Community Development and Empowerment in Hinayon & Sitio Wawa

The Community Development and Empowerment (CDE) programme in Hinayon began in 2018. Care Channel’s CDE team was invited to the community to share about holistic transformation. Community participants shared stories of conflicts with the youth who were influenced by vices. The Care Channels CDE team assisted and trained the Hinayon families to organise their own CDE committee. The CDE committee and trainers, in turn, guided their residents in organising their own Homeowners’ Association, strengthening local leadership and community participation in reducing prevalent vice issues.

Over time, the community planned and implemented various development initiatives, including medical and dental clinics, livelihood projects such as liquid detergent seed funds, health monitoring activities, and health education through home visits. These programmes have contributed to the overall well-being of the community and encouraged active involvement among its members.

Amang, Gina A., and Gina J. are three dedicated CDE trainers from Hinayon. Driven by a desire to help their community, they began weekly visits to the neighbouring community of Sitio Wawa, supporting this outreach using their own personal resources. Despite not having fixed incomes, they continue to model generosity and servant leadership in meaningful ways.

As a result of their efforts, Sitio Wawa now has a vibrant and growing CDE group—both in number and in the depth of relationships formed. During visits over the past three months, community members shared that CDE has fostered unity among the many families. Previously, interaction was limited, and individuals focused mainly on their own concerns. Today, many families belong to a supportive group where they receive training, work together, and grow in their relationships with one another. Together, they have organised community cleanup drives, health monitoring activities, provided sessions on health awareness and prevention, and explained how to work closely with local government units for the betterment of the Wawa community.

The commitment of the Hinayon trainers to guiding communities toward holistic development is a powerful example of empowerment in action. By taking full ownership of the program and generously sharing it with others, they are helping bring lasting transformation and renewed hope to neighbouring communities.