BORONGAN CITY — The Congressional District Office (CDO) of Eastern Samar formally turned over the Processing Center of banana flour to KIKA- GAWA Women’s Association in Brgy. Anuron, Mercedes, Eastern Samar.
According to Ms. Cora Basada, Congressional District Office staff, it was Rep. Ma. Fe R. Abunda who personally donated and funded the P300,000 to build the processing center of the KIKA GAWA Women’s Association.
In response, KIKA GAWA Women’s President Remedios Quirante thanked Congresswoman Abunda.
“This is a big help to our association since our association started in 2013. This is our long dream to have this facility and today, it is already fulfilled,” Quirante said.
Quirante disclosed that KIKA-GAWA means KInabuhi tikang ha KAmatayon Gius Anuronhon Women’s Association.
“This association was given birth because of the Super Typhoon Yolanda. We were dead then, but we were given a chance to live,” Quirante added.
KIKA-GAWA is assisted by the Department of Trade and Industry Provincial Field Office since 2018. The first assistance was the skills training of the members of the association to make banana flour in partnership with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). in the succeeding years, DTI also gave assistance through the upgrading and levelling of their products.
Today, KIKA-GAWA is already marketing banana flour, scented oil, virgin coconut oil (VCO), cookies, banana bread, chocolate bread and others. DTI also helps them to market their products.
They have a buyer which is based in Makati that distributes in Metro Manila.
They also have one in Leyte and some municipalities in Eastern Samar. Quirante further said that for this year, DTI will give them a processing machine to further improve their products.
“This is a big effect to the mother-members, if there’s no KIKA our life is boring, with KIKA, our members enjoy,” one member Mercedes Awa-aw quipped.
The KIKA-GAWA is composed of 13 mothers as members in Brgy. Anuron, Mercedes, E. Samar. (NBQ/SDC/PIA-E. Samar)
