Amidst the daily hustle of making sure that each home is maintained, and their families are well taken care of, a group of passionate individuals has come together with a singular vision of empowering women.
Founding chairperson of the Ladies of Maayon Federation Inc. (LAMA) of Maayon town, Dr. Jo-am Malapajo, stated that one of the organization’s objectives is to create awareness and recognize the vital role of women in nation-building.
“We started in 2021 with only 30 members and currently have 1,473 members. With our holistic approach of HEELLS (Health, Education, Environment, Livelihood, Local Governance, and Spiritual Enrichment), and through the help of the local government unit of Maayon and other government agencies, we aim to empower women,” Malapajo said.
She also shared that in terms of health and wellness, they have conducted various physical fitness activities such as Zumba and organized medical and dental check-ups for their members.
The group also engages in tree planting activities, Brigada Eskwela, and dengue awareness symposia.
Malapajo also revealed that in 2023, they collaborated with the LGU of Maayon and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to provide vocational training to their members.
“In 2023, we had 21 graduates of the TESDA course in hilot (wellness massage), and just last month, we conducted a four-day basic bamboo craft skills training for our members,” she added.
Moreover, LAMA Vice President Jinky Bolaño expressed her gratitude to the association because as a housewife, LAMA helped create new opportunities for them.
“Besides the municipal federation of LAMA, we also have the barangay level. In our barangay, most of our members are purely housewives,” said Bolaño in Hiligaynon, adding that they have organized various fundraising activities for their events.
She mentioned that one of their major activities in their barangay is the gift-giving of school supplies to their elementary school.
“Given that receiving free school supplies for their children is a huge help to parents, it makes us happy to believe that even as housewives, we are contributing in our small ways to help other mothers and our community,” expressed Bolaño.
Bolaño and other LAMA members in Brgy. Palaguian also makes brooms or “walis ting-ting” and sells them to other members and at the market to raise more funds for their other upcoming activities.
She is also one of the members who underwent a four-day basic bamboo craft skills training and now she is sharing her knowledge with her fellow members.
“After our skills training last month, I also shared my expertise in bamboo craft with my members so we can continue to use our skills in bamboo craft to raise more funds for our organization. This is also to provide additional sources of income to our members,” Bolaño added.
Further, Malapajo is determined that through the help of the LGU Maayon and other government agencies, they can equip the women of Maayon with the necessary knowledge and unlock their potential.
In the spirit of collaboration and dedication, the Ladies of Maayon Federation Inc. continues to pave the way for women’s empowerment as they work to improve everyone’s future and empower not just individuals, but the entire communities. (AGP/PLF/PIA Capiz)
