Story by Laurence Teologo, Communications Officer
Five years into her journey with Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI), Michelle Jeanne “Mich” Calica has learned that meaningful development begins with believing in people.
When Mich joined PSFI in 2021, she brought with her a background in agriculture, nutrition, and child development. She was drawn to working in Bicol, where she had seen the challenges faced by families in accessing nutritious food, stable livelihoods, and essential services.
Working through Roots to Shoots and PSFI’s nutrition, food security, and livelihood initiatives allowed her to bring together the causes she cared about most: children, mothers, farmers, families, and Indigenous Peoples.
I knew I could contribute my passion to nutrition and food security, especially for the most vulnerable sectors, including children, mothers, farmers, and Indigenous Peoples.
Today, Mich serves as Program Coordinator for Roots to Shoots/Nutrition. Her journey from Program Officer to Senior Program Officer and, eventually, to her current role has given her a broader understanding of what it takes to create lasting impact.
She began by working directly with communities, listening to their experiences and understanding their needs. As her responsibilities grew, she became more involved in coordinating teams and partners, aligning different priorities, addressing challenges, and helping ensure that programs remain responsive and sustainable.
“Many people see the results of a program, but they don’t always see the amount of coordination behind it.”
The role has taught Mich the importance of patience, collaboration, and making timely decisions. It has also taught her when to lead and when to listen.
She credits her growth to the mentors, colleagues, and systems that supported her throughout her journey. Today, she passes on what she has learned by guiding new members of her team.
“You have to be a fast learner, but you also have to help others learn.”
Seeing the people behind the numbers
Working closely with communities has changed how Mich understands impact.
Her work involves targets, outputs, and reports. But the stories behind these figures are what remind her why the work matters.
She has met a mother who earned enough from a livelihood activity to buy a refrigerator. She has seen a family sell livestock and use part of the income to celebrate a child’s birthday. She has witnessed an Indigenous family build a proper toilet and a remote community gain access to clean water and solar lighting.
These may appear to be simple milestones, but for the families involved, they represent greater security, dignity, and hope.
“It’s more than the numbers. When you hear their stories, you realize there is actual impact.”
Her experiences have also helped her understand how nutrition is connected to many other aspects of people’s lives. A child’s well-being is affected not only by the food on the table, but also by the family’s income, access to healthcare, living conditions, and the opportunities available to parents.
For Mich, addressing these interconnected challenges requires people and institutions to work together.
Sustainable development can’t be achieved alone. It is really sama-samang pagtulong—bringing together organizations, government, communities, and partners to create solutions that are more holistic, impactful, and sustainable.
She believes communities already have knowledge, skills, and potential. Organizations like PSFI can help bring together the people, resources, and opportunities that allow these strengths to grow.
From banana chips to greater opportunities
Among the many community members Mich has met, the story of Nay Helen remains one of the most memorable.
Mich first met her in 2022 while PSFI was looking for farmers’ organizations and community-based enterprises to support. Nay Helen was the president of a farmers’ organization producing banana chips.
The organization had a good product but a limited market. When Mich and the team tasted the banana chips, they immediately saw its potential.
“They gave us their banana chips to try. They were the best banana chips I had ever tasted.”
Beyond the quality of the product, Mich was impressed by the determination of the people behind it. They wanted to improve their enterprise, strengthen their organization, and create better opportunities for their community. They only needed the right support and connections.
PSFI became one of the bridges that helped connect them to these opportunities.
Over time, the farmers’ organization became a cooperative. Its products and capabilities gained greater recognition, while government agencies began providing additional support, equipment, and opportunities for growth.
Nay Helen was eventually named one of the 2025 Outstanding Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries. The recognition brought her to an awarding ceremony where she had the opportunity to meet the country’s President.
For Mich, seeing Nay Helen receive the recognition was a proud moment. It showed how far she had come through her own hard work, leadership, and commitment to her community.
“We were part of her journey. We may not have been the ones receiving the award, but we became part of the journey that brought her there—from a humble farmer to an inspiring community leader.”
The experience reinforced one of the most important lessons Mich has learned through her work.
It reminded me to believe in people’s potential and never underestimate the opportunities that can change lives.
Mich describes PSFI as a tulay, or a bridge that connects communities to opportunities. However, she is clear that the achievements belong to the people who use those opportunities to improve their lives and help others.
“PSFI is a bridge and a link to opportunities, but the potential is theirs.”
Building trust and lasting impact
Mich brings this belief into every program she helps develop.
For her, sustainability must be considered from the beginning. Community consultations, implementation, monitoring, exit activities, and sustainability planning should all prepare communities and partners to continue the work even after PSFI’s direct involvement ends.
The success of a program, therefore, is not measured only by what it delivers. It is also seen in what communities can continue, strengthen, and build upon.
Mich has witnessed this in remote areas where families have long faced limited access to basic services. In one Indigenous community, PSFI supported interventions in nutrition, livelihoods, clean water, and solar lighting.
What stayed with Mich was not only what the program accomplished, but what the community’s tribal chieftain told the team:
“Kaibigan namin kayo kasi tinupad ninyo ang pangako ninyo sa amin.”
For Mich, his words reflected the importance of trust. Communities remember the organizations that listen to them, respect their needs, and follow through on their commitments.
The chieftain also spoke about the impact the program could have on future generations:
Even if this generation is no longer here, there is a legacy that will be left behind.
His words reminded Mich that the most meaningful programs are those that communities can continue to benefit from long after the initial intervention has ended.
Continuing to invest in people
Five years at PSFI have taught Mich that purpose provides direction, but people give the work its meaning.
“Purpose gives us direction, but people and our community partners are the reason behind everything we do.”
As PSFI celebrates its 44th anniversary, Mich hopes the Foundation will continue investing in communities, strengthening partnerships, and developing solutions that respond to emerging challenges.
She hopes PSFI can help more communities become resilient and self-reliant by providing them with the tools and opportunities to shape their own futures.
I hope PSFI will continue to be an organization that invests in people and communities so they can thrive—so every child, every family, and every community has a better chance at a healthy, productive, and hopeful future.
For Mich, investing in people means believing in what they can accomplish. It means supporting farmers as they grow their enterprises, helping mothers create better opportunities for their families, and enabling communities to build solutions they can sustain.
Most importantly, it means giving children the opportunity to grow up healthy, nourished, and hopeful.
Five years after joining PSFI, Mich continues to connect people with opportunities while recognizing that communities themselves are the ones who turn those opportunities into lasting change.
Every child deserves a healthy start. Every community deserves an opportunity to succeed.
