Hello #Hive!
When I started #WhoAreTheyPhilippines, I wanted to share some of $HIVE rewards with struggling families in the area where I live. It's an amazing feeling to be able to financially help a family and witness their happiness and gratitude, even if it is only a small amount. It all became a reality thanks to the help of regular contributor and we are now on feature #20. Thank you all!
Yesterday, I felt the need to go for a ride on the scenic and less traveled roads of the surrounding municipalities. I took my notepad with me in case I would meet someone to feature. My journey took me through several towns and different kind of roads, concrete, asphalt, dusty, rocky, muddy, wide, narrow, etc... I very much enjoyed discovering new areas and beautiful landscapes.
After more than an hour riding, in a small valley, I noticed a little hut in the middle of some rice fields. Even though, I was far from it, I could see that there was someone there. Usually I stumble across someone just on the side of the road, but this time, I thought why not walk across the rice fields towards the hut and say hi to whoever is there.
Can you spot the hut?
This is how I met Elma.
Who is Elma
Elma is a 33 year old woman who was born in Inabanga on the island of Bohol. She graduated high school in her native town and then started looking for work. About 10 years ago, she left her father and 2 brothers and moved to Cebu City where she worked as a cashier. A year later she met her husband who was a cook in the city. With low-paid salaries and a baby on the way, it was hard for them to survive in the city so they made the move to the countryside, specifically in Barangay Langin, Ronda. This is where her husband's mother is from.
Now she shares a tiny hut with her Husband, their 2 kids aged 8 and 6, her mother in law and 2 sisters in law. Even though I didn't take a peek inside their living quarters, I honestly don't know how they can all fit. It looks so small from the outside.
From Left to Right: Elma's mother in law, her soon, her 2 sisters in law at the back and her daughter at the front.
Farming is how they survive nowadays. Based on the season, they cultivate rice and corn in the field owned by her mother in law. The harvest is then entirely for their own consumption. To supplement their meals with more vegetables or meat, they breed piglets from their sow (adult female pig) and which they then sell at the market.
For months, they have tried saving a little bit from their profit so they could buy a cow with the intention to also breed it for calves to be sold later on. They recently acquired the said cow but it is too young to have babies yet.
Their only possession are basically animals which they need for work, such as their carabao which they use to plow the field, the sow and now the cow. They also have a few chickens around which they use for the meat.
At the time I was there, her mother in law was cutting some kangkong into small pieces (water spinach) for the pigs. The area she was in is actually their kitchen. Can you spot the cauldron on the "stove" behind her head on the picture below.
Before Covid19, Elma and her husband would once in a while work for their neighbors, cleaning their lands, plowing their fields, or any other small tasks they would need done, in exchange for a small remuneration. Sadly this isn't happening anymore as the current situation forces people to save as much as possible and so these odd jobs are not available anymore.
On her free time, Elma enjoys a bit of gardening with plants and flowers, but her favorite thing to do is to cook for her family. Her preferred dish is Dinuguan (pig's blood soup).
Given the chance or opportunity, she also loves singing karaoke.
Her dream is to one day be able to own a more comfortable house but for now she is contented with the life she has and she is happy as long as her family is healthy.
This is another case of a struggling family who is still smiling and enjoying the little things in life.
This is it for Elma's feature. To contribute to her reward, please upvote this post and share it with your followers by reblogging it.
Thank you all again for your support and see you next week for another feature.
What is #WhoAreTheyPhilippines?
#WhoAreTheyPhilippines is a project which aims at sharing Hive cryptocurrency rewards with Filipinos. Every week a person within the Philippines is randomly selected. Our interviewer asks him/her some questions and takes a few pictures before writing a feature and posting it on the Hive PH Community. After 7 days, when the author reward can be claimed, the HBD payout amount along with some contributions from fellow Hivers are converted to the local currency (PHP). Our interviewer then makes his way back to this person and hands over the total amount to him/her.
We are very thankful to all of you for your support, upvotes and contributions. We are also glad this initiative is well received.
Check out the previous editions here:
WATP #1 - Ernesto The BladeSmith and Ernesto's HBD Reward
WATP #2 - Marito The Trisikad Driver
WATP #3 - Pampilo The Vulcanizer
WATP #4 - Virgilia The Sari-sari Store Owner
WATP #5 - Eliza The Plant Seller
WATP #6 - Kris The Street Food Seller
WATP #7 - Claudia & Rosalina The Homemakers
WATP #8 - Trinidad The laundrywoman
WATP #9 - Alfredo The Retired Fisherman
WATP #10 - Mark The Construction Worker
WATP #11 - Bitiliana the Malunggay and Lemongrass Seller
WATP #12 - Alexous the Fisherman
WATP #13 - Arjay the Buko Vendor
WATP #14 - Lynmae the Street Food Seller
WATP #15 - Jaynelyn the Stay at Home Mum
WATP #16 - Elvish & Knizalyn a Couple From Badian
WATP #17 - Special Edition: For the victims of Typhoons Goni and Vamco
WATP #18 - Rosalie the Farmer
WATP #19 - Norito the Farmer