AdiyaAman, 27 years old, a housewife, lives with her husband Molo and 3 children. Their situation is considered extremely different unlike that of thousands of poor in the city. Adiya’sfamily used to live by the sidewalk with a piece of carton. For them the carton they own is considered a treasure as this serves as their comfy mattress at night and a roof during the rainy days. Molo works as a barangay maintenance with a very minimal income that could hardly sustain the needs of his family. Leo, 7 years old, being the eldest son of Adiya and Molodid not have the chance for schooling because of the situation of the family. “It pains me to see my son begging for food in the street, Every time I see my children running after each customer asking for their left overs, it crushes my heart, hoping I could afford to buy food for my children from fast food chain.” Shared Adiya. She added that a bright future for her children is seemed next to imposible.

Until the Modified conditional cash transfer came in the early 2013, Adiya’s family was targeted and was included in the CSO implementing partner, the Human Development and Empowerment Services (HDES).  Driven by the motivation to avail the financial assistance of the program, Adiya religiously complied with all the conditionalities, Leo started schooling and has a regular check-up in their barangay health center. “ If before we’re staying by the side walk with our carton, now my husband built a small “mesa” (table) where we can stay on top at night for sleeping and under it during rainy days. A much sturdy piece of protection out from the grants we received from the program”. Adiya said. “That table will serve as an inspiration for us to strive harder to uplift our lives somehow”.Adiya and her husband Molo is planning to save a little from their grants to start a small business.Thiswill help them out with the daily expenses of their family. Putting a small store that sells cigarettes, candies and several others will augment the expenses of the family. A dream that the family had never imagined in becoming into a reality.