From Garden Blooms to Livelihood Growth: Bauko Woman Finds Success Through Flowers, Hog Raising, and CARD Support

 

BAUKO, Mountain Province — Admiring the beauty and fragrance of flowers in a garden is easy, but behind every flourishing bloom is a person willing to dedicate time, effort, and love to nurture it.

For Imelda W. Kidicdian, 59, a wife, mother of three, and caring grandmother from Bauko, Mountain Province, her garden is more than just a collection of plants. It stands as a testament to years of hard work and devotion to a passion that has brought her immense joy and purpose.

Imelda studied at the University of Baguio, where she met her husband. After marrying in 1990 and starting their own family, she worked as a florist at the Orchidarium in La Trinidad, Benguet, selling freshly cut flowers.

To help her family cope with the rising cost of daily necessities, she also opened a small sari-sari store that provided additional income for their household.

Life took a new direction when the couple decided to return to Bauko, Mountain Province. There, Imelda transformed her love for gardening into a full-fledged flower-growing business. However, she understood that agriculture comes with many uncertainties and challenges.

In 2020, her husband established a hog-raising venture to provide the family with an additional and more stable source of income.

“We thought of raising pigs as an additional source of income,” Imelda shared.

While flower harvesting depended heavily on the season and the weather, hog raising became a reliable support for their everyday needs. It also allowed Imelda to work from home while taking care of her grandchildren.

In 2021, Imelda became a client of CARD, Inc. (A Microfinance NGO). Through the organization, she was able to borrow an initial capital of PHP 5,000, which she used to purchase two sacks of feeds for her pigs.

“In my five years as a CARD client, CARD has become my partner not only in growing my business but also in supporting the needs of my family,” Imelda said.

Although hog raising began producing promising results, her love for gardening never faded. What was once a daily chore eventually grew into a thriving business that she now passionately manages.

Years of perseverance, combined with the continuous support of CARD, Inc., have brought positive changes to Imelda’s life. Today, her hog-raising enterprise is flourishing, while her garden continues to bloom with a variety of fresh flowers and ornamental plants that loyal customers eagerly return for.

For Imelda, no income is too small if it comes from honest labor. She believes that as long as there is land to cultivate and opportunities to earn a living, no time is ever wasted.

Every drop of sweat and every ounce of dedication she pours into her garden and business, she says, is an offering for the future of her family — proof that patience, hard work, and the right support can turn simple beginnings into a life filled with growth and hope.