Topic

"Fighting Poverty with Silk in the Philippines"

Negros Occidental, Phillipines, is known for its sugar plantations. But, since its mountainous areas are unsuitable for growing sugarcane, villagers from the mountains needed to travel a great distance to work in the fields. They also faced the problems of fluctions in the international sugar marked that affected their incomes, and a great many families lived in desperate poverty. Yet, the mountains are an ideal place to raise silworms.

In 1989, in response to the request of the provincial government, OISCA began to experiment with raising silkworms(sericulture). Over the years, OISCA refined its methods, and thanks to support from the Japanese Government, thousands of people are involved in and benefiting from the project.

Keys to the program's successinclude: a merit system in which materials and training are given to farmers as they complet the steps required to conduct sericulture; careful monitoring by sericulture specialists; and keepint the project at amanageable size. New challenges face them, but farmers are learning more all the time and proudly working for themselves. As a result, previously impoverished families now eat three meals a day instead of just two, and more children attend school.


	Rearing young silkworm	Growing mulberry trees

	All the family members join to work	Gathering cocoons

	Cocoons	Machines to reel silk off cocoons

	Silk yarn	Barong Tagalog, the traditional clothes of the Philippines, made of silk


	January 2003: February 2003: March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003:	Rabaul Center Establishes a System for Recycling Life and Livelihood Renovating School Forests for Environmental Education OISCA Makes Contributions to the 'UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development' through the WSSD Elephant Gifts from Surin, Thailand OISCA Graduates Work to Support Palawan T.C. Tree Planting for the "Bridge of Forests Pioneering Women's Training in Bangladesh