Mother, wife, fisher, and community leader – these are the many hats worn by 38-year-old Norma Balbada of Barangay Veloso in Marabut. This kind, caring, responsible mother of seven children has faced her share of adversities but has never run away from adversities. She steadfastly believes that every problem has a solution.

On top of Norma’s job as the barangay secretary, she and her husband work as fisher folk. They continue to do this knowing that the pay is not enough to cover their household expenses, such as food, children’s school tuition, and supplements for one of their anemic children. This work also reduces Norma’s time at home. As a result, she is not able to complete household chores and she worries about not being able to care for her children properly. 

In an effort to boost their fishing livelihood, Norma and Rejoy decided to take out a loan from a microenterprise named CARD. They used the money to purchase nets and fishing gear. However, this simply placed additional strain on their household. At times Norma felt discouraged but her vigor and enthusiasm pushed her to press on.

In 2016, Food for the Hungry partnered with Brgy. Velsco. After learning about them, Norma started joining FH activities. Among the most notable was FH’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) training. She then became more active in identifying risks and hazards in their barangay through Community Risk Assessments. 

Norma also attended FH’s Family Disaster Preparedness Plan Orientation, which enabled her to formulate her own preparedness plan at home. She also completed the Standard First Aid Training by the Region VIII Department of Health (DOH). From her acquired knowledge and skills, she passed the written and practical test as a lay rescuer or first aider. 

Norma gained so many things after FH’s capacity building activities. “Food for the Hungry opened our eyes to the rudiments and importance of disaster preparedness and how to be a responsible and caring leader in our community.”

She made sure to pass on essential information to her husband and children. This also enhanced her role as a barangay leader. With Norma’s salary from her job at the barangay office, she has been able to augment their household income and afford their basic needs. 

Now, Norma and Rejoy are more cautious about applying for loans. They are also more alert for emergencies. And unlike before, Norma is more confident about the future. She also looks to her dream for her family. She hopes to see her children complete their education and acquire a better life. Until these become a reality, she strives to help others in a simple way to the best of her abilities as a woman, wife, mother and a community leader.