3. Project impact on the socio-economic status of women: an assessment
3.1 Profile of women respondents
3.3 family planning knowledge and adoption among project participants
The general profile of survey respondents representing the women project beneficiaries and drop-outs is presented in Table 2 Survey results revealed the following:
AGE. The age of all the respondents ranges from 19-63 years with an average age of 41 years for participants and 36 years for drop-outs. Average age of Capiz participants (43 years) is slightly higher than Pangasinan participants (36 years). The average age of participants has passed the most productive/fertile age as little emphasis has been given on age requirement during the selection process of the first batch of women groups (WGs).
CIVIL STATUS. Majority of the respondents are married. This is expected as the selection focussed on married women. There are WGs composed of all mothers only. However, a few WGs accepted single members in order to inculcate social and economic values at an early age.
RELIGION. Most of the respondents for both participants (85%) and drop-outs (94%) are Catholics. Respondents from Capiz have a more solid composition of Catholics.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT. On the average, all respondents completed seven years of schooling or at least have reached first year in High School. Between participants of Pangasinan and Capiz, the former has higher percentage of High School graduates (40% vs 27%). As far as all participants and drop-outs are concerned, majority (35%) of all participants finished High School while a majority (44%) of drop-outs had only completed an elementary schooling.
HOUSEHOLD SIZE. Size of the household ranges from 2-12 members. Of the total participants and drop-outs, the average size is 7 and 5 members respectively. Between Pangasinan and Capiz pax, the latter's average household size (9) is greater than the former by only one member.
NUMBER OF CHILDREN. This ranges from o to 10 children. On the average, all participants has 4 children while all drop-outs has 3 children. A very small percentage of married respondents is still childless because they are either newly married or have health problems.
Age and education of respondents hyphotesized to have an influence on the number of children were analyzed as presented in Tables 2a and 2b.
As expected, as the mother becomes older, the number of children increases. In general, younger women have lesser number of children, i.e. 1 to 3 children. This group of women should be the focus of the family campaign since they are still on the way of building a family.
With regard to educational attainment, it was found that women's number of children is related to their education. As educational attainment reaches a higher level, the number of children becomes smaller. This could be attributed to the fact that educated women are more knowledgeable about FP practices and realize the importance of planning for the future of their families.
Table 3 presents information on the economic activities of women respondents in Pangasinan and Capiz. The number and type of economic activities by both participants and drop-outs are presented.
Baseline data shows that 26% of all participants and 44% of all drop-outs were plain housewives doing their daily routine household chores. After 3 years, all participants have engaged in at least one economic activity but on the part of the drop outs, 29%. had remained plain housewives.
Majority of all the respondents were engaged in fish vending even before the project as it is about their only available source of daily income to complement their husbands earnings from fishing, as shown in Table 3a. Commodity trading, in the form of operating small sari-sari stores, selling native food or ready to-wear dresses (RTWs), is also a common source of income.
There are activities which are common only in one or the other project provinces, e.g. shell craft and salt production are adaptable in Pangasinan while mussel culture and crab fattening are common in Capiz. This can be attributed to the salinity of the water and availability of resources.
With women's reproductive work, i.e., child bearing and rearing and household chores, the economic activities they engage in are mostly home-based and require less of their time as compared to women with a regular wage employment. These kinds of work allow them to fulfill their family responsibilities.
The income of the respondents depend on the type of economic activities they engage in, the amount of capital outlay, duration/frequency of harvest or sales, the management skills and other external factors (market, climate, etc.).
Below is the monthly income of some types of economic activities based on some of the IGP proposals in Capiz:
Capital |
Monthly income | |
Fish marketing |
||
(20 days/mo @ 50kgs/day) |
P 4000 |
P 2059 |
Fish processing /marketing |
P 4245 |
P 3467 |
Commodity trading |
P 4100 |
P 2433 |
Food vending (5x/wk) |
P 3800 |
P 1926 |
Acquisition of fishing gear/ fish coral (3 kgs/day scooped at 25 kgs) |
P 5500 |
P 1519 |
The project's baseline data shows that majority of the participants (48%) and drop-outs (47%) have monthly incomes amounting to P1,000 and below. However, present data shows that several of the respondents, (40% of participants and 32% of dropouts) monthly income rose to P1,001 to P2,000 bracket. By province, average monthly income of Pangasinan participants (P2,478) is slightly higher than that of Capiz participants (P1,983), as shown in Table 4.
For all the respondents, it is observed that the current average monthly income of participants is more than double the average income of drop-outs. This is an indication of the positive effects of the Project.
The occupation of household members (other than respondents) who are economically active and their average monthly income are presented in Table S. Fishing, farming and hired labor are the most common occupation of household members.
Other sources of income of women in the project provinces are presented in Table 6. This includes hog fattening, dressmaking, caretaker of fishpond F pension allowances and others.
The contribution and changes in total annual income by household members are presented in Table 7. On the average, the contribution of women participants to their respective total household annual income was about 43% during the evaluation period ( 1991 to 1993) . In both provinces, the drop-outs on the other hand contributed only about 31% to their respective total household income.
It is also observed that there was an increase in the average total household income of participants from P28,551 in 1990 to P65,253 in 1993 for Pangasinan and from P22,122 (1990) to P53,622 (1993) for Capiz. Overall, the average household income per annum increased by 133% for both provinces. On the other hand, average total household income among the drop-outs increased from P20, 512 in 1990 to P47,216 in 1993 indicating a 130% growth rate. The present increase in the household income may be attributed in part to the greater contribution of the women participants as well as some of the drop-outs. Even considering the effect of inflation, the real income of the households had increased by more than 100%.
The different factors which contributed to the increase in household income in Pangasinan and Capiz are presented in Table 8 A majority of the participants attribute the increase of income to the IGP which has been supported by the Project.
Table 9 presents the household expenditure by items. A major proportion of total household expenditure is on food items which is about 40%. Comparing the annual expenditure with the annual income, it was observed that the household expenditure is less than- income, and the balance is either used for IGP and household improvement as well as cash savings.
The utilization of increases in income with respect to household expenditures is summarized in Table 9a. For all respondents, increases in income are generally used for food consumption, followed by children's education. On the average, 72/. of total increases in income of participants was utilized for basic needs (food, medicine, education, clothing and transportation). Only 1% had used the income for recreation. The remaining proportion of the increases were utilized for house improvements, acquisition of home appliances and additional capital for their IGP.
Credit Practices
The provision of credit is a major Project input in improving women's status, particularly women's income. Operated through a guarantee fund scheme administered by a government bank (Land Bank of the Philippines) in Pangasinan and a private commercial bank (Allied Banking Corporation) in Capiz, credit is provided to women to operate their small businesses.
Table 10 presents the credit practices of women in both provinces. A majority of the women participants have already availed of loans from the project more than once. In Pangasinan, one WG had already on its fourth round of lending while in Capiz, WGs are still on its second round of lending. The major purpose of loans was for use in fishery-based small businesses particularly fish vending/trading. Some of the women participants have utilized their loan on non-fishery related businesses such as commodity trading, rice farming and for housed hold related expenses.
On the average, the amount of loans borrowed by women participants was P9,226 per borrowing. The maximum amount per borrowing was P17,000.
Only about 22% of the women participants have availed of loans from sources other than the Project funds. Those who availed of loans from other sources used the loan as additional capital for their businesses. The average amount of loan from other sources was relatively small compared to the amount obtained from the project. Among all the women drop-outs, almost half of them were able to avail of project loans once at an average amount of P2,203. On the other hand, 21% availed of loans from either their neighbors, relatives or from DSWD. Their loans averaging to P1,101 were utilized for the acquisition of additional fishing gears, or for hog fattening and for personal expenses.
Between women participants and drop-outs, the former had higher amounts of loan which could be sufficient as capital of viable enterprises.
Savings Practices
Table 11 shows the savings practices of respondents. Overall, the number of women participants with savings from 1990 (27%) increased in 1993 (75%) by about 178%. On the other hand, dropouts with savings reflected an increase of only 46% from 1990 to 1993.
Between provinces, 82% of the participants in Pangasinan had savings in 1993 as compared with 64% of the participants in Capiz.
Average monthly savings of participants increased from P360 in 1990 to P941 in 1993, while drop-outs, savings increased from P10 in 1990 to P345 in 1993. Savings are either kept in the bank or just on hand for emergency purposes and future expenses (e.g. tuition fees of children, loan amortization, etc.).
Some respondents were not able to save because their income is either just enough to satisfy their basic needs, or because they incurred losses in their businesses. Whenever there is an increase in income, it is utilized for children's education, improvement of housing, and investments (c.f. Table 9a).
Improvements on the respondents, socio-economic well-being were also determined by looking into several living indicators, as shown in Table 12. Selected living indicators included are ownership of land (residential lot, farm lot), residential house, household facilities (lighting, water supply, cooking, toilet, appliances) and transportation facilities.
Ownership of Land. About half of Pangasinan participants owned a residential lot in 1993 while a majority (62%) of Capiz participants were still living in squatter areas. However, a positive change of 67% (from 14% in 1990 to 24% in 1993) in Capiz participants have progressed from renting a land into owning a land. This is a good indication that increase in income was put into better investment. Only a few participants owned a farm lot.
Residential House. Almost all (90%) of the participants had their own residential house which are mostly made of light materials (e.g. nipa, bamboo). About 40% had either semi-concrete or concrete houses.
Household Facilities. There is no remarkable change in the lighting facilities of both respondents. About 75% of all respondents already had electricity even before the project. An additional 10% participants and 15% drop-outs have afforded to acquire electricity at present. The rest continued to use either kerosene or LPG lamps.
Commonly, most of the respondents get their water supply from either a public artesian well or a deep well. It was also observed that the number of participants with NAWASA-supplied water is increasing. There is one barangay in Capiz where installation of piped water system wee facilitated by a Women's Group. Other groups are also initiating this project.
Cooking facilities of participants were mostly earthen stoves (charcoal, fuel wood). The users of LPG and gas stoves doubled in 1993.
The number of respondents with pit privy or no toilet at all decreased. Most of the respondents have water sealed toilet a. DOH and DSWD had distributed toilet bowls to some respondents. Moreover, to improve sanitation, some WGs constructed public toilets or latrines as part of their social action projects.
A greater improvement is noted particularly in the number of appliances presently owned. Before the project, around 14% of the participants had no appliances at all and 31% had at most two appliances. This was reduced to 2% and 26% respectively. The proportion of those participants having at least 5 appliances increased from 26% to 46%. Similarly, the proportion of dropouts having at least 5 appliances increased from 18% to 27%.
Transportation Facilities. Only about one-third of both participants and drop-outs have only one transportation facility which can either be a motorboat or a simple fishing boat (banca). Acquisition, of motorboat increased from 25% - in 1990 to 35% in 1993. The increase was brought about by the loan extended by the project and income derived from IGP.
In general, a remarkable improvement was noted from participant-respondents than drop-out respondents based on the selected living, indicators. Between Pangasinan and Capiz participants, the latter exhibits greater improvement in most of the indicators.
Based on the above findings, the loans extended by the project which were used in viable income generating projects have led to increase in income which consequently led to improved living conditions of the participants (c.f. Tables 7 and 9).
Available data on the family planning knowledge of women project participants in both Pangasinan and Capiz and of those women in both provinces who have earlier dropped out from the project suggest that involvement in Project PHl/89/P16 has increased women's knowledge of family- planning, as shown in Table 13. one notes that while knowledge of a family planning method was already high among project participants prior to the start of the Project (98%, the proportion knowing of as many as different family planning methods increased from 56% at the inception of the project to 90% at present. Among the project's women drop-outs, the proportion who knew of at least 6 different methods has similarly increased but at lower levels, beginning at 42% previously to 82% at present.
Moreover, knowledge of each of the specific form of family planning has increased over the duration of the project, and stands at universal or close to universal levels-among the women project participants. All are now aware of the IUD and the pills for instance, whereas a high 96% to 99% are familiar with the permanent surgical methods of family planning (vasectomy and ligation), and 96% to 98% are aware of natural family planning methods and the condom. Project drop-outs on the other hand, exhibit somewhat lower levels of awareness for specific methods. Only 82% are aware of permanent surgical methods, 88% to 97% know of reversible contraceptives (IUD and the pill), and 85% to 91% are aware of natural family planning methods and the condom.
There are also indications that the increased levels of family planning knowledge in the project areas is due to the family planning activities or component of Project PHI/89/P16.
Whereas local RHU personnel (i.e. midwife, nurse and doctor) served as the women's major sources of family planning information at the beginning of the project, there are substantially more of them now who report learning of family planning methods from the project staff and from the family planning trainings conducted by the project. At present, the proportion deriving their family planning information from the project staff or from project trainings is expectedly higher (79%) among the project's continuing women participants, than among the drop-out participants (59%).
Comparing the survey results between Pangasinan and Capiz, Pangasinan registers more gains in the family planning knowledge of project participants than in Capiz. The women beneficiaries in Pangasinan are shown consistently to exhibit higher proportions of 1) those knowing several(6) methods of family planning (95%) 2) those aware of specific forms of family planning (95% to 100%) and 3) those receiving their family planning information from project staff or training (82%). The corresponding proportions for the foregoing are a lower 81% 93% to 100%, and 74% in Capiz. The USAID assisted project in Pangasinan on population and family planning has helped the province in this regard.
The data on the impact of Project PHI/89/16 on the adoption of family planning practices is less definitive owing to the confounding effects of the age and number of children of the project's women beneficiaries and drop-outs, and of their previous use of family planning even before the start of the project. As stated earlier, the project beneficiaries comprise of older women with a mean age of 41; when compared to the women drop-outs with a mean age of 36. The former also have more children on the average (4) than the drop-outs (3). These factors in turn would differentially affect the motivations of both groups of women to practice family planning.
The data in Table 14 reveals that over half of the project's continuing women beneficiaries (57%) and of the project drop-outs (53%) had been family planning users at one time or another prior to 1990 when the project began. In a sense therefore, Project PHI/89/P16 cannot be said to have influenced these women's adoption of family planning practice. Neither can women's adoption of family planning after the project began be attributed solely to project effort since the period of project implementation (and particularly after 1992) also corresponds to the period when government set-up its information campaign and delivery services for family planning.
The latest survey data collected on project participants and drop-outs indicate a slightly higher proportion of current family planning users among the project's beneficiaries than among it's drop-outs at 50% and 47% respectively. However, one notes that the 50% current- use level among project beneficiaries represent a smaller 7- percentage point increase over the 43% current-use level in 1990. On the other hand, the current-use level among project drop-outs has risen much more dramatically by 21 percentage points, from 26% in 1990 to 47% at present. possible explanation for this may lie in the systematic age differences between participants and drop-outs. Being older, there are more women in the beneficiaries group who are reaching or have reached menopause, and hence, one cannot expect a large increase in the number of current users among this group. In contrast, being younger and at a different stage in the lifecycle, there may be more project drop-outs *ho will intermittently adopt family planning, until such time that they become menopausal or complete the number of children that they intend to have.
In terms of the family planning methods that the project participants and drop-outs are currently using, Table 16 shows that there are no substantial differences in the proportions who have opted for permanent surgical sterilization between the two groups. There are more of the project participants however who have adopted the pill (34%) and the IUD (17%) than among the dropouts (comparable proportions are 25%-and 13% respectively), whereas more of the drop-outs report using the condom (19%.) than participants (9%). About a fourth of each of the participant and drop-out groups are natural family planning practitioners.
Again partly reflecting their age differences, the data further indicate that women participants who are currently using some form of family planning are doing so to avoid further pregnancies (36%) and to help ensure a better future for their families (17%). Among the project drop-outs on the other hand, there are fewer who say that they are practicing family planning to avoid having anymore children or pregnancies (13%). Instead, there are more of them who are practicing family planning because they have become used to their methods (38%), or because they want to space their births (13%) or ensure their family's future (13%).
Complementarily, the data also show considerable differences in the reasons given by the remaining 50% of project participants and 53% of drop-outs who are not currently employing any means of fertility regulation for their non-use of family planning. Expectedly, among project participants, there are more who are not practicing family planning because they think they are menopausal (48% as 33% among drop-outs). There are considerably more drop-outs however, who say that they are not practicing family planning because they want to have another baby, are currently pregnant or have just given birth (28% vs. 12% among participants). There are also more drop-outs (17%) than participants (4%) who attribute their non-use of family planning to their husbands, objection to family planning. The objections of husbands at this time may be related to the fact that they still have fewer children than they would like to have. The proportions who are not currently using any family planning because of side effects and health problems comprise an equal 22% each of project participants and drop-outs.
Finally, it should be mentioned that other than the systematic differences in the age, current family size and previous family planning experiences between the project's participants and drop-outs, and which affect their current adoption of family planning, another factor that impinges on this is the number of non-married women in both groups. One notes that because there are more widowed women among project participants than among the drop-outs, more of- the former are also shown not to be practicing family planning because they are not in need of this. Hence, in addition to the older ages of project participants the number of non-married (single, separated, and widowed) women also delimits the scope in which Project PHI/89/P16 can influence women's adoption of family planning.
Although the proportion of those who had gotten pregnant over the course of the project duration differs between the project participants and drop-outs, these differences cannot also be attributed to Project PHl/89/P16 for the same reasons noted above.
There are for example, more project drop-outs than participants who had gotten pregnant within the project period (44% vs. 31%), but the data also shows that most (93%) of the pregnancies occuring to drop-outs comprised of pregnancies planned by them and their husbands or desired by their husbands, whereas planned pregnancies comprise a lower 70% of the pregnancies occuring among project participants. It is also somewhat disturbing to note that the incidence of unexpected/accidental pregnancies or those which occured because the woman did not care whether she became pregnant or not is higher among project participants (30%) than among project dropouts (7%).
Looking at the project participants and drop-outs who did not become pregnant during the project period, Table 17 shows that there are considerably more drop-outs than participants who said they did not get pregnant because they were practicing family planning (47%) or because they did not wish to become pregnant (11%). The comparable proportions of participants giving similar responses are a lower 43% and 3% respectively. Again because of their older ages, there are comparatively more participants who did not get pregnant because they were reaching or reached the menopausal stage (32%) as against a lower 21% among drop- outs. The proportion of those who did not get pregnant as a result of their single, separated or widowed status comprise an equal 11% of both women's groups.
Briefly summarizing the impact of Project PHI/89/P16 on family planning, one notes that the project has contributed greatly to improvements in family planning awareness and knowledge, Knowledge of each of the various forms of family planning methods is close to universal or universal among project participants and a high 80% or more among drop-outs.
Compared to drop-outs, there are slightly more project participants who are still using some form of family planning and fewer also got pregnant during the project period. However, it is difficult to attribute this to project impact, in view of the systematic differences in the age, current family size, education and other characteristics between the project participants and drop-outs groups, and which characteristics are known to influence women's adoption and practice of family planning.
In general, the scope in which IGP projects such as PHI/89/P16 can affect women's family planning practice and fertility is delimited by the age of participants, since IGPs tend to be selective of older women who have reached their desired family sizes and who have more time to devote to IGPs. Additionally, it is not easy to isolate project impact in cases where several women participants had already been employing some means of fertility regulation prior to the start of the project. Finally, IGP projects also draw a considerable number of non-married women, thus delimiting further the number of participants on which the project can have family planning and fertility impacts.
Because women, regardless of age and civil status, have a right both to family planning services and to employment and income-earning opportunities, it would not be prudent to provide IGPs only to younger married women of reproductive age. It is more socially desirable to increase women's access to both IGPs and family planning, since both contribute to women's empowerment and the overall welfare of families in the longer term (as against the shorter periods or durations of projects). When family planning practice and women's involvement in economic activities become increasingly prevalent and acceptable, then we can expect the known negative association between women's employment and fertility to also become evident in the community.
The findings also suggest that family planning impact of IGP project may lie more in supporting women's decision to continue using some forms of family planning, or in providing them a broader choice of contraceptives, or in encouraging them to shift to more effective form of family planning. To note family planning or fertility impacts, therefore, IGP projects should maintain a separate monitoring system for MWRAs or those exposed to the risk of pregnancy or child bearing. These eligible women should be identified at the beginning of the project and continuously followed through to determine their acceptance of family planning, their continuous use of the practice, their shift to more effective or permanent forms of family planning, and whether or not they had become pregnant within the project period. Where a control group is desired to further assess project family planning impacts, efforts must be taken to match the age, marital status, family size, education and other relevant characteristics of the control group and those of women project participants.
The economic and social development inputs or interventions provided by the Project to women beneficiaries are discussed in detail in item II.4 of this report.
These integrated inputs have already resulted into significant positive changes in the lives of the women. Key result areas or effects expected by the Project are very much visible and felt not only by the project team and women themselves but also by people outside the Project such as the women's husbands, barangay officials, health workers and neighbors among others. The succeeding discussions will focus on the specific changes and social gains seen by the women respondents.
Aside from the economic indicators such as income, loan and savings which can be measured quantitavely as presented in the preceding sections, respondents were asked directly on the significant changes that occured to them as a result of project assistance. This is shown in Table 17. Majority (78%) of the women participants identified both improved income and improved personal attitudes and values as the most important changes that occured to them. Other changes observed include improvement in relationship with the group, family, neighbor and community (48%); improvement in skills in managing IGP (37%), and positive attitudes, knowledge and practice of family planning methods (27%), among others. These are exactly the key result areas in the project framework which is summed up as improvement in the role and status of women in social and economic spheres of their lives.
These prove that women are deemed entrepeneurs not only in managing family but also in undertaking small-scale livelihood projects.
Women's own assessment of the changes in their lives validate and support the findings of the team based on baseline and present statistical data gathered.
Assessment of the social benefits of the women participants brought about by the project assistance is presented in Table 18. Women respondents rated the identified social gains, indicators using a scale of 0 to 3 (o being worse and 3 being much better). Actually, this assessment scheme is the same as the instrument used in the pre-assessment study conducted in June 1993. The only difference lies in the comparison between participants and dropouts. It is assumed that drop-outs have also perceived social changes that occured in their lives in the span of 4 year, because some of them have attended training and some were able to avail the first batch of loan.
In general, majority of the participants (61%) and drop-outs (56%) perceived their situation as better now. It was noted that only one participant-respondent had identified a worse off condition in terms of access to credit and family welfare. This is due mainly to failure in IGP and lack of hopefulness. By province, Capiz participants had a higher percentage of women reporting a much better (47%) status as compared with Pangasinan participants (28%). This supports the initial assessment's findings that Capiz women perceived themselves as relatively socially better off than their Pangasinan counterparts.
Access to Credit. The lack of capital has caused a serious constraint in the socio-economic development of the people particularly the women in rural areas. The Project with its credit assistance through the Guarantee or Revolving fund scheme administered by banking institutions equip the women the necessary means on the way to economic development.
A majority (64%) of all the participant-respondents revealed, that they have better access to credit now and about 30% reported a much better access. They had this good rating because before the Project, they only depended on money lenders who normally impose high interest rates. But now, they were able to avail loan at lower interest rate and without collateral requirement. Some of them had established credibility and good track record with the bank, which will ensure them of continuous access to credit.
Between province, Capiz participants who reported a much better access is higher than the Pangasinan participants by 21%. This could be attributed to the fact that there were more participants who were plain housewives in Capiz before the project.
On the otherhand, half of the total drop-out respondents reported no change as to accessibility because they are still at the mercy of private moneylenders and they cannot loan from the bank due to its several requirements. The 41%. drop-outs who rated better access attributed this to the Project as they were able to borrow once before they dropped-out.
The husbands of participants assessed that access to credit is much better now.
Access to social services:
Family Planning Services. About 64% and 30% of the participants rated a better and much better access to family planning services respectively. Similarly, drop-outs had a better access to family services. The linkage with DOH established by the Project improved the FP services. The effort of Project staff, the active FP Volunteers, the continuous services of BHWs and the WGs themselves contributed to the efficient delivery of the FP services. The WGs had close relationship with DOH personnel and continuosly assist them in their activities. The referral system operationalized by the WG and FW caters not only to women members but to other women in the community as well.
As to availability of contraceptives, respondents said that supplies are always available and accessible since FPVs had supplies with them.
Health Services. Both types of respondents reported a better access to health services due to strong linkage with DOH, DOH personnel regularly visit the barangay to deliver health services. The WGs are also actively participating in healthrelated activities, e.g. immunization, operation timbang, supplemental feeding and others. Some of these projects took place in the association's office. With the IEC material inputs, participants were well informed on where to go for health services. The increase in income of the participants also contributed to improved health services.
The midwives interviewed shared that the organization of WGs was a big help to carry their tasks efficiently and WGs contributed to overall improvement of a barangay.
Family Welfare. As partner of man in life, woman have power to be concerned primarily in their family welfare. Majority of the participants reported that they were able to satisfy daily needs, e.g. food, clothing, education and others better after joining the Project. The earnings of the women were commonly used for the family in terms of food, nutrition, and education which all add up to health, welfare and development. The knowledge acquired from Family Welfare training also contributed to this improvement.
Husbands interviewed supported the women's claim that improvement in family welfare is attributed mainly to the effort made by the Project.
Mobilization. More than half of the participants assessed that they have better mobility since joing the Project. In contrast, half of the drop-outs reflected no change in terms of mobility.
Project participants expressed more improvement in terms of mobility because through the Project, they were able to improve themselves and discover some skills, e.g. inter-personal and communication skills, selling skills that lead them to wider market, etc. Before, some women confined themselves in their household, but now they have the chance to visit other places and met other people (co- participants from other barangays, municipalities and province) government officials and other persons attached to the Project).
The existing IGP of some respondents demand them to go to other area to widen market and earn more income.
Husbands of participants were not hampering their wives from going to one place to another. They revealed that despite meetings and other activities of the WG, their wives were able to fulfill household obligations. In some cases, husbands, mobility was also affected positively.
Self-confidence, self-esteem, hopefulness. Most of the participants perceived better positive changes within themselves after attending the extensive training on self-awareness and team building. The Project helped the women participants become aware of themselves, their strengths and weaknesses, and their needs and opportunities.
Self-confidence, self-esteem and hopefulness were remarkably enhanced as confirmed by some barangay officials, DOH personnel and the participants, husbands as well.
These changes are all attributed to training component of the Project and to the dedicated project staff.
Respect to one's family, neighbors and community. As a result of joining the Project particularly in the training and social action projects, the relationship of the women with family, neighbors and community improved. Almost all participants observed either a better or much better relationship with their family. According to husbands interviewed, their wives also influenced them to change their attitudes for the better and similarly, they gained respect as well.
Women participants were able to socialize with their neighbors on a-regular basis unlike before wherein contacts or communications were very limited and conflicts or misunderstanding among neighbors arose.
In the community, the WGs social- action projects, e.g. cleanliness and beautification drive, health-related activities and initiation of some resolutions (e.g. electrification, water system), among others greatly contributed in the improvement of the community as a whole. WGs were able to think and identify community needs and of activities that would enhance community development.
Barangay officials being interviewed revealed that WGs have closely coordinating with them which enhanced better working relationship. WGs were able to mobilize their husbands, neighbors and other non-members to cooperate and participate in their activities and the barangay projects as well. Furthermore, these officials said that the WGs are their partner and important arm toward progress and development of their barangay.
Respect and recognition of women could be best indicated in the recent barangay elections wherein some women members were elected as barangay official and there were some wherein husbands were the ones elected as attributed to support of the wives and respect given to them.
Decision Making on Family Planning. At present, majority of the participants indicated that decision making on family planning is much better than before they joined the Project. With the learnings learned from seminars and information disseminated by project staff and DOH, husbands-and wives jointly came up with a decision whether to adopt family planning or not and what method should be used. Also, some husbands, indifference toward the family were also softened as most of the participants shared what they have learned to their husbands.
