Recently, a Belgian NGO, DISOP, offered a possibility of financing after study, as high as 80% of the total budget but only in 2011. Unhopefully, Virlanie was not able to find the financing from October 15th to 2011. A special thanks to Kathleen Deckmyn-Cordero who gave me the hope to save the project during a few months. Our vision of education and needs in the Philippines are so closed that our roads will certainly cross again.
For me, this project is closed and if it continues, it will be with other options or a vision completely different from the generous original idea.
Arrived at this point I have to thanks so many people for their help that I risk to forget some of them. I hope they will forgive me.
This project would have not existed in Sagay City without Dominique Lemay, President of Virlanie, Beth Calvez, a former Executive Director of Virlanie and Edgardo Uychiat (Nisard), who introduced me to Mayor Alfredo G. Maranon Jr. This four people must receive all my gratitude. Different offices of the City Hall offered a great help with a special mention to Eng. Manuel Lopez, Marylyn Manuel, Wally Afuang, Eng. Alenco, and Charlie for mapping and earthwork machine, Mr. Cueva (Marine Research), Mr. Pinongan who solved all the problems with former farmers of the lot, and Jerilu Ganancial from Department of Agriculture.
Other NGO like Nisard (thanks to Rommel and Robert), Negros Forest and Ecological Foundation (Gerardo Ledesma, David Castor who helped us to choose the good seedlings) and NIRD (June, Edwin, Ronnie and Vitri) were a great source of advices.
I cannot forget to thank Brenda Benedicto, Barangay Captain of Luna and her team of Kagawads always solving the little problems of everyday with a great smile.
Andry Lim and Jojie Lim, please, receive all my gratitude for your teaching in Natural Farming since a long time! I don’t forget also many members of the group of natural farming of the Philippines (natural_farming_philippines@yahoogroups.com) who encouraged me to continue this project.
Of course, I’m grateful to some members of the staff and volunteers of Virlanie in Manila and in France who brought their energy, ideas and knowledge to build stone by stone the project. Bernard Leveaux, also former Executive Director, sustained during many months this beautiful idea of school farm of Sagay. Atty Anne Maria Palermo was a great help during thebegining of implementation in Negros.
It is also clear that without our team of 3 farmers and friends, Ricky, Ronnie and Rene, no idea on the paper was transformed in the field. They changed the landscape and increased the yields of harvests with a great courage, with their sweat and sometimes with their blood.
My dear wife, Mechelle, was of course a constant help and source of reflection and her green hands gave life to many seeds.
And to finish, I’m thankful to Mother Nature who rewarded us, showing clearly that it is better to work with her than against.
I will soon give news of what we will do now about natural farming in another place of the Philippines but this is another story...
Long life to Natural Farming!
3 comments:
unfortunately you didn't say where you will be heading to next, or how to contact you. i'm from sagay but have been living abroad for many years. i'm planning to go back and would like to start something organic, maybe grow onions and garlic, and would hugely benefit from virlanie by way of advice. nonetheless, many thanks for your work in my hometown.
joy
You can contact me at dcollot@gmail.com . Daniel
many thanks daniel. i'm back in bacolod for about a month now. i've been to nisard office, met some of their partners and learning a lot. my plans to go into farming myself is a bit derailed (i've been asked to help in the office of the governor), although it's still definitely in the horizon. thanks for your email and wishing you well.
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