Barangay Imbayao inaugurates its Bug Shield-funded citronella oil facility thanks to our Farmer's Fund Drive!

Barangay Imbayao inaugurates its Bug Shield-funded citronella oil facility thanks to our Farmer's Fund Drive!

At Human Nature, we believe that goodness grows from the grassroots. So it is with pride and joy that we witness the inauguration of Barangay Imbayao’s citronella oil extractor facility thanks to your overwhelming support of our Farmer’s Fund Drive Desiree Dales narrates their story of celebration and hope as their journey only begins. 

Everybody is busy and excited preparing for the citronella oil extractor facility's inauguration. The drying hall is built through bayanihan with the men doing the carpentry work while the women do the landscaping.


[L-R] A tribal ritual is performed prior to building the facility's drying hall; Residents of Barangay Imbayao work to raise the hall's foundation

"I am happy to see that our project is moving forward and different groups will come and see what we have done in our community. I am so proud that we have gone this far. Hopefully, this will continue and be passed on to our children and our children's children," shares Ate Cherryl, one of our lumad partners in Imbayao.


All Hands on Deck: Citronella harvesting and oil extraction take place in the spirit of bayanihan

Our Citronella Agro-enterprise Development group in Barangay Imbayao, in good weather, has started extraction on a daily basis while those in Sitio Quisumbing, Barangay Impalutao are scheduling their second extraction. Truly, hope is in the eyes of these farmers as they see how their leaves turn to oil--green into gold.


Freshly harvested leaves are air dried in the temporary and improvised drying hall

 

The inauguration, which will be held mid-July, will be graced by the steering groups Gandang Kalikasan Incorporated, Gawad Kalinga, and Kaanib, as well as by support groups such as Department of Agrarian Reform, and Catholic Relief Services. Other sectors like the Department of Trade and Industry, the local government unit, and Central Mindanao University were also invited to the event that aims to be the template for transformation for other farming communities by involving different institutions and organizations.

May your continuous support of our Farmer’s Fund Drive sow hope among our partner communities. Purchase our 100% Natural Bug Shield DEET-Free Oil and 100% Natural Bug Shield DEET-Free Lotion and keep the goodness growing!