Villar Foundation: Celebrates its 20th Year of Giving Hope to Helpless thru Livelihood Program

Once and for all let us first set aside any intentions in politics. Why not dig deeper on the advantages of the advocacies that are willing to help and give hope to the people who seems to be hopeless. Yes! In the world like this and for a third world country like ours, being an answer to somebody’s prayer is such a great feeling to be felt. Maybe something that will make their lives one step higher on the ground but the impact made on individual’s personality is a huge difference.

And where I am last week? At exactly 9:30 of Tuesday morning where the bright sunshine is up, yours truly has visited Las Piñas City, a place where the well-known Bamboo Organ located. I was lucky to be one of the bloggers to be invited to tour on the Livelihood Program given to the less fortunate people of Las Piñas City by the Villar Foundation. As I mentioned here (link ng dating post), Villar Foundation is headed by Ms. Cynthia Villar, a foundation not just to hoist Las Piñas citizens but also to preserve the environment and use waste to improve living.

We have visited the 5 Main Livelihood Program of Villar Foundation within the vicinity of Las Piñas City. Meanwhile, Villar Foundation is celebrating its 20^th year Anniversary. It is nice to know that this foundation helps so many people to uplift their lives and most especially to regain their self-esteem.

           

         1.  Coconut Weaving (Barangay E. Aldana). After we eat the coconut meat and drink the refreshing coconut water, what will happen to the coconut husk? Well, I just thrown it away to the garbage bin and that’s it! Well, there’s a different side of the story. From waste to living. You read it right! At Villar Foundation’s livelihood program this coconut husk that I considered waste is considered as their way of living. They produced a coconut net that can be used for slope protection and soil erosion control out of coconut husk. As per Engr. Gonzales instead of throwing the green coconut husk why not make its fiber to rope and weave as a net. 

 

 

 Here are the steps on how to make a net out of coconut fibers.
    1. Put the coconut husk into the machine that separates the fiber and dust.
    2. Manually, separate the fiber to dust using hands.
    3. There’s a machine that twine the fiber into the rope. It is a 2-man team in order to create the rope. One that pulls the fiber to make it as a fiber and the other man that rotates the wheel (machine) to turn the fiber into rope.
    4. Finally, weave the rope to produce net.

Ruthilicious and I trying to make a rope

      Wow! It is good to know that aside from creating or making a living, they also helping to preserve and protect our environment. An environment-friendly material like this can be something that we can be proud of. I hope that Villar Foundation will also spread this good livelihood program to the other Barangays and/or Cities of our country. By this, they will help improve the Barangays and give a good impact to people’s life.

         2.  Handloom Weaving Center (Bernabe Compound, Pulang Lupa). On this livelihood program, one is task to weave and produce a Blanket. These blankets then are sent to the victims of the disasters like typhoons and the likes all over the Philippines. Mrs. Cynthia Villar, used to buy blankets and the likes at China whenever there are disasters happened here in our country for her to send to the victims. Then one day she realized that why not weave blankets instead of buying. That’s why she came out with this livelihood program - Handloom Weaving Center. By doing so, she hits two birds in one stone. She has blankets to be given to the victims in times of disasters and aside from that, trained the dropped-out students to weave blankets and hire as a weaver so they will have money to help for their living. One of the Ate weaver said, “Masaya po kami na may mga ganitong livelihood program ang Villar Foundation, kasi po malaking tulong po samin ‘to, lalo na po sa pamilya namin.”

    3.  Eco-Center (Barangay Pamplona Dos). At this point, Barangay Chairman, Mr. Roberto Villalon enlightens us with the steel composters that can produce an organic fertilizer that is sold for P3.00 per kilo which is way more affordable than the other fertilizers available in the market. Eco-Center uses biodegradable wastes such as the kitchen waste that were picked-up by a garbage collector in the neighborhood to produce a fertilizer. And oops, remember what I mentioned earlier in the coconut weaving about the separation of fiber and dust? Well, the dust will not go to waste because they will also use it here at the Eco-Center. They are manually mixing the trichodema and coconut dust together with the biodegradable waste collected then afterwards this will be placed in the composting machine that would produce an organic fertilizer.

      4.  River Station and Livelihood Center (BF Resort Village Barangay Talos Dos).  They clean up the garbage and water lily floating to the river to avoid flooding. At this point, they’re able to beautify the river for a better tourist view. And did you know that the other side of the river is already Cavite?! Yeah right, for only P2.00 fare for riding on that woody tricycle (I don’t know how they call it) you will be at Cavite in less than a minute.

   You may also watch the video below:

 

         5.  Las Piñas Arts and Crafts (Caroline Masibat St., BF Resort Billage Barangay Talon Dos). My favorite part of the livelihood program of Villar Foundation. I love those handmade Water Lily bags and compartments and chairs and all. On this program, they are converting the water lilies into useful and beautiful handicraft products. When Mrs. Villar asked who will be the target market for this products, she answered, “I am the Market!” Simply because Mrs. Villar used these products like the boxes, when she gave something to friends she proudly using these handmade products.

      A day jam-packed of inspiration, motivation, hope and love for its people. Las Piñas is indeed one of the beautiful city and having good people like Mrs. Cynthia Villar who bent an advocacy and livelihood program that would elevate people’s life and enhance their capacity. 

      A livelihood that also brings back individuals self-confidence and fulfill their dreams. It such a good feeling that there are noble people that are willing to help without expecting something in return… people who are just happy to HELP! And what I learned from Mrs. Villar is that travelling around the world can gain you knowledge and the likes. Mr. & Mrs. Villar love to travel and witnessed some motivation and inspiration that would help our less fortunate countrymen. One of these is the Villar Foundation, which the entire budget is from the pocket of the Villar’s Family. They eager to help to the poor people of Las Piñas, as they believe that eventually thru lending a helping hand and giving motivation like this livelihood program they will lifted up the life of less fortunate to middle class.

    
     For more photos of the Livelihood Program by Villar Foundation, click here. 
     For more details about Villar Foundation visit their website at http://www.villarfoundation.org/ 
     Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something. ~Author Unknown.