Alicia Ortega

Alicia Ortega is 59 years old, married with 5 adult children, and a resident of Hacienda Danao Ramona, Brgy. Haguimit, La Carlota City. For years, she and her family lived in house made of bamboo with Nipa (palm leaves) for roofing. Her family lived a hand-to-mouth existence: her husband worked in the sugarcane fields of the sugarcane plantation where they lived. During off-season, she and her husband made charcoal to sell. Since she had some knowledge in hairstyling and sewing she supplemented their income by doing odd haircuts and curls, and some sewing on the side. With their determination to move out of poverty, they were able to send all 5 of their children to finish High School.

Alicia joined NWTF- Project Dungganon in October 2002. She used her first loan to put up a small general store, and raised pigs to sell. Later, she and her husband were able to rent a 5-hectare land where they planted sugarcane and rice. Subsequent loan cycles also enabled her to purchase a carabao and other equipment that they used in their farming ventures. With the profits from farming and her general store she was able to build a concrete house for her family. With more stable sources of income, she was able to send her 2 youngest children to college until both graduated, but they are currently unemployed and are helping their parents in their business ventures.

At present Mrs. Alicia is on her 10th Loan Cycle with a loan of PHP 20,000.00. She needs this additional capital to help her purchase additional goods to resell in her general store.

It is Mrs. Alicia's greatest dream to help her children improve their status in life, and continue breaking the cycle of poverty that she and her husband started in the family by the sweat of their brow.

About NWTF:
In a world full of challenges, Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation, Inc. has answered the calling of not just of a few but thousands of women. Through the alleviation program, these women have progressed from earning less than a measly $1 a day, to surpassing the realities beyond their dreams. They have learned to live a life where they can finally be called honorable. This is Project Dungganon

Subscribe