Hi all,
What we did right? We worked on three different projects:
1) Netsman Project
2) Environmental education and sustainable livelihoods
3) Eco-Marketing Fair Trade for Aquarium Fish Collectors
The most relevant results of those projects were:
*Close to 900 fisherfolks trained to use nets instead of cyanide. A good number of those are the best fish collectors in the Philippines and are now trainers. Most of those collectors are still using nets
*The project produced a good number of community organizers which are working today with different organizations around the country.
*Coastal communities created sanctuaries where no fishing is allowed. This under the Environmental education and sustainable livelihood program.
*Women from the communities got involved in the developmnet of small businesses
* Fisherfolks got education about water quality, handling and holding techniques at community level.
* Fisherfolks got organized in a Federation and developed an exporting venture.
What went wrong?
We didn't get the support from the marine aquarium industry, including aquarium hobbyists, this lack of support was the capital factor that slow down the process and contributed to the deterioration of the situation in the Philippines. We had to work with very little money to tackle a huge problem. We did our best.
We must stop hurting honest people that have and had worked in the Philippines for many years.
Personally I think that we had had done better if we had gotten the support from the industry.
Why the industry didn't support in the past? Was it because a matter of personalities involved in those programs? Was it because of rivalities?
We at OVI were very sincere and honest with what we were doing. Is because of that I can not tolerate false accusations. The Haribon Foundation was our partner and they did a good job considering the fact that we were working with limited funds. Haribon's staff was competent and knew what they have to do. I was working there for three years an didn't see any wrong doing. Their financial reports were audited and the money budgeted went to the allocated items.
Jaime Baquero
What we did right? We worked on three different projects:
1) Netsman Project
2) Environmental education and sustainable livelihoods
3) Eco-Marketing Fair Trade for Aquarium Fish Collectors
The most relevant results of those projects were:
*Close to 900 fisherfolks trained to use nets instead of cyanide. A good number of those are the best fish collectors in the Philippines and are now trainers. Most of those collectors are still using nets
*The project produced a good number of community organizers which are working today with different organizations around the country.
*Coastal communities created sanctuaries where no fishing is allowed. This under the Environmental education and sustainable livelihood program.
*Women from the communities got involved in the developmnet of small businesses
* Fisherfolks got education about water quality, handling and holding techniques at community level.
* Fisherfolks got organized in a Federation and developed an exporting venture.
What went wrong?
We didn't get the support from the marine aquarium industry, including aquarium hobbyists, this lack of support was the capital factor that slow down the process and contributed to the deterioration of the situation in the Philippines. We had to work with very little money to tackle a huge problem. We did our best.
We must stop hurting honest people that have and had worked in the Philippines for many years.
Personally I think that we had had done better if we had gotten the support from the industry.
Why the industry didn't support in the past? Was it because a matter of personalities involved in those programs? Was it because of rivalities?
We at OVI were very sincere and honest with what we were doing. Is because of that I can not tolerate false accusations. The Haribon Foundation was our partner and they did a good job considering the fact that we were working with limited funds. Haribon's staff was competent and knew what they have to do. I was working there for three years an didn't see any wrong doing. Their financial reports were audited and the money budgeted went to the allocated items.
Jaime Baquero