Producer Spotlight: Linda Casimiro of FCED

Nanay Linda Casimiro is 61 and helps support her six children and four grandchildren through the orders that she gets through Gifts and Graces, in particular the consistent orders of Vic Barba.

Before joining the FCED Foundation, she dabbled in sewing, but her earnings were not enough for her family. As a member of FCED Foundation, she trained in sewing under KaBaKa - Kabalikat ng Bayan sa Kaunlaran, an initiative of then Mayor Bagatsing. Through her involvement in FCED and the help of Gifts and Graces, she honed her sewing skills and expanded her opportunities.

She narrates that making Vic Barba bags also helped her a lot in improving her sewing skills. It was four years ago when she first received orders of custom made bags for Vic Barba. She studied the design drawings and samples that were sent to her and produced bags that she was very proud of. When asked why she was proud of the Vic Barba bags she replies “maganda ang quality ng ginagawa namin, alam namin yan dahil sinasabi ng ibang tao. At shempre maganda ang design. Ako ang may gawa eh!”. (We make good quality products, we know this from the feedback of other people. And of course they're very well designed. Of course I made them!). Nanay Linda is grateful for the Vic Barba bag orders, she adds “malaking bagay ang pagagawa namin ng bags ni Ma'm Vic, nakakatulong ang kinikita sa pagpapaaral ko sa bunsong anak ko” (Making Ma'm Vic's bags helps us a lot. The income I get from making those bags help in sending my youngest child to school).

She's also very grateful to Gifts and Graces for giving FCED a lot of income generating projects. “Dahil sa Gifts and Graces hindi kami nawawalan ng trabaho” (Because of Gifts and Graces we have reliable livelihood).

Through your support of Gifts and Graces, producers like Nanay Linda can send her children to school and give them 3 square meals a day. There are various other stories like Nanay Linda's and their stories are tied in to yours. Your act of support and generosity today can be their success story for the coming months.