Livelihoods Recovery after the Pandemic (E-CARE)

Support people throughout the Philippines as they recover from the pandemic and natural disasters and work towards a more sustainable future.

Zena, a Project Officer with AID’s Philippine partner, E-CARE is speaking about the communities she visits for this project in Palawan, a chain of islands in the far east of the country:

“Palawan partner communities have started to slowly gain momentum on their livelihood activities after the effects of the pandemic, Typhoon Odette, and rising oil and gas prices during the latter half of 2022. Fishing activities are even now being challenged by the effect of amihan (the north-east monsoon). Palawan groups are planning for alternative livelihood and marketing plans, which the organizations are discussing and processing in order to assist in addressing the challenges of the groups. The resiliency of the communities continues to persist in the areas as shown in their continuing to striving to keep to their programs and plans”.

Including these groups in Palawan, E-CARE works with 137 community groups in 14 provinces all over the Philippines, supporting them to become economically self-sufficient and engage in environmentally sustainable practices as they continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of these have developed into legally registered co-operatives.

The project provides training to support the groups to increase their assets, increase their membership, engage in ethical business activities, save money, and invest their profits in developing their businesses (or in rural banks), and pass on any funds received to a new group under E-CARE’s “Receivers to Givers” program.

As well as livelihood/business training and support in group self-governance, the groups are also being assisted to care for creation. To this end, tree-planting activities have been intensified and 10 solar systems for electricity (including for pumping water) have been successfully installed. In fact, the success of these first solar projects has inspired others to apply to be part of the solarization program of the Episcopal Church.

In the coming year, E-CARE will train:

• 100 more people in skills for generating alternative sources of income;
• five more groups on organizational management;
• 150 people in how to assess and plan to use climate smart technologies; 
• 100 more group members in strategic planning;
• and will support the installation of seven more solar-powered water systems.

A gift to this project is an investment in a very good chance for a sustainable future for almost 20,000 people, most of whom live in rural areas, and many of whom are very remote from city centres.

We have committed to contribute $1 for every $5 we receive from the Australian Government. This means that every donation you make to this project will be combined with funding from the Australian Government to reach more people. Your donation will allow us to extend this program.