Improve Maria's quality of life

Maria Nita Dela Cerna is a 62 year old woman living in Daanbantayan, Cebu (Philippines) where my mother grew up.

Maria has a mobility disability where her limbs are maldeveloped and cannot walk as a result. 

Maria has lived in Daanbantayan her whole life. For many years she was known as the village hairdresser and seamstress; my mum recalls memories of growing up in the province where Maria would mend her clothes in return for fetching her water.

(Pictured: Maria and my mum, Ana)

Maria’s husband, Peter works in a small shop and earns around 285 pesos per day ($7 AUD), which is just enough for some everyday necessities and sending their 11 year old adoptive daughter to school.

She spends her days cooking and cleaning for her family. She cannot leave her home as the ground outside is extremely uneven and sharp. Similarly, the dirt floor of her home is also uneven and painful on her skin. When my family visited her earlier this year, she explained how she moves around using a rag that she moves along the floor, then lowers herself onto it to protect her skin. She also mentioned how it's particularly tough during rainy season as her tin roof leaks and makes the ground damp, cold, and muddy. 

Maria’s wish is to make the floor smooth and comfortable for her to move around on:

“Ang gusto lang nako nga masimento nag among sawog kay kung mag uwan lapok kaayo unya hait sad kaayo kay dili man gud pantay. Sakit sa akong panit. Bisag dili nindot pagkahimo basta hamis lang para dili sakit sa mako panit.”

“All I want is for our flooring to be fixed because when it rains, it’s muddy and it’s painful for my skin. It doesn’t have to be beautiful as long as it is smooth so I don’t get blisters on my skin."

This August my mum will be going back to Daanbantayan to visit her family. It is then where she can organise the materials and labour for Maria’s floor, as well as oversee and document the process. We estimate that the costs of materials and labour will come to approximately $300 AUD. Any extra donations will go towards fixing Maria’s roof providing adequate bedding (the family currently sleeps on the floor as pictured). 

**UPDATE 28/07/18: We have raised enough for all of the above! The rest of the donations will go solely to Maria's family. If we raise enough, I would love to buy or pay to make something that increases her accessibility and independence where she can move around easier, or go travel outside her home. 

Everyone deserves a good quality of life, and this will improve hers tremendously. There are so many more ways that we can help Maria, but let’s start at the most basic of human needs - literally, from the ground up!