If you walk through someone’s garden, it’s easy to admire the shade and smell the flowers. But the person who built it sees something else. 

For Imelda W. Kidicdian, 59, a wife, mother of three, and caring grandmother from Bauko, Mountain Province, a garden is more than just a garden. It mirrors her lifelong passion.

Imelda studied at the University of Baguio, where she met her husband. After marrying in 1990 and starting a family, Imelda worked as a florist at the Orchidarium in La Trinidad, Benguet, selling fresh cuts directly from the garden.

As family expenses grew, Imelda opened a small sari-sari store to supplement their monthly earnings.

But life changed when they both decided to return to Bauko, Mountain Province. Imelda turned her love for floriculture into a reliable business. However, agricultural life brought unpredictable seasonal price fluctuations. To secure financial stability during lean months, Imelda and her husband started a piggery in 2020 as a secondary source of income.

“Naisip namin na mag-alaga ng baboy bilang dagdag na kita.” (We thought of raising pigs to earn extra income), Imelda shares. While flower harvests depended heavily on seasons, their livestock business provided them a reliable income backup. Raising livestock also allowed her to work from home while caring for her grandchildren.

To fund her expanding piggery business, Imelda became a client of CARD, Inc. (A Microfinance NGO) in 2021. Her initial loan of PHP 5,000 allowed her to buy two sacks of feed.

“Sa aking limang taon bilang kliyente, naging katuwang ko ang CARD hindi lamang sa pagpapalago ng aking negosyo, kundi pati na rin sa pagsuporta sa pangangailangan ng aking pamilya” (In my five years as a client, CARD has been my partner not only in growing my business, but also in supporting the needs of my family),  Imelda shares.

Even as the piggery thrived, her heart remained with gardening. What began as demanding daily work eventually evolved into a flourishing business she now passionately manages.

After years of hard work and continued support from CARD, Inc., their sacrifices have finally paid off. Today, Imelda’s piggery is thriving, and her garden offers a variety of plants to her customers. Her eldest daughter now holds a degree in commerce and currently works at a bank.

Big or small, Imelda knows that every bit of income matters. For her, if there is something to grow, pick, or sell, nothing goes to waste. Every small effort contributes to a secure and resilient future for her family. (Jayrand Macalla, Junior Writer)