Brought by the separation of her parents at the age of 9, Nursida “Nursing” Salud, a “bajau” woman experienced hardships in struggling every day for the survival of living away from her family in Zamboanga City.

Since the Islam religion allowed their men to marry other spouses aside from the first wife, Nursing sow hatred that her father chose to be with his other wife than to be with them.

Aside from this, her father chose only to take in his custody her older sister which subsequently prompted her mother to bring her to Manila where Nursing spent her elementary and high school days alone at the house of her auntie.

Alone in the sense that no one is really supporting her… it is just her auntie giving her a meagre amount which is inadequate for her school expenses. In exchange for the said money, Nursing is asked to do the household chores such as washing and ironing of clothes, washing dishes, cleaning the house, among others.

“Katulong talaga ang labas ko ‘dun sa bahay ng auntie ko” (I’m really like a nanny in may auntie’s house), she said.

No one really seems to express interest to help her. With the emotional distress and tiresome everyday household works, she feels like almost giving up; she just silently weeps every night praying for a change in her life.

Nursing reached 3rd year high school which caused her even harder to find a good job. With this, she promised to herself that she will never let her children experience the same sufferings as a result of a broken family.

At present, Nursing, 55 years old, has 4 children and was hired as a street facilitator under the Comprehensive Program for Street Children, Street Families and Indigenous Peoples Especially Bajaus, of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). She monitors almost 292 Bajau families from selected cities in NCR such as Manila, Taguig, and Malabon.

As a street facilitator, she sees herself in some bajau women having no support system but she stressed that she never experienced begging on the street. Unlike nowadays, bajau mothers tend to bring their untidy children on the street as instrument in vagrancy with no fright to raging cars and motorcycles passing by.

Seeing such scenario, Nursing makes a difference by encouraging her fellow bajaus that they can actually earn a living through the different government programs.

Now, through Nursing’s encouragement, 61 bajau women have availed the “cash-for-work” program of the DSWD for three months by being a street sweeper. Further, she had introduced different jobs, trainings, and opportunities such as parking lot attendant at Luneta Park, street facilitator, skills training, livelihood assistance and scholarship programs to her colleagues.

Nursing demonstrated her very good communication skills of explaining to people the bright side of life as what she has learned from being a volunteer for 5 years at a Non-Government Organization (NGO), “Son for All Children” before being a street facilitator.

Nursing vowed that she will help with all her might in uplifting the dignity of badjaus especially the women who are easy to be left by the husband for a privilege it enjoys under the Islam Religion.

“Nagpapasalamat ako na Kristiyano ang napangasawa ko. Kasal kame sa Muslim at Kristyano… kahit nag-aaway kame, alam kong ‘di niya ako iiwanan… sa Muslim, talagang nawawalan ng karapatan ang babae,” (I’m thankful that my husband is a Christian. We are married both to Muslim and Christian Religion… even though we are having arguments, I know he will never leave me… in Muslim, women actually losing their rights) Nursing said.

Her husband, Edwardo V. Salud Sr., 50 years old, is a part-time employee at a food house in San Andres, Malate, Manila near their house. It helps them meet their e

Please share