“Ang ina ang ilaw, minsan haligi pa ng tahanan.”
This mother’s day, let us appreciate all our mothers — our biological mothers, grandmothers, our teachers, and other mothers from another blood.
For this occasion, Yamang Bukid brings you the story of nanay Thelma Doroteo, a 50-year-old widow who has to work despite her age to put food on the table for her five children and grandchildren when her husband died.
Nanay Thelma shared that life was really simple when she assumed being the father also of the family. However, even if it was easy, it was never really just a five-finger exercise.
With sad eyes and grooves on her face outlining the hard work she has put all these years, nanay Thelma said one of the odd jobs she did was to collect bamboo stalks in the forest to sell them to become fencing panels.
She was forced to sell their small land, but it wasn’t enough to pay the money she owed.
“Simple lang ang pamilya namin. May mga munting pangarap pero hirap pa rin namin makamit. Pinagbebenta na namin ang mga pagmamay-ari para lang makabayad sa mga utang. Binenta ko na ang lupa namin pero kulang pa rin. Noong namatay ang asawa ko, walang-wala na talagang mapiga,” she said through the mist of her tears.
Nanay Thelma said it hurts that her husband died because he was gored by their carabao.
Every time, she remembers how it happened, she can’t stop her tears from falling.
“Sinuwag ang asawa ko ng kalabaw. As in malubha ang naging kalagayan niya. Masakit sa puso na makita siyang ganoon at namatay pa,” she said.
Age has caught up with nanay Thelma, but she has to continue to work despite the condition of her health.
She did not elaborate about her ailment, but she said she now gets tired easily.
“Sa dami kong ginagawa noon, nanghihina na rin ako. Parang hindi na kaya ng katawan ko pero sige pa rin ng sige. Buti na nga lang dumating ang Yamang Bukid [Farm] sa barangay namin. Ito, nakakahinga na ng maluwag. Nakakuha ako ng trabaho dito pero ‘di na mabigat. Sobrang dami ko nang natanggap sa farm na nakatulong sa pamilya ko,” she said.
Yamang Bukid Farm is a social responsibility initiative of the Yamang Bukid Healthy Products, Inc. (YBHPI), the leading manufacturer of Turmeric 10-in-1 with Gynura procumbens instant herbal team. The farm is home to more than 180 empowered farming employees.
Mothers at any age are very welcome to work at the farm. They do business with a heart to benefit not just their employees but serve more beneficiaries of YBHPI and Yamang Bukid Farm such as granting scholarships, medical assistance, travel opportunities, and a lot more.
“Alagang-alaga kami dito. Sagot ang kain buong araw, may benefits. Scholar mga bata sa amin, tinuturuan kaming magsaka, tinuturuan ng mga life skills. Inuuwi na lang namin ng buo ang sweldo,” (We are well-kept at the farm. We are fed with complete meals daily and we have benefits to enjoy. Our children are scholars of the Yamang Bukid Farm, we are taught daily about farming and life skills. We bring home our salary in full amount.) Nanay Thelma said.
“Nakakapagpahinga na ako nang maayos kahit may trabaho. May kasama ako sa pag-aaruga ng pamilya ko. Hanggang ngayon, bilang nanay, binibigay ko pa rin lahat para lang hindi nila maramdamang ang mga kulang – na wala na ang tatay nila,” nanay Thelma added.
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