In photo: Aling Mely Andres ventures on vegetable vending as she is one of the recipients of SEA-K program in Cordon, Isabela.

 

“Action indeed is the key foundation to all success. “

This is how Mely P. Andres shares her ideal in life that in able to attain success in life, one must act and find solutions to every problem.

Aling Mely P. Andres or “Manang Mely” as she preferred to be called by her peers is a widow with 7 children. She grew up in Aurora, Isabela but decided to settle down in Cordon, Isabela where she presently lives with her children. Her husband, Rodolfo M. Andres who was a soldier died not in bullet but from asthma attack.

With tears in her eyes, Manang Mely narrated that life was so difficult for her after the death of her husband. Vegetable vending was the only source of income in able for her to sustain the needs of her family.

Until one day, the Self Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran of the Department of Social Welfare and Development came in their barangay and considered those individuals with entrepreneurial skills. Fortunately, she was counted as one of the recipients of P10,000.00 capital assistance from DSWD which she treated as an augmentation to her existing venture. With burning desire to give her children a better future, she expanded her project. She rented a stall in the public market and increased the volume of vegetables she displayed. Eventually, she became a member of the Association of Market Vendor in her municipality.

As a mother of 7 children, Manang Mely wakes up at 4:00 am to cook food for the family and goes to market at 6:00 am to buy commodities for display in her stall that was just good for the day’s selling. At lunchtime, she would close her stall and headed for home to cook their food then back to market after. Any vegetable left will then be sold at a bargain price without sacrificing her capital. Her endeavor became a routine from Monday to Saturday. Her older children helped in the household chores. On Sunday, she would devote the day with the Lord, had some rest and laundry at times. For Manang Mely, faith to God is her weapon to survive and she believes that the SEA-K program has become the instrument in their survival.

Joining the program for how many years, Manang Mely focused on the schooling of her children. She firmly believed that earning a diploma will lead them to a life better than hers. Her income and savings were all invested for the schooling of her children. None was bought for her material comfort. Rain or shine, she never stopped selling unless she is not feeling well.

“Dahil sa pagbebenta ko ng mga gulay, napalaki, napag-aral, at napagtapos ko ang aking anak.” Manang Mely shared.

Manang Mely never thought of re-marrying for the reason of fulfillment seeing her children grow and happiness serving them all.

Because of SEA-K program, she gained confidence having a bigger capital to roll with the end goal of providing for the education of her children—this was her dream, to give to her children what she had not reached due to poverty.

Her strategy managing her family was worth emulating. She gathered her children for a meeting. Manang Mely presented to her kids their living condition and solicited understanding from her older ones to study well and help the younger ones to finish their studies.

At last, while standing in her stall, she would reflect how she survived the battle. She already had a soldier who never ceases helping his younger siblings. She already has 2 children as Overseas Filipino Workers who never forget to support the remaining students in the family. She could not believe herself how she made her kids into schooling all by herself.

“Kung mahirap ka, magtiyaga ka, lakasan mo loob mo,” stressed Manang Mely as we parted ways. For Manang Mely, her endeavor in vending venture has brought success in the lives of her children especially in education. Indeed, Manang Mely made a right decision when she had not given up in the middle of her battles, but rather invests in her children’s education.  A widow’s desire considered as an achievement that poverty even was unable to hamper. ### By Maricel T. Balisi, Project Development Officer II