TYPHOON YOLANDA REHABILITATION PROJECTS

Enhancing Coastal Communities’ Recovery and Resiliency from Disaster through Seaweeds Farming

The Enhancing Coastal Communities’ Recovery and Resiliency from Disaster through Seaweeds Farming Project is a one-year project (February 2015 to 2016) funded by the Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) International Philippines through the Serving Affected Families Effectively (SAFE) implemented to help revive the seaweeds industry in Marabut, Western Samar by increasing production. Specifically, the project a) expanded the production areas covering the four (4) barangays in the Municipality of Marabut that passed the water sampling and where SAFE had another rehabilitation project; b) provided production inputs to farmer beneficiaries; and, c) provided technical assistance to farmer beneficiaries through direct coaching and mentoring and on-site technical advisories.

Seaweed and Bangus Culture for Rural Households in Typhoon Yolanda-affected areas in Western Samar

The Seaweed and Bangus Culture for Rural Households in Typhoon Yolanda-affected areas in Western Samar is a project implemented in partnership with Tabang Visayas through Assisi Development Foundation Inc. (ADFI) and funded by Cross International. This project aimed to accelerate the economic recovery of the targeted fisher folk-households in the municipalities of Basey and Marabut through the a) provision of seaweeds and bangus/fish processing inputs; b) conduct of capacity building interventions; and, c) establishing market access.

A total of 81 seaweed farmers and 60 fisherfolk’s housewives engaged in fish processing benefitted from the project. Through the US$1,100 donation to PDAP from two US individuals through the First Church of Christ Scientist Manila, six (6) seaweed farmers from Marabut were also added as project beneficiaries.

Main project interventions done were: a) provision of seaweeds and fish processing inputs; and, b) conduct of capability building interventions such as trainings on seaweeds farming and fish processing (including value-adding skills training), coaching/ mentoring on social enterprise development and facilitating market linkages.