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IAMRAFI: That’s What Mamas Do
The Story of Ma. Lydia Jamora, RAFI Micro-Finance Nanay
By Marco Paulo Trajano Deligero & RAFI Micro-finance | April 17, 2018
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Lydia is like any other mother who only wants the best for her family, but what makes her different is that she transformed herself from being a hotel pastry chef to becoming a catering business owner herself, with the help of RAFI Micro-Finance. She accomplished this all for the love of her family.
Running a Business Is a Family Affair
Before becoming a RAFI Micro-Finance (RMF) Nanay in 2010, Ma. Lydia Jamora, or Lydia, worked as a Pastry Chef in a hotel in Cebu City. She was the breadwinner of her family, and working in a hotel wasn’t enough to sustain her family’s financial needs.
She started selling barbecue along the streets of Cebu City in 2008 to augment her income.
Running a business is a family affair for Lydia. Her mother was her biggest influence in making a living, as a meat supplier.
“Ang akong nanay ang pinakadako nga inpluensya nako kay gitudluan man mi niya nga mag-negosyo para mabuhi mi.” (My mother is my biggest influence because she taught us to go into business to make a living.)
Her First Loan Cycle: As Barbecue Vendor
Eventually, Lydia decided to start a business of her own in order to provide more for her family’s needs especially that her children were growing up. Upon the recommendation of her mother, she joined RMF and took out a Php 5,000.00 loan which she used to sell barbeque.
“Daku gyud ug tabang ang RMF kay napadako nako ang akong negosyo gumikan lang sa pagbaligya nako ug barbeque.” (RMF helped me a lot because I was really able to expand my business just by selling barbecue).
Lydia on Her Biggest Life Challenges
Lydia admits, like any other businesses, she faced different struggles of her own. There was a time when her mother was admitted to the hospital, and her two (2) siblings were also admitted due to stroke and diabetes, respectively.
“Grabeha gyud ato nga experience, naglisud kog apas sa bayranan sa hospital, unya mga tambal pa, pero dili man nako pwedeng pasagdan akong mama kay pinangga man nako sya. (That was a really difficult experience, the hospital bills were hard to catch up with, plus there were medicines to buy, but I also couldn’t leave my mother to fend for herself).
That made Lydia realize how important life was, and the significance of having an emergency fund and a business to fall back on for unforeseen expenses like that. So she doubled her efforts to recover from that financial difficulty.
From Having No Capital to Becoming a Catering Services Business Owner
Soon Lydia expanded her business and went into catering services which eventually helped her to fully pay her own house and lot. She even shared that she promised herself that she will build a grotto for Mother Mary at her rooftop once the house was fully paid.
“Kahinumdum ko sa mga panahon nga ganahan gyud unta kong mag-negosyo pero dili ko kahimo kay wala man koy kapital. Nakaingon ko sa akong kaugalingon nga wala may lisud sa tawo nga ganahan gyud mu asenso. Kinahanglang lang gyud sila ug oportunidad ug kakugi.” (I remember the times when I really wanted to have my own business but couldn’t do so because I didn’t have enough capital. Then I realized that there is nothing too difficult for a person who wants to succeed. They just need to be given an opportunity, coupled with hard work of course.)
On Her Return of Investment
Hard work has really paid-off for Lydia. She now has a total of ten (10) vehicles – four (4) utility vehicles, three (3) multi-cabs, and another three (3) motorcycles.
Every year during their fiesta, Lydia makes sure she gives back to her church by catering for two hundred people for free.
What’s admirable about her is that she doesn’t let success go to her head. She continuously lends a helping hand to those who need her help. Through her earnings, she spent for the education of the children of her two (2) siblings, now graduates of accountancy and computer science.
“Para nako, mao ra gyud ni ang akong matabang nila, kinasing-kasing nako ni nga tabang nga walay balus nga gipa-abot gikan nila.” (For me, this is the only way I could help them, that is why I helped them whole-heartedly without asking anything in return).
Her Biggest Life Motivation
To Lydia, her family is her biggest motivation. She has three daughters namely, Cecil Kate, now 18 years old, then Patricia, 17, and Epiphany, 12.
Her husband, Noel Jamora, has also been very supportive of their business.
“Nagpasalamat kog daku sa akong pamilya kay gisupurtahan gyud nila akong negosyo.” (I am very thankful to my family for being very supportive of my business).
“At syemre sa Ginoo kay Sya ang naghatag ug lakas sa akon simula pa nung una nung walang wala pa ang aking pamilya hanggang ngayon na naitataguyod na naming mag-asawa ang aming pamilya at mga anak.” (And of course, to God, who have been there since the beginning, from those time that we don’t have enough money yet, until now where we could support our own family.) Lydia added.
“Salamat kaayo sa RAFI. Lipay ko kaayo.” (Thank you to RAFI for this opportunity, I am happy.) #IAMRAFI
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