Harnessing the Waves: Women Fisherfolk Mothers and Their Role in Advancing Children’s Education

Background/purpose. This study aims to explore the real-life experiences of women fisherfolk mothers as they balance the demanding roles of both breadwinners and caregivers while ensuring their children's education. It seeks to understand the struggles they face, the creative solutions they use, and the personal sacrifices they make to balance earning a livelihood with their children's academic aspirations. This research tries to give voice to these resilient women, recognizing their strength and contributions. Ultimately, it hopes to provide insights that can guide policymakers and educators in creating better support systems for equitable education in coastal communities.

Materials/methods. To investigate the actual experiences of women fishermen, this study employed Husserl's (1970) descriptive phenomenological approach. In-depth interviews were used to gather qualitative data, which was then thematically examined to determine how they manage work and family. This approach gave them a vivid picture of the social, cultural, and economic elements affecting their day-to-day existence.

Results. The study revealed that women fisherfolk mothers play a vital role in their children's education despite facing financial struggles and daily hardships. With unwavering determination, they juggle fishing-related work and household duties, often putting their own needs aside to ensure their children have access to learning opportunities. Their resilience and sacrifices underscore the immense contribution of mothers in shaping the educational future of children in marginalized coastal communities.

Conclusion. The study highlights the vital role of women fisherfolk in supporting their children's education through both economic efforts and active involvement, despite facing financial hardships and geographic barriers. Their resilience and sacrifices underscore the need for targeted support programs to ease their burden and improve access to quality education in coastal communities.

Keywords: Women fisherfolk, coastal education, working mothers, coastal communities, SDG5

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