ADB funding offers fresh lease of life for Mindanao market vendors
21 Jul '06
3 min read
Vendors have hailed the centers as a place where they can socialize and group together, rather than simply face problems on their own.
Change didn't come easy, though. In Panabo City, attendance at training sessions was at first poor because vendors were reluctant to leave their stalls and sacrifice sales. Since most of them start their day at the market at 4:30 a.m., they found it a burden to attend a full-day of training from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. But once they realized the benefits, attendance picked up drastically.
Vendors are also taking up herbal medicine, hair styling, dressmaking, and nail care, among others.
The eight project areas are also benefiting under the ADB-funded Mindanao Basic Urban Services Sector Project (MBUSSP), which is upgrading and rehabilitating much-needed infrastructure through a $30 million loan.
ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in the Asia and Pacific region through pro-poor sustainable economic growth, social development, and good governance.
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