall be given more encouragement and priority. Vegetables and rootcrops shall also be encouraged as a backstop to the nutrition program.
c. Backyard poultry raising shall be assisted by distribution of day-old chicks and assuring the steady supply of fees and ready market of eggs and chicken by the distributors, suppliers, hotel and restaurant operators among the club membership.
d. Assist animal dispersal program, especially hog and cattle by the procurement of suitable grade of stocks for distribution to selected farmers and out-of-school youth and assuring steady supply of feeds and market by club members. Recipients may raise the hogs and cattle for fattening or multiplication, in which case in return of investment of the club may either be in cash or in kind through tie-ups with the school and banks.
e. Assist in the procurement of high yielding varieties of planting materials for distribution through the schools and cooperatives and in the establishment of plant nurseries in vacant and idle lots.
f. Undertakes the testing and the classification of soils for effective farm management and the tapping of technical expertise among the club membership, the Bureau of Soils extension services and various government offices and agencies.
g. Assist farmers in preparing farms plants and budgets as instrument of effective and efficient farm operation and management and as supporting documents in availing of production loan from development and rural banks.

To increase fish productivity. Notwithstanding, that Barangay Pinamuc-an is situated near the fishing waters of New Washington River and the Sibuyan Sea, fishermen of the village practice sustenance fishing, making no room for improving their social and economic situation.

To improve the lot of the fishermen of Barangay Pinamuc-an, the following steps shall be taken, under a self-help program;

h. Transfer package of fishing technology from government and private to the fishermen, individually or collectively.
i. To introduce cooperative fishing, to improve and develop efficiency in handling, preserving, marketing and distribution of fish and aquatic products.

2. To provide more opportunities for better livelihood.

a. Job placements of qualified and skilled men and women in the establishments, companies or factories of club members or their non-Rotarian friends,
b. Assist in the training of deserving students and out of school youths in vocational education and skills in the production and export-oriented items and in assuring ready market of their products through the club members or Rotarians in other clubs.
c. Assistance by the Rotarians and Rotary Anns to the women and young adults in various vocational or cottage industries as, fish processing, handicraft, needlecraft, shellcraft and fibercrafts.
d. Assisting, providing or maintenance of better production design and quality control to upgrade the market value and acceptability of processed fish, shellcrafts, handcrafts and fibercrafts.

3. To increase opportunities for higher and better education, vocational training and man power skills.

a. Conduct a training of, at least 100 villagers in batches of 25 for at least one week on the various aspects of modern farming for the farmers, modern fishing for the fishermen and cottage industries for the laborers, housewives and young adults, giving priority to the father, mother and one child in every household.
b. Sponsor a one week training on village development through self-help at the school at the Aklan State University, School of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, New Washington, Aklan or other training institution of at least, 7 village residents who have been selected by the club on the basis of their potentials and qualities of leadership on the condition or prior agreement that each will return and reside in the village after the training to provide the necessary sustained and stimulative leadership to assure continued development and growth.
c. Grant scholarship to deserving but indigent secondary school graduate at the Aklan State University, School of Fisheries and Marine Sciences at New Washington, Akaln and at the School of Agriculture, Banga, Aklan and School of Industrial and Trades at Kalibo, Aklan especially on courses which will give them opportunities to serve the residents of the village.

4. To improve the health and sanitary conditions in the village.

a. Conduct periodically free medical and dental clinics by club members and their Rotary Anns.
b. Preparation and development of nutritious food preparations and menus which are relatively inexpensive and are abundant and available in the village.
c. Conduct deworming clinics periodically specially among children and youths to eradicate the infestation of intestinal parasites which tend to sap their vitality and pave the way to indolence and laziness.
d. Assist the health authorities in the campaign to install and use properly water-sealed toilets.
e. Improve the supply of safe potable water.

5. To improve living conditions of family life.

a. Relocation of squatters and needy families in government relocation and rehabilitation centers.
b. Assist in the organization of youth clubs such as Interact, for worthwhile, wholesome, educational, cultural and athletic entertainment and competition to minimize juvenile delinquencies.
c. Assist in the organization of mother’s club in the pursuit of worthwhile and the more finer things in life and to make the home more attractive to their children and the menfolk.
d. Provide motivation and incentives in the government’s campaign in village and home beautification, green revolution, tree planting and physical fitness programs.
e. Assist in the government’s campaign for effective family planning and population control.
f. Assist housewives in the preparation and adoption of simple but effective and economically family budgets.

6. To develop effective leadership and responsible followership.

a. Cooperate and assist government agencies in leadership training courses among the village officialdom and the potential leaders.
b. Conduct or assist in information campaign on tax education, the rights and obligations in the exercise of suffrage, credit unions, consumer and marketing cooperatives, group dynamics, collective bargaining, labor and agricultural unionism, etc.
c. Conduct conferences to enhance and foster national discipline, industry, cooperation, self-reliance and to change and improve or develop attitudes, in the desire to improve the quality of life in the village.

7. To develop cooperative consciousness and awareness, self-reliance and active but vigilant support for the village self-government.

a. Assist and augment the efforts of the government in organizing strong and viable cooperative organization in the village.
b. Help the Department of Local Government and the Cooperative Development Authority to plan and conduct campaign for membership and in the training of leaders in the village’s co-ops.
c. Assist and guide the village co-op members and leaders in resolving objectively and intelligently their problems through frequent fireside chats or committees meetings to develop among them a deep personal involvement as well as a sincere regard and loyalty to the affairs of the organization.
d. Assist the cooperative in establishing business contacts or connections with club members who have commercial establishments or companies in the town or nearby towns and cities.

IV. ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT –

A. The Rotary Club of Kalibo members including their Rotary spouses and partners in service (Interact, Rotaract & RCC) will be divided into committees, each charged with the duty of implementing, directing, coordinating and controlling the various development activities;

B. Technical expertise which are no available from the club’s rank and file shall be tapped from the various government and private agencies, most particularly, from the Aklan State Universiry, the Department of Health; the Department of Social Services and Development; the Department of Agriculture; and the Department of Trade and Industry; the DILG; the DENR; the TESDA; the DEPED, Cooperative Development Authority; DPWH; Department of Justice; and other allied agencies, to serve as trainors and resources persons or consultants.

PROJECT COST ESTIMATES – Every development activity to bring about the specific goals of the people would have separate development, study and plans, as well as the estimated cost.

For those who are interested to help and extend financial assistance to make this project very successful, please contact the details below. Rotary Club is a non-governmental and non-profit organization, so therefore, we also are dependent on some private donors and grants from our fellow Rotarians here and abroad. The success of this activity will depend on the people who have the willingness and heart to share their extra blessings for our unfortunate sisters and brothers. We here one joining hands together to be able to achieve our goal ‘Service above Self. Those Who Serves Best, Profits Most.”

The launching of the project is this month of September. The first project implementation is the Day Care Center equipments that include: books, chairs, tables, karaoke, electric fan, TV and video player, and some other instructional materials to be donated to the Day Care Center in the area. Simultaneous with the feeding, dental and medical program to follow that would cost: an individual donor for a budget of P200.00 per day and on supplemental feeding of P200.00 x 90 DAYS = P18,000.00.

Do you want to make a difference for the better? Contact details below. Thank you.

Rotary Club of Kalibo
Rotary Livelihood & Training Center
Andagao, Kalibo, Aklan, Philippines
PE Megs Lunn
+63 919 5521862

Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace in the world. Rotary Club of Kalibo is a member of Rotary International, District 3850, Zone IV. RCK meets every TUESDAY of the month, 7:30 PM at the ROTARY LIVELIHOOD and TRAINING CENTER, Barangay Andagao, Kalibo, Aklan, 5600 Philippines.

This release was published on openPR.