Livelihood trainings help street dwellers

CEBU, Philippines — The free livelihood trainings the Cebu City government has offered have reduced significantly the number of homeless individuals in Barangay San Nicolas Proper.

Barangay Captain Clifford Jude Niñal said that most of the homeless individuals who benefited from the free training have put to good use their newly acquired skills to improve their living.

Because of the training, homeless residents of the barangay were able to start a job and earn for a living. From being street dwellers they can now afford to rent a house to stay.

San Nicolas used to be a barangay where most street dwellers were locked down at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.                

Niñal said that based on their monitoring only a few homeless individuals are left in the streets from over a hundred.

“Usa gatos ni sila kapin ka homeless diri, pero ang uban nang-graduate na. Naa na lay uban nga mga gahian gyud, pero dili na kaayo daghan ang mga naas daplin sa dan ron kay naa na silay panginabuhian and naka-abang na’g balay,” Niñal said.

The barangay captain was happy to note that some are already skilled barbers and cooks.

“Naa nay mga maayo na mutupi…Naa puy uban maayo na mang luto ug uban pa,” said Niñal.

Niñal said he has also organized them to ensure that they will have a sustainable livelihood. He encouraged those who have completed the livelihood training through the Department of Manpower Development and Placement (DMDP) to also share their skills with others.

The first livelihood culminating activity of the eight-day livelihood training in the said barangay last month saw a total of 43 graduates--12 completed the face mask holder training, 11 for haircut, 10 for eco-bag training, and the rest in food processing.

All of them also received a starter kit and an undisclosed amount of dole out from the Department of Social Welfare and Services. — FPL (FREEMAN)