Teduray people were among the indigenous tribe in the Bangsamoro region living in the remote mountains, with significant populations residing in the camps of Badre and Omar. Over the years, they have been deeply affected by the region's past conflicts, which have affected their livelihoods and communities.
Erlinda Esteban, a 39-year-old mother of two from Barangay Kenebeka in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, is a proud member of the Kenebeka Teduray Farmers Association (KTFA), organized under the project that supports camps transformation and development called Bangsamoro Camps Transformation Project (BCTP).
Through BCTP, Erlinda and her group found the support they had long dreamed of. Despite their physical isolation and the challenges that comes with it, the Teduray people have always nurtured a vision for a project tailored to their specific needs and aspirations as an indigenous community. The project has made this dream a reality, bringing much-needed development and empowerment to a people long overlooked in the broader development efforts in the camp communities.
"Sikap at tyaga ", terms she mentioned referring to the projects shared with them by BCTP such as fruit bearing trees and portable solar dryers that they identified during the rapid need assessment.
"Kasi nga mula sa land preparation, ita-transplant pa ang mga puno sa lupa, maghihintay ka ng ilang buwan o taon bago ito magbubunga at ma-harvest. Of course, kailangan mo ding diligan at linisan palagi ang mga ilalim nito." Erlinda said.
"Pero parte yon ng proseso sa pagkamit ng ating mga pangarap, maging patient, huwag tayong susuko, gagawin natin ang makakaya para sa ating mga pangarap, iyon ay ang ikakaunlad ng ating komunidad.” She added.
Erlinda and her colleagues from the KTFA are optimistic that all their efforts will yield success.
“Hindi maipipinta ang aming kasiyahan sa oportunidad na naibigay sa amin na mga katutubo, kasi nga first time na mayroong proyektong nakalaan talaga para sa amin.” Erlida futher stated.
She also shared their experiences in participating in trainings conducted through BCTP.
"Isang oras po ang nilalakad namin mula sa aming tahanan patungo sa venue ng mga aktibidad. Mas matagal pa po ang nilalakad ng aking mga kasamahan. Pero, dahil nga dream come true, hindi po yun hadlang para sa amin. Gusto naming matuto at patunayan na deserve namin ang proyektong ito”. She added.
For now, there are four IP communities in the Bangsamoro that have been allocated projects through BCTP such as this one in Brgy. Kenebeka, another is at Brgy. Datalpandan, Guindulungan, Maguindanao del Sur still within Camp Badre; Brgy. Limpongo, Datu Hoffer Ampatuan and Brgy. Saniag, Ampatuan which are both located in the province of Maguindanao del Sur within Camp Omar.
To date, KFTA received a total of 950 fruit-bearing tree seedlings, 20 portable solar dryers, 20 members received homebased gardening tools and inputs.
IP communities are optimistic that the BCTP will bring a sustained peace, build productive and resilient communities in the camps, they considered home.
BCTP is implemented by the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA Inc.) in partnership with the Community and Family Services International (CFSI), implemented in the six major camps of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF): Abubakar as Siddique, Badre, Bilal, Busrah Somiorang, Omar ibin al-Khattab and Rajamuda.
It is one of the projects funded by the Bangsamoro Normalization Trust Fund (BNTF) with funding support from Australia, Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom, administered by the World Bank.
The BCTP was also supported by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) as well as the Joint Task Forces on Camps Transformation (JTFCT) both from the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
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