“..𝐚𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧. 𝐈 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟, 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲.”

Mary Joy Alarte is a resident of Tabgon, Caramoan, Camarines Sur and finding means for food and other needs has been very challenging for her and her family. When TOGETHER Project started their initiative on empowering women through BULSA (Barangay United Loan and Savings Association) she was one of that who participated and was willing to join. Now, she is a chairperson of a 23-member BULSA group that started last July 27, 2022.

Mary and her members are using BULSA for education needs, food, and health. When classes started she didn’t have a hard time buying the necessary supplies her children needed because of BULSA. Everyone in her community now is interested to join BULSA because they have seen the changes it did for Mary and the others.

“to have a group that becomes a way for an easily accessible and sustainable budget that can be used for the needs of our families and even as means of livelihood. It has boosted my self-confidence. My personality was empowered and now I know that I am not just a woman. I also have the power to speak for myself, to decide for myself and my family, and help in the future of my family.”

BULSA is one of the activities of the Together (Uniting Towards Gender Equality for Enjoyment of Women’s and Girls’ Total Health and Rights) Project in Camarines Sur. Together is a project in partnership with ADRA and the Canadian Government based in Naga City.