by Josephine Ramos
The Tausug are one of the Muslim tribes residing on the island of Mindanao. Many of them originally came from Jolo, but over the years, some have moved and made a new life in places like Zamboanga City. One of them is Ainon Jabani Saddaramil, whose story is a testament to the hard work and resilience that comes from building a better life for her family.
A turning point in her journey
Ainon lost her father at a young age. As the eldest of five siblings, she began working at the age of 10 to help support her family alongside her mother. She would accompany her in the rice fields, plowing the land and harvesting rice grain. She continued this kind of work throughout her youth until she decided to seek an opportunity abroad as a domestic helper.
She worked abroad for two years before returning home. Ainon intended to go overseas again, but her plans were halted when she fell ill. Although it was disheartening, she had no choice but to move on and continue her life in the Philippines.
Using the money she saved from working abroad, she started a small barter trade business selling Muslim dresses. It was through this business that she met her husband. After they got married, they bought a jeepney, which her husband used for a living, while she worked at a nearby eatery, but had to stop after being pregnant with her youngest child.
To continue earning, she started cooking and selling traditional Muslim snacks. Around the same time, she also turned the second floor of their house into a boarding house to earn an extra income.
Currently, she rents out six rooms in her home. As she got older, she also stopped selling snacks because the heat of cooking became too hard for her to bear; instead, she opened a small sari-sari store at home using the PHP5,000.00, which she saved from her boarding house income.
To have additional capital for her business, she became a client of CARD, Inc. (A Microfinance NGO) in 2020. A friend who was already a client encouraged her to join and give it a try. Through the Musharakah contract financing she received from the institution, she was able to expand the range of products she offered in her store.
Musharakah contract financing is a Shari-ah inspired counterpart of a regular loan, designed to help clients with existing businesses or those looking to start a new venture. Served as an additional capital, this financing is disbursed in cash to support business growth. In a Musharakah contract, both financier and the business owner contribute capital to business venture, and profits are shared based on agreed-upon ratio.
“Back then, my store had very limited items, but I used the Musharakah contract I received from CARD, Inc. to buy more products and expand my display,” she stated.
She now has an active Musharakah contract of PHP 30,000.00, which she uses for her business.
One of the things she appreciates about running a sari-sari store is that it is not physically demanding. The business allows her to spend more time and be more present for her children, especially when they are not in school.
“It is truly my dream for my children to finish their education. My husband and I work hard to make that happen because I experienced firsthand what it feels like not to finish school, and I do not want my children to go through the same struggles I face,” she said.
To date, three of her children have already graduated, while the other three are still in school. This achievement is the result of the unwavering hard work and determination she and her husband have poured into their family. Looking ahead, she hopes to see all of her children complete their education and to further grow their sari-sari store, which continues to be their main source of income.
