No catch for a week?

Dear Champion,

We get to witness families turning uncertainty into abundance through the work we do, and it’s truly something extraordinary. Today, we want to share the story of Marlon and Necia Freolo, and how Feed Back has enabled them to change how their family eats.

For almost two decades, Marlon and Necia have called Sitio Suki, San Rafael in Sorsogon home. It's a coastal community that relies on the sea for nearly every meal. This past year alone, the province weathered an estimated 20 typhoons.

Photo by Artu Nepomuceno and Archie Geotina for Vogue Philippines

Marlon goes out to sea with his speargun and fins every morning, hoping for a catch that feeds his family. On good days, he brings in extra to sell to neighbors. Then there are days where there isn't enough. Marlon says a week can go by without a single catch.

Before Feed Back, they intermittently grew some food at home. But it was never enough for their day-to-day meals, since they were planting on sand, not soil.

Through Feed Back, Marlon and Necia were inspired and found creative ways to make it work. Their weekly harvest grew from 3 kilos to 5 kilos per week, and their garden grew bigger too. Every weekend, they exchanged what they grew for a wider variety from their neighbors.

The numbers tell their own story:

From Marlon & Necia's garden, 65 kilos of produce contributed to exchanges, after what the family kept for themselves. That’s about 5.4 kilos per week over the span of 12 weeks!

Their garden became so abundant and well-tended, they were awarded Best Garden at the San Rafael graduation. More importantly, it became a food source they could count on, especially when there was no catch.

"Minsan, isang linggo walang huli. Kapag may gulay ka sa likod-bahay, hindi ka gutom."

As Marlon puts it: "Minsan, isang linggo walang huli. Kapag may gulay ka sa likod-bahay, hindi ka gutom." Sometimes, there's no catch for a week. But if you have vegetables in your backyard, you won't go hungry.

At ARK, we believe in exchanging harvests and exchanging inspiring stories that bring hope. If this story moved you, share it with someone who could use a lift today!

The Team at ARK