Mindanaotoday.com | Oro solo parent now a successful entrepreneur
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – “The measure of any society is how it treats its women and girls.” These were the words from the Former United States of America First Lady Michelle Obama, have never been so timely and relevant as we celebrate National Women’s Month.
Across the globe, women encounter extraordinary economic circumstances from time to time that challenge both the conformist societal views and the women themselves.
Ideally, a family home should be composed of a father, mother, and their children.
However, with the prevalence of marital incompatibility and unresolvable issues, solo parenthood can do more good than harm.
Solo parent Ayana Verallo, 40 years old, had her fair share of misfortune with her marriage.
Residing in Sto. Niño, Cogon, this city, said she shares a home with her two children – an 18-year old who is about to enter college and a five-year old who is currently in kindergarten – whom she has been raising alone.
Verallo recounted that there were low moments in her married life where she experienced abuse, as her then husband did not show any love and respect for her that resulted in low self-esteem.
A patient woman that she was, she chose to live with the situation, until she no longer held back and realized her own potential and worth and decided to leave her husband.
With P2,000 in her pocket, her aspiration of giving her children a better future that they deserved, started her own sari-sari store business in CY2010.
She persevered to make do with whatever she had for her and for her children by being frugal, prudent, and practical, as also her strongest suits.
Her good fortune came when she was introduced to the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) that helped kick start her business and gave her better sales.
Through DILP in 2020, she was granted grocery goods and supplies worth P20,000 for her sari-sari store. Her income got better.
Despite being a solo parent, she was able to send her children to a private school, purchase gadgets such as laptops for their online learning, and own a motorcycle, a passenger multicab, and a house. The best part – these were all paid in cash.
As an entrepreneur, she avoided making debts that she could not sustain to pay, a financial principle which she proudly lives by until now.
Ayana considered herself successful as she managed her own business and harvested the fruits of her endeavor which she deserved.
In January 2022, she applied for livelihood enhancement of the DILP for expansion.
Should she be awarded the enhancement financial support, she would acquire a stall at a local market where she could sell her wares.
She is determined to start small and eventually let it grow just as she did with the sari-sari store starter kit that was granted to her by the DOLE three years ago.
Bitter circumstances may have led Verallo to where she is now, but she remains optimistic with the help of the Almighty and with the support of DOLE-10 , better and brighter things are coming for her and her family.
The DOLE-10 Cagayan de Oro City Field Office (CDO FO) is honored to have been part of Verallo’s journey as an entrepreneur.
Emmanuel Toledo, DOLE-10 CDO FO chief, said that in this modern world where solo parenthood poses a lot of challenges and burdens, DOLE stands firm in its promise to sustain its services in ensuring that women are treated with dignity and integrity and in empowering them further as they envision a better quality of life. (DOLE-10)
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