OngoingLivelihoods
Fisherfolk Cooperative & Equipment Fund — Tawi-Tawi
A shared-equipment cooperative and microfinance circle for island fishing communities, formed after storm damage to local boats.
- Location
- Tawi-Tawi, BARMM
- Timeline
- Started January 2024
- Region
- Bangsamoro (BARMM)
Challenge
Storm damage to small fishing boats in island communities in Tawi-Tawi repeatedly cut off households' main source of income, with each household bearing the full cost of repair alone.
Response
A shared-equipment cooperative was formed alongside microfinance support, so nets, engines, and cold storage are pooled rather than bought individually by each household.
Impact
Member households now share equipment through the cooperative, reducing what any single family loses when the next storm hits.
Project updates
Cooperative equipment-sharing agreement formalized among member households.
Cooperative formed following storm damage to local fishing boats.