Simple and happy living in the peaceful community of Capulhan, Dagami, Leyte, that’s the life Rebecca Aquino wants. Rebecca is a 44 years old woman, a wife and mother of 7. People know her as a strong and active woman but she’s a different person at home. She is a mother with a kind heart, her only dream is to see her children having a good future.

She believes that the only way to their success is to send them to school, so they can get a good job and have a happy life. That’s her only motivation to work hard, so she can meet the needs of her children.

Before Typhoon Haiyan, Rebecca along with her husband Alberto Aquino managed their farm, growing: coconut, corn, root crops, and banana. They also gathered tuba (coconut wine), all together these were their sources of income. They were able to send 2 children to college, 3 children to high school and 2 in elementary. She could provide her family needs.

Then challenges started to come her way when Typhoon Haiyan hit Eastern Visayas. Her house and all their sources of income were destroyed, yet Rebecca was still thankful to God for keeping her family safe. She saw her children and husband with hopeless faces. Tears came out, her mind was asking: “what will happen to my children with no food or house? What about their education, their future?”  From being strong and happy to becoming weak and sad, she tried to find ways to stay resilient. ‘’God has a plan for keeping us alive despite facing one of the strongest typhoons ever to hit the Philippines.’’

She felt a blink of hope when NGO’s and the government started giving relief aid to all the victims and especially because ADRA’S Early Recovery in Leyte gave them a house to shed her family from rain and sun heat. A house that they called home.

ADRA’s ERL project was extended, allowing 300 new community partners to receive a livelihood intervention funded by ADRA International. Capulhan was one of the barangays chosen for the project. During the community consultation Rebecca was voted as the Livelihood Committee chairman for her active participation in her barangay, she was the best suited for the position according to the community.

During the assessment, when the interviewer was gathering their household information she kept on praying so that she might be one of the selected community partner of ADRA not just for her but especially for her children. She wanted her children to finish their education in the near future.

Rebecca wants to go back to farming corn using the strategy of organic farming in order to increase her income. If it becomes successful, she plans to plant additional crops like root plants and other vegetables. She promises to handle and manage her livelihood well because for her this is the answer of her daily prayers. ‘’Even when we face big problems in life, God never leaves us. Thanks mainly to our Almighty God and the instrument of Gods to help us: ADRA.’’