"To put everything in balance is good; to put everything in harmony is better.” – Victor Hugo
It all started when our team on the ground in Manila saw a glimpse of potential for a fish farm. The heart behind this project is producing an abundant supply of fish as one of the main food sources for the people on the farm, street children. This project carries multiple benefits such as food security, life and schooling assistance for street children and employment for locals.
We commenced the construction work of the pond excavation, installation and planting crops in 2021. The grass planted on the edges is designed to clean the water as it is reticulated. With that, our team have built 14 large fish ponds that have been filled with water and stocked with fish.
During the process, children and locals are trained on-site with the project engineer. It is a wonderful opportunity to be formally and practically trained in aquaculture. As the famous saying goes, “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” This project brings the community together and the skills training will carry through in future generations.
We will continue providing children and families with training and equip them with professional skills in the fish industry. By doing so, we are helping a generation full of potential to bloom and carry on with sustainability.
It doesn’t end here… this gets better because it’s anticipated that the fish farm will create around five permanent full-time jobs and around 35 additional full-time equivalent jobs in the community for businesses involved in the supply, transport and sale of the fish products.
While the pandemic and lockdowns caused delays during the construction period, the farm work hasn’t stopped. It continues to flourish and multiply!
Take a moment to think of this: initially, our plan was to provide meals for about 350 families and an additional 500 homeless children. However, with sufficient fish we will provide permanent 2.5 fish meals (200 grams) a week for 1,500 residents. The numbers almost doubled!
We are thrilled that this project will provide over 3,000 meals a month to 1,500 residents including street children and poor families. This initiative not only secures food, but supplies school assistance for children in need, as well as employment for street families.
Excess fish is not an issue as the fish farm can sell it in order to buy items they have shortages of. It also allows doubling its reach to street children and poor families.
What an encouragement to know people in difficult circumstances are finding hope, joy and sufficiency.
Thank you so much for your continued support for OnePlate so that together we can continue creating projects like this one.
