Бывшая мама-одиночка из Замбоанги открыла парикмахерскую и помогла нанять коллегу благодаря программе социальной поддержки

In the small coastal town of Polanco, Zamboanga del Norte, Arlene Padua was once known for her beautiful, thick, and luscious hair. Every evening, Arlene’s mother would gently comb her hair and remind her daughter that it was her “crowning glory.” But as Arlene grew older, life became less about beauty and more about survival. Unable to finish her schooling, Arlene married young, as many women in her community did. With limited opportunities in their hometown, she eventually moved to Manila and worked as a laundry worker to support her growing family. In 2009, her husband’s health deteriorated and he could no longer work. Returning to her home town, Arlene became a solo parent to four children, carrying the responsibility of providing for their food, education, and daily needs. Arlene saw a ray of hope in 2013 when her family became a member of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). Through the 4Ps, Arlene received support for her children’s education and health. More importantly, the program connected her with a social worker who assessed her family’s needs and helped identify opportunities to move toward self-sufficiency. Recognizing Arlene’s talent and passion for making people feel beautiful, her social worker endorsed her to a hairdressing training under another program of the DSWD, the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP). The SLP is a capacity-building initiative that aims to support poor, vulnerable, and marginalized households and communities by facilitating opportunities for development and management of resources viable for micro-enterprises and employment facilitation. After completing her training, Arlene received a Php5,000 starter kit to begin her chosen livelihood. Soon after, she opened her own salon business in 2020, a product of her hard work and dedication to make people look and feel beautiful. Starting her business named, “Arlene’s Hair and Nail Salon,” became a welcome challenge for Arlene. She had to manage the salon, pay rent and bills, and eventually hire workers. In order to manage these concerns, Arlene applied the financial management lessons that she learned from the 4Ps’ family development sessions (FDS) to keep the business afloat. Eventually, her hard work paid off, and clients continued to patronize her services. Arlene was also able to hire a manicurista and an all-around assistant. Two years later, she formally registered the salon as a business. In 2024, the 4Ps Enhanced Support Service Intervention (ESSI) – Cash Assistance Grant (CAG) further strengthened her business with Php15,000 worth of additional equipment, treatments, and hair-care tools. Today, through hard work and determination, Arlene can proudly say that she was able to successfully set up and manage her salon. “Kailangan mo [r]in maging hands on talaga. Sa ngayon, naibalik ko na ang puhunan ko [r]ito,” Arlene shared. According to her latest Social Welfare and Development Indicator (SWDI) assessment, Arlene and her family have reached Level 3 or self-sufficiency, making their family eligible for graduation from the 4Ps. Her eldest child is now an IT graduate. Her second child is studying engineering, while her third and youngest children are in senior high school and junior high school, respectively. The family has also acquired a motorcycle that the children use for transportation to school. However, Arlene’s transformation did not end with her own success. Wanting to give others the same opportunity she received, she hired Rosel Bacsail, a mother of five from the same municipality. Rosel, who was expecting another child, needed additional income to help support her family while her husband worked as a construction worker. In May 2025, Rosel joined Arlene’s salon as a manicurista. “Nakakatulong talaga. Wala kaming masasabi, mabait sya,” Rosel said of Arlene as an employer. Having experienced hardship herself, Arlene understands Rosel’s struggles. Now, she hopes to guide her employee toward the same kind of transformation that changed her own life. Arlene’s journey from a struggling mother to a self-sufficient entrepreneur is a testament to what the 4Ps can make possible, not by simply providing assistance, but by helping families discover their strengths, build their capacities, and create a better future for themselves. (AKDL)