S3 Ep 4: Veggies for Good: A chance encounter sustains lives in a Time of Covid

“Sometimes you just need to take a leap of faith.” Our fourth and last episode on emergent agency is a story of a family-initiated spontaneous response to the hardships the pandemic and lockdowns brought upon urban-poor mothers. Veggies for Good is a social enterprise that started from a basketball court sale, then moved online, directly linking farmers to urban consumers and providing livelihoods to urban-poor women. We speak to Ditsi Carolino, a filmmaker turned social entrepreneur that was driven to action when she met Dorina, who would walk six hours a day to get food to feed her family during the lockdown. We hear how together they managed to create a thriving ethical business, learned as they went and adapted to fast-changing circumstances. A human story about solidarity, entrepreneurship and making a real difference in the lives of people.

To find out more about Ditsi's work with Veggies for Good  check out:

https://opinion.inquirer.net/129533/dorina-and-the-dumagats

https://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/261599-initiative-helps-dumagat-farmers-sell-produce-metro-manila/

https://www.facebook.com/Veggies4GoodPH/

http://philippinesociology.com/veggies-for-good-social-networks-for-service-delivery-and-crisis-response-in-times-of-covid-19-initial-findings/

The People vs Inequality podcast is a production by Barbara van Paassen (creator and host) and Elizabeth Maina (producer). This episode is part of a short special series in collaboration with the Emergent Agency in a Time of Covid-19 research project, which is led by Oxfam GB and funded by the Atlantic Fellowship on Social and Economic Equity based at the International Inequalities Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science. The research aimed to understand positive lessons from civil society’s responses in the pandemic. The research report will be out soon, keep in touch to hear more!