A mother’s wish

Becoming a mother transformed Claribel Ramacho of Zamboanga City. She learned how to be selfless and to put her family first. But despite striving to provide the best for her three children, she realized that some things happen beyond her control. One fateful day, she experienced the unthinkable. Her 13-year-old son died in a road accident.

Even with this tragedy, she chose to remain strong and faithful. “As a mother, it is painful to be left behind by your own child. But I have come to accept that life is full of surprises. There will be seasons of happiness and there will also be times of grief,” she explained. She accepted what happened and moved forward with a wish for her two remaining children.

Claribel has always been committed to ensuring her children will have access to quality education. For her, education is a precious gift that she can give her children so that they will be set for life. In 2018, Claribel became a client of Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD), Inc. (A Microfinance NGO). The financial institution allowed her to avail educational loans to support the needs of her children.

Initially, Claribel’s source of income comes from providing hair services. But after being a client of the microfinance NGO, she also started doing entrepreneurial activities. She took out a loan for an additional capital for her business. She also resells longganisa meat products outsourced from her family relatives based in Cebu City.

The growth in her business and the changes in her family inspired her to become a good CARD, Inc. client. She perseveres to maintain her good repayment status and performance as her way of giving back to the institution for the help and support she received.

“As our lives continue, we have gone through various trials. We have faced many storms and problems in life but by God’s mercy, we have been able to overcome them and continue to live”, she stated. “As a mother, what I want most for my children is to achieve their dreams in life. Therefore, the more challenging life becomes, the more persistent I become. There’s nothing that can stop me from achieving the good life I dream of for them”, she concluded.