“Kung malaki yung utang namin tapos nasira yung palay, malaki intindihin namin nun. Paano kami magbabayad ng utang? Paano kami makakabawi? Makakabawi ba kami o hindi?” (“If we’re indebted and our crops are damaged, we have a lot to worry about. How will we pay off our debt? How will we recover? Do we even have a chance at all?”)
At the age of 27, Jenifer Santos acts as the breadwinner of the family, since her father has passed away and her mother suffered an accident while operating a tractor.
“Nagbubukid na ako mula 2015 hanggang ngayon. Balak ko [sana mag-trabaho] sa abroad kaso may sakit na nanay ko kaya hindi ako makaalis,” says Jenifer. (“I’ve been working at the farm since 2015. I wanted to find a job overseas, but my mother is sick so I can’t leave.”)
Jenifer also shared how difficult it is to find funds for their farming.
“Dati iniisip namin saan kami kukuha ng pondo. Nung nakita namin ang Cropital, mas nagkaroon kami ng pag-asa na palawakin yung ginagawa namin at magpursige lalo.”
Before we had to think about how we’d get the capital we needed. When we found out about Cropital, we were inspired to expand our work [at the farm] and persevere further.
Jenifer put in a lot of effort at the field and now farms 2.5 hectares of land. She’s been able to invest in equipment for the farm as well as buy furnishings for their house, all while caring for her mother.
Her only wish now is for the price of palay to continue to rise so that farmers like her can prosper.
Watch Jenifer ‘s full story (in Filipino) below
