The Department of Social Welfare and Development(DSWD) 9 in partnership with Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Zamboanga City turned-over inputs for seaweed farming to Sama Bajau beneficiaries in Sitio Bactus, Brgy. Talabaan, Zamboanga City.

 

Out of the forty (40) beneficiaries belonging to the 1^st batch, twenty seven (27) were given materials needed for seaweed farming. The thirteen (13) others were given capital assistance for fishnet fishing, mat weaving and Sari-Sari Store.

 

Twenty seven (27) Sama Bajaus have also received their fishing paraphernalia to help them start their individual livelihood in agar-agar farming which was given by BFAR. An operational grant amounting to five thousand (5,000) pesos was also given to them last August 15, 2017 to enable them to start the livelihood project and ssistance from the Comprehensive Project for the Sama Bajau under Social Technology Unit of DSWD.

 

DSWD-STU aims to, increase the income of Sama Bajau through giving them access to the Comprehensive Livelihood Assistance Program; provide opportunities for other livelihood projects and enhance their skills in basic management by providing sustainable training/workshop; promote leadership and organizational skills among the Sama Bajau heads of the family thereby facilitating their reintegration to the program and to build their capacity to become self-reliant and self-sufficient through Comprehensive Program for sustainable livelihood projects.