Lizandra Aycardo joined SEDP in 2005, she was then managing a Mister Donut shop in Albay, while her husband worked in local pawnshop in Camalig. Embracing SEDP’s offerings like Bible readings and discussions, filled her with hope and through this assistance, she saw challenges as opportunities.

The first obstacle they encountered was a power outage caused by Typhoon Reming in 2006, Lizanda and her family started making candles from collected droppings, which is in demand, leading to successful sideline business.

Then, there came the bankruptcy of Mister Donut franchise in 2016, but Lizandra remained optismic. She partnered with a colleague to open Zapp Donut outlets, eventually became her own business.

With smart strategies, her businesses were booming, but the pandemic brought new challenges, affecting her sales. Adapting, she offered merchandise installment services, meeting the demand for items like cellphones for online learning. Throughout it all, Lizandra credits SEDP’s unwavering support for helping her turn challenges into opportunities, a journey for which she will always be thankful.