Esther, a SEED beneficiary in the Philippines
In CAVITE, with our partner SEED
Esther can now stand on her own two feet, and can work!
Esther was born with a disability, her left leg ending at her knee. When she first visited Esther, Marne, a social worker with SEED, assessed the impact of this disability on this young mother and her family. Living in a very deprived area where any domestic task is made more difficult due to poor access to water and electricity, Esther’s disability made life a nightmare for her. She was not only physically, but also emotionally exhausted, and had lost all her self-esteem, especially in dealing with her husband and their four children.
Personalised, speedy and efficient support to address the most urgent issues
Even so, it took very little to get Esther back on her feet, in every sense of the word. Marne did everything she could both for and with Esther. Better equipped to deal with the authorities and to stand up for Esther, Marne went with her to the local social services, helped her with procedures from start to finish, and eventually, in September, Esther was provided with a prosthetic leg.
Plans, after coming out of the wilderness
It’s great to see Esther regain hope and make plans!
She has already put herself forward to join one of the four new sewing co-operatives set up by SEED. The income she will receive will complement that of her husband, a labourer on construction sites. Their family will no longer have to rely on hand-outs from their neighbours, and therefore can get their independence and dignity back.
In the last few months, Marne’s repeat visits have supported Esther’s family on other levels too. The social worker, now a trusted advisor, has taught Esther and her husband the basic rules of hygiene and education, and has referred her to one of her co-workers, who teaches the poorest people to save money.
Esther is now very much on the right track, just like many other very deprived families supported by the SEED family development programme.
