The Department of Social Welfare and Development Region 7 through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) conducted a series of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) for the closing terminal report of the National Community-Driven Development Project-Additional Financing (NCDDP-AF). The event, which marked the first of many FGDs across different municipalities, took place in Manjuyod, Negros Oriental.

The morning session from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. was held with the Municipal Coordinating Team (MCT) at the SB Session Hall in the Manjuyod Town Hall. In the afternoon, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., the community volunteers (CV) gathered at the Barangay Bala-as Covered Court in Bala-as, Manjuyod.

The objectives of these FGDs included evaluating the effectiveness of capacity-building interventions, documenting good practices and success stories from MCT, ACT (Area Coordinating Team), and CV members, assessing improvements in knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA) among participants, identifying challenges and areas for improvement in implementing capacity-building interventions and gathering feedback on the overall experience and impact of these interventions on various stakeholders.

Helen C. Ybañez, Head of the Social Development Unit and Maribeth Cabalda, Head of the Capacity Building Unit, facilitated the discussions alongside other members of the Regional Project Management Office (RPMO) of KALAHI-CIDSS.

During the discussions, Community Volunteers shared numerous success stories and testimonials, highlighting the significant impact of KALAHI-CIDSS not only on their communities but also on their personal lives. These narratives underscored the transformative power of the program and its role in fostering community development and individual empowerment.

The insights gathered from these FGDs will contribute to the comprehensive closing terminal report of the NCDDP-AF, ensuring that the program’s successes and lessons learned are well-documented and can inform future initiatives. ###

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