The fulfilled faces of the participants, training management team, key informants, and barangay officials of Barangay Mataphao after the Barangay Immersion.
NEW WASHINGTON, Aklan – Some Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) around the Region take the challenge of becoming community development officers through the Training on Social Mobilization at GLS Agricultural Integrated Farm, Brgy. Mataphao on April 1-5, 2024.
“I firmly believe that once we unite communities, we can make them stronger, and they will be able to develop their own choice and voice,” expressed Jesrel M. Caingcoy, Agricultural Extension Worker from LGU-Leon, Iloilo, who is one of 19 participants.
Jesrel C. Caingcoy, AEW from Leon, Iloilo, expresses his impression of the training.
They gathered data during their barangay immersion and analyzed it thoroughly by using different tools in Participatory Rapid Rural Appraisal (PRRA), which includes Resource Mapping, Venn diagram, Seasonal Calendar, SWOT Analysis, and Problem-Cause Analysis. Moreover, they combined all the important points in a log frame where they came up with the best solutions to the problem that arose.
They learned to analyze certain cases in a community, which enables them to gather the problem and its cause and find solutions, as well as create advocacies in the sustainable implementation of the project they made for the development of a community. The activities provided participants with knowledge of social mobilization and how to assess and address the situations, problems, issues, and concerns present in the community. It improved their skills and abilities in performing their duties and responsibilities as AEWs.
Future community development officers give the best of their potential during workshops and activities.
The training emphasized the importance of Social Mobilization in correlating it to AEWs’ daily activities as government employees serving the citizens, especially the farmers in their locality, assessing the farmers’ needs, and improving their lives and livelihoods. Furthermore, AEWs realized that they could be a change maker who is looking positively and aiming for the same goal, which is the development of their area of responsibility.
“Grow and bloom into a beautiful flower. Focus on your goal and do not let your surroundings affect you,” an inspiring reminder from Mary Ann A. Ramos, ATI Region 6’s Center Director and one of the training’s resource speakers.
