Philippines - Naturally Negros

Welcome to Naturally Negros! Established in 2011, NN empowers Deaf Filipinos through employment, and livelihood training. All profits are directed to the support of Philippine Immanuel Churches of the Deaf, Inc. (PICD). Begun by a Deaf couple, PICD supports over 80 Deaf children and youth across the Visayas region so that they can receive and education. Spiritual input by Deaf Pastors has resulted in the planting of 10 Deaf churches throughout the region reaching about 250 Deaf individuals weekly. NN is a huge step forward in helping PICD to become self sustaining for the long term. Our first project was a pig in the back of the Pilot site. We have not expanded to our current full capacity of 83 head on both the pilot and 4.7 hectare farm site. When we learned about the lack of quality meat products we realized the Deaf could fill a niche in the food industry by producing quality ham, bacon, sausages and other specialty meat products. That was the beginning of our food processing facility. Since we process only those animals raised using our sustainable agricultural methods and our hand-mixed pro-biotic healthy feeds, we can assure a very high quality, tasty product for our largely foreign consumer base. To support the growing demand for additional products we started a layer hen project. This was followed quickly by a quail project that now produces over 1000 quail eggs daily. Chicken meat is also in short supply, so we set up an additional broiler project to supply hormone-free chicken to our health conscious customers. The herbs used in our products are grown on site and provide an additional source of income for our Deaf who are able to supply the higher end resorts nearby with fresh herbs. With our small herd of Pureblood Anglo Nubian goats, we have begun the production of fresh pasteurized milk, cheese and yogurt. Many have commented on the smooth creamy taste of the goat milk products. Even turkeys are a recent addition to our line of meat products. Seasonal fresh fruit, lettuce and other vegetables are grown with our home made organic pest repellents, compost and vermicast eliminating the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides. As a member of the Negros Oriental Organic Mango Growers’ Association, we hope to be certified as a fully organic farm under European Union Standards. The vegetables and fruit are also processed into delicious pickles and jams and our home made soap is soon to hit the market. In order to facilitate access to our products we opened two retail outlets and now offer door to door delivery for a minimal charge. Naturally Negros is an every expanding business helping more and more Deaf Individuals each year. This is only possible through our valued partners who generously support each new project. Welcome to the world of Naturally Negros - we hope to see you soon on Facebook or in our retail outlets! Filmed in December 2016.