ZAMBOANGA CITY – Two women organizations engaged in Gender and Development (GAD) projects have received PHP1.3 million grant from the Department of Science and Technology in Region 9 (DOST-9), through the agency’s Grants-in-Aid (GIA) program.
Project HOPE (Helping Others Prosper Economically) Workers Association received PHP382,235, while the Zamboanga City Women of Hope Association Inc. obtained PHP926,200 from the agency, said DOST-9 Director Martin Wee on Thursday.
Wee said the grants will be used for the procurement of technologies necessary for the processing of the respective groups’ products. The grants include money for additional expenses, such as packaging and labeling, technical training, and laboratory testing.
Wee said Project HOPE is an inter-organization effort led by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) directed at providing livelihood, emergency employment, and skills training for the displaced men and women of the fishing and canning industry affected by the annual closed fishing season.
The closed fishing season is from December 1 until March 1, which affects fishing and canning factory workers as there is no fishing and production of canned sardines.
Wee said that in support of the project, his office developed “HOPE in HEAT” (Helping Others Prosper Economically in Harnessing Enhanced Agricultural Technologies), which includes the organization of Laboratory Testing Fee Packages for Microbiology and Shelf Life Testing, Packaging and Labelling Interventions, and Supplies and Materials for the firm’s production of various chili-base products.
Meanwhile, Wee said the assistance the Zamboanga City Women of Hope Association, Inc. has received was released through DOST’s Sustainable Technologies to Raise Opportunities for Nourishment, Growth, Empowerment, and Reinvention (STRONGER) project.
Wee said that association specializes in the processing of various health and wellness products that use natural ingredients, such as organic cough syrups, ginger and turmeric teas, as well as Acapulco and papaya-based ointments and soaps. (PNA)
