For a farming household in Kapai, Lanao del Sur, Ramadan 2024 arrived during a difficult season. The family depended on farming for its livelihood, but prolonged dry conditions associated with El Nino had taken a toll on their crops.
Corn plants were drying up, rice production was affected, and months with little rain had placed additional pressure on the household. For a family whose livelihood depended on the land, the loss of crops also meant greater uncertainty about meeting everyday food needs.
“Most of our crops, like corn and rice, have died. Our corn plants dried up because it had not rained for the past months. This is our source of livelihood.”
Support During a Difficult Ramadan
During this challenging period, the family received a food parcel through the Ramadan 2024 Project, organized by MyCARE, sponsored by Human Appeal Australia, and implemented locally in collaboration with Philippine Humanitarian Care (PHILCARE) Inc.
For the family, the parcel provided timely food assistance at a moment when their agricultural livelihood was under strain. It helped the household meet an immediate need during Ramadan while their crops and income were being affected by the prolonged dry conditions.
“In times like this, this is really a great help to all of us. We thank Allah and the people behind this food parcel. May Allah multiply His blessings upon those who made this possible.”
Reaching Families Across Five Provinces
The household was among 800 families reached through the Ramadan food parcel initiative between 16 March and 5 April 2024. The program reached vulnerable households across Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato, Maguindanao del Norte, and Misamis Oriental.
The assistance was designed to help families facing financial hardship and food insecurity meet essential food needs during Ramadan. For households whose livelihoods were already under pressure, timely food assistance could provide practical support during an especially challenging period.
When Livelihoods Are Under Strain
For this household in Kapai, the support came at a particularly meaningful time - when the changing season was affecting not only crops, but the livelihood built around them. Farming was their source of income, and the prolonged absence of rain had made an already difficult season harder to navigate.
Their testimony reminds us that behind every food parcel is a household with its own circumstances, challenges, and hopes. A package of essential food items may appear simple, but for a family facing crop losses during Ramadan, timely assistance can help ease an immediate burden.
“A big thank you to the sponsor of this food parcel.”
A Timely Act of Support
The food parcel could not replace a lost harvest or restore the rain. But during a difficult Ramadan, it helped one farming household meet an immediate need with dignity.
The story is a reminder of the role that timely food assistance can play when families face overlapping pressures from food insecurity, financial hardship, and disrupted livelihoods. Through the Ramadan 2024 Project, support reached families during a season when assistance mattered most.