The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have kicked off their jointly implemented “Resilient Livelihoods Development for Women and Youth Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Maguindanao” project with a training-of-trainers workshop on Community-based Organization (CBO) Management and Financial Literacy last 13-15 December 2022 in Punta Isla Lake Resort, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. Forty women and youth IDPs participated in the workshop.

The project, which is supported by the Australian Government, will provide enhanced health, protection, wellness, and other complementary support to conflict-affected and displaced Bangsamoro women and youth to empower them to effectively participate in sustainable and resilient agricultural livelihoods. The project will run until August 2024 and is being implemented in the municipalities of Datu Odin Sinsuat, Talitay, Guindulungan, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, and Shariff Saydona Mustapha. It is expected to benefit more than 1,500 conflict-affected households in Maguindanao.

The training-of-trainers workshop aimed to organize and provide guidance to the core team of women and youth IDPs on their role in establishing the CBOs in their respective local government units, promote a deeper understanding of the roles and responsibilities of each member, boost awareness of Gender-based Violence and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, and support the development of actions plans for the project’s community roll-out, particularly in forming cooperatives in their respective municipalities.

Amensani Sabdullah, a Senior Cooperative Development Specialist of the Cooperative and Social Entrepreneurship Authority of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, provided orientation on the process and required documents for the establishment of agricultural cooperatives.

Sharmaine Baraguir, Planning Officer of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) - Maguindanao Province, provided input on the key features and formulation of proposals to access funds for CBOs’ capitalization through the MAFAR Loan for Enhancement for Necessary Development Strategies.

“MAFAR is continually enhancing the strategies and policies on how cooperatives and associations can take advantage of this loan. We are hoping for a successful implementation so that we can use this as a model for financing,” explained Ms. Baraguir.

Helen Rojas, resource person for the activity on the establishment of cooperatives, identification of their product and/or services and conducting a market study, expressed that the participants demonstrated a high level of interest in the topic and internalized the group activities by sharing their experiences and insights.

“CBO management, coupled with women empowerment, is creating a community that we want to have – resilient and sustainable. I think the challenge for the implementing organizations is how to sustain their enthusiasm to continue with their livelihoods. We may need to also include strategies for Social and Behavioural Change Communication,” Ms. Rojas elaborated.

UNFPA’s Sapia Taulani, Gender Analyst, and Tanya Gagalac, Sexual and Reproductive Health Analyst, also provided inputs on the key concepts of protecting women, as well as guidance on having good maternal and reproductive health.

Salha Salik, a workshop participant and community leader from Guindulungan municipality, provided insights on the joint implementation of agricultural livelihoods and in supporting the health of the mothers. She said that “we will ensure that mothers, especially those with many children, will be given a chance to join the cooperatives for the establishment of agricultural livelihoods, so they can have alternative sources of income.”