“I thought I would not see the day I could see my children’s dreams come true. We are just livestock retailers, but DSWD, through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), provided us the way to make my dreams a reality,” says Shiela.

“High school akong nahuman, maong naningkamot gyud ko nga makahuman sila og kurso, para manindot usab ang ilang kaugmaon (I finished high school, so I am really trying to make them finish a college course, so that their future will also be good),” shared Shiela Cafino Elloreg, 44, a housewife and a devoted secretary of Nabago Livestock Buyer and Retailer SLPA in the town of Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental.

She shared how she dreamed of seeing all her children finish college. Unfortunately, Shiela did not get the chance to go to college, but despite that, she wanted to fulfill it through her children by providing a good education for them. Sheila added that she always reminds them that she will work hard to achieve it.

Two of her children are now in college and are taking a bachelor’s degree in criminology at the Colegio de Sta. Catalina Alejandria (COSCA) in Dumaguete City; James, the eldest, will soon graduate in June 2023. The youngest child is in Grade 9 at Santiago Maluay High School.

“Dili sayon ang magpaeskwela og duha ka estudyante sa private school maong ako naningkamot og eskwela aron naa koy masukli sa mga kahago ni Mama ug Papa (It is not easy to send two students to a private school, so I’m trying my best to study so that I can repay the hard work of my parents),” says James Ellore.

James witnessed his parents’ hard work and wanted to make them proud. “I am doing this for their sacrifices, and I want them to be happy, seeing us slowly reaching our dreams,” shared James.

“No words can describe how happy I was when my eldest son told me he would soon be marching on the stage to receive his diploma on graduation,” Shiela delightedly shared her excitement when she received the good news.

“Mao gyud ni akong pangandoy nila nga makahuman sila sa ilang pageskwela para sa ilang kaugmaon mao nang naningkamot gyud kog pamuhi og baboy (This is what I have been dreaming about for their future, which is why I am working so hard and focusing on our piggery),” said Shiela.

She added that this would not have been possible without the help of the Sustainable Livelihood Program under the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA), which paved the way and provided a grant worth Php 300,000.00 for their livelihood. The Nabago Livestock Buyer and Retailer SLPA received the SLP grant twice, in 2018 and 2022. The members were inspired to double their efforts since the program recognized them and saw that they had put the grant to good use.

For Shiela, the livelihood grant is the biggest blessing God has bestowed upon them, “Dako kaayog natabang ang SLP namo tungod niini dako kaayo nakong garbo nga makita nga mopaso akong anak puhon maka graduate sa college. Pinaagi sa halin sa baboy maoy nakatabang namo sa pag adlaw-adlaw nga panginahanglanon (The SLP helped us a lot because of this, I am very proud to be witnessing my son on stage at his graduation ceremony. The sales from our piggery helped us meet our daily needs),” underscored Shiela as she recounts the laborious work she and her husband did to take care of their piggery.

“I am thankful for the outpouring of blessings on our livelihood, and now my son will finish his studies,” says Shiela in dialect. For her, the diploma is her receipt of hard work, the most significant proof that SLP PAMANA has provided her the means to give heirlooms or pamana to her children. ###

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