“Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another. We’re strongest when we cheer each other on.”

This was a popular quote made by tennis legend Serena Williams, a champion of female empowerment and solidarity.

Williams’ word is evident in the women of Barangay Igcawayan in San Lorenzo town, Guimaras, whose story of perseverance, dedication, and commitment resulted in achieving a sustainable livelihood project.

Twelve kilometers might not seem like much on a map, but in the rugged terrain of Barangay Igcawayan, it was a distance that defined daily life.

For years, the farmers and their families in this remote corner of San Lorenzo, Guimaras were at the mercy of the long trek to the town proper and vice versa. A simple bag of poultry feed or a sack of rice meant a long, expensive journey.

Today, that journey is a thing of the past. Thanks to a group of women who decided that if the supplies wouldn’t come to the village, they would bring the business to their barangay and help the entire community thrive.

From seedlings to success

In 2023, 21 determined women saw a gap in supply sources in their community and began planning to fill it with a united vision as their initial capital. They formed the Igcawayan Agri-Poultry Supply Association (IAPSA).

Their turning point came through a Php450,000 livelihood grant from the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) and funded under the PAyapa at MAsagang PamayaNAn (PAMANA) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The PAMANA is the DSWD’s contribution in strengthening peace-building and supporting sustainable livelihoods in conflict-affected and vulnerable areas.

Under the SLP, beneficiaries are provided with training and other capacity-building activities on managing a business.

It was the “seed capital” they needed to plant their dreams in the soil of Igcawayan.

However, they soon realized that capital alone isn’t enough to sustain a business—it requires a shift in mindset.

“Their vision was clear, they created a community-based enterprise that served neighbors while empowering themselves and the Sustainable Livelihood Program helped them achieve that,” Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao, spokesperson of the DSWD, said.

The Learning Curve

In the beginning, these women of Barangay Igcawayan were just simple and ordinary while managing a store.

Bookkeeping, inventory tracking, and financial transparency were foreign concepts to them. It threatened to stall their progress.

But as Mae Patingo, the DSWD-SLP Program Officer, came in to help them, their world turned 360 degrees.

“I came to mentor them and under my guidance, this group of women swapped old habits for cashbooks and sales records,” Patingo proudly narrated. She also added that the women spent late nights studying ledgers and debating inventory logs.

And what started as a struggle evolved into a sophisticated system of accountability.

“This commitment in doing it right built a foundation of trust—not just among the members, but with the entire barangay,” Patingo shared.

More than a Livelihood Project

To ensure everyone understood the business from the ground up, they initially rotated storekeeping duties among all 21 members. As the enterprise matured, so did its structure.

Today, while one member manages daily operations for a small stipend, the core leadership team—the President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Auditor—handles the high-level strategy and government relations. This isn’t just a shop; it’s a leadership laboratory.

“IAPSA isn’t growing for profit alone; it is growing to serve”, the DSWD spokesperson underscored.

The most profound impact of the livelihood project isn’t found in a ledger – it’s in the transformative impact in the women and the community. The confidence gained behind the store counter has spilled over into public service.

Currently, four IAPSA members have stepped into vital roles in their locality as Barangay Kagawad, Treasurer, Health Worker, and 4Ps Parent Leader.

In addition, the IAPSA’s unique moral compass incorporated in their business values creates a positive influence in the community. Prioritizing health, IAPSA is known to refuse to sell cigarettes and alcohol.

Sharing their blessings, the livelihood association donates chairs to the local church, organizes tree-planting drives, and provides teaching sessions, such as puto-making, to interested members of the village. The IAPSA has become a core fixture in helping its community.

The Next Chapter

The women of Igcawayan aren’t resting on their laurels. They are already eyeing the horizon, with plans to introduce frozen goods, provide gear for the local fisherfolk, and launch a rental service for tents and chairs.

In the quiet hills of San Lorenzo, the IAPSA women have proven that when you empower the sector, you don’t just change a household—you transform the community.

Beyond a supply store, IAPSA is a testament to what happens when resilience meets opportunity.

As the tennis legend Serena Williams said, when women support each other, they amplify their collective potential and create a path for development, not just for themselves but one that is felt by the entire community until the next generation. (NT)