Zoraida Gaffar Suansing

For 24 years, KMFI has been an integral part of the community, serving generations of families. One such family is that of Zoraida Gaffar Suansing, a dedicated member of KMFI - Sangali Branch, Sangali C10. At 45 years old, Zoraida is the daughter of Hamida Tabo-Tabo Gaffar, one of KMFI’s pioneer members since 2004. A former Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) for 21 years, she worked in Riyadh (2 years), Kuwait (2 years), and Yemen (17 years). She is married to Edmund Gallego Suansing from Dasmariñas, Cavite, and they are blessed with two children: Raysa, 13 years old and in Grade 5, and Rana, 8 years old and in Grade 3.

Zoraida has always supported her family strongly, even covering her mother’s weekly dues at KMFI. Currently, she is on her 10th loan cycle with Php 50,000 loan amount, which she has invested in her water business.

Zoraida’s water refilling business started humbly in 2019 as a water peddling venture. Each morning, she and her husband would buy two tanks of water in Barangay Manicahan and resell them by the gallon at PHP 10 per gallon to various sitios in Barangay Sangali and Bolong, including Sitio Mala and Sitio Pansulan. Using a single truck, they transported water tanks across different barangays. As their business grew, they expanded to selling full water tanks priced between PHP 500 to PHP 750 per order.

Seeing the increasing demand for clean water, the couple decided to put up their own water refilling station next to their house. With her last loan of PHP 100,000, Zoraida purchased three water tanks, 400 gallons, and other essential materials for the refilling station. The Department of Health regularly inspects her facility to ensure water safety.

Each day, she purchases a minimum of five tanks of potable water from Sitio Mala, Bolong, at PHP 1,500 per tank to use for refilling. She sells at least 400 gallons of mineral water daily at PHP 25 per gallon and delivers to selected areas in Sangali and Bolong. Her business operates with two trucks: one for purchasing potable water and another for deliveries. Additionally, a Piaggio is used for smaller deliveries to nearby areas. With three employees assisting in operations and deliveries, and her husband managing logistics, the business continues to thrive.

The family owns a 300-square-meter residential lot where both their home and water refilling station are built. Through their business, they have also acquired two trucks and a Piaggio, essential for daily operations. Their children continue their education at Sangali Elementary School.

Despite the success of her business, Zoraida faces challenges such as conflicting delivery schedules due to high customer demand, especially during the rainy season. Managing damaged water containers is another concern. To address these, she encourages customers to invest in their own tanks for potable water storage.

Beyond financial stability, Zoraida’s business has played a vital role in her daily life—allowing her to manage household responsibilities while keeping track of income and expenses. Excess water is also repurposed for household activities such as laundry, dishwashing, and bathing.

More importantly, her water refilling business has significantly benefited the community. In areas like Bolong, which has no direct water district connection, and Sangali, where water access is limited, her service provides a dependable and affordable source of clean water.

Through hard work and perseverance, Zoraida Gaffar Suansing has not only built a sustainable business but also contributed to the well-being of her neighbours and beyond. Her journey with KMFI continues to be a testament to the power of entrepreneurship in transforming lives and communities.