In 1997, Nazarina “Baby” Daria, newly married and new to the community of Talisay, Cebu, was a trained midwife looking for an opportunity to apply her skills and talents to earn enough income to help raise a family.

She and her husband owned and operated a small grocery store on the main street. Nazarina’s husband earns additional income by driving a ”Jeepney”, a traditional mode of public transportation in the Philippines.

Midwives admitted to the network are able to access funds to start their clinics after meeting the selection criteria, investing in renovation or constructing new clinics, and submitting to rigorous business training. The clinics are sustainable because the midwives themselves invest their own capital to the project thereby increasing their stake in its success.

Family planning counseling, pre-natal and post-natal supervision and delivery of babies in a warm, caring environment suddenly became attractive, accessible and affordable to middle and lower-income families in the Philippines.

Nazarina, midwife turned entrepreneur, converted the family store into a cheerful, multi-colored Well-Family Clinic complete with a waiting room, office, examining and delivery rooms and a recovery room furnished with twin beds, a tiny crib, a kitchenette, and even a TV.

On call 24 hours a day, Nazarina loves her work delivering between 10 - 18 babies per month. “I never thought I could reach like this,” says Nazarina referring to her success as a businesswoman, “because I was just a plain housewife and storeowner. I always say thank you USAID for giving the midwife a chance.”

As proof of the midwife clinics’ success, USAID will provide a guarantee for health initiative loans for the first time. Another landmark achievement is that a local Filipino bank established a loan portfolio for midwives – long perceived by commercial lending institutions as a risky investment.