By: John Chris B. Zureta

Sulong kababaihan. Mayabong na Kabuhayan!

The Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) #SibolKababaihan stories aim to recognize the valuable contributions of women in the formation, success, and sustainability of one’s livelihood in the society. This online campaign presents stories of empowered women who excel and shine in the field of livelihood through their dedication, passion, hard work, and creativity – with the goal to extensively reach, inspire, and touch the lives of other women and communities in the country. 

One good example that resonated is the story of Marilyn Estolas, a mother, a furniture maker from Barangay Leones West, Tubao, La Union. It is not everyday that we meet a full-spirited woman who is into furniture making – as the job requires toughness, strength, and stamina. Furniture making has been part of Marilyn’s life for so long in around two decades, and since then she has dreamed of having her own furniture shop – where she can display and sell her products freely. Fortunately, this dream has been made possible through the Sustainable Livelihood Program’s Seed Capital Fund, wherein the assistance fund she received was used in upgrading her facilities and equipment to keep up with the market competition. Furthermore, with the help of her family, their products now reach places like Pangasinan, Cavite, and Metro Manila through online selling.      

“Gapu iti tulong ti SLP, haan lang a limmag-an ti panagbiagmi, napatarimaan ko diay balaymi, napaadal ko dagidiay anak ko, nakapundarak iti babuyan ken pinakaimporte ket dimmakel pay ti kumpyansak iti bagbagik.” 

(“Because of the help from SLP, not only my family's life improved, I was also able to fix our house, send my children to school, establish a piggery, and most importantly, I have gained more self-confidence.”)

Even more so, Marilyn enjoys the task of carpentry – molding, bending, cutting, carving, and chiseling tables and chairs among her many other products. She is the mind behind every design she creates. She considers furniture making as a very rewarding job, knowing that in one piece of furniture, she can touch and motivate one’s life.    

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