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Written by Melanie Valenciano
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Friday, 15 January 2010 02:41 |
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Conducting training among the Filipino migrant workers is one component of the Migrant Savings for Alternative Investments (MSAI) Program. The MSAI program encourages migrant workers to take active role in the economic development in the Philippines by channeling their resources toward building enterprises in their home communities. The MSAI Program was launched in Singapore in May 2008.
Seventy-five overseas Filipino workers attended training sessions on Managing Your Money and Introduction to Entrepreneurship Unlad Kabayan conducted on August 30 and September 6 in Singapore. The trainees were members of the Jeremiah 29:11 International and Solidarita Migran Scalabrini (SMS). Jeremiah 29:11 International is an organization in Singapore that offers business opportunities and skills training to OFWs. SMS meanwhile is an independent non-religious affiliated grassroots organization comprising members who are or were women migrant domestic workers.
The training sessions provided the migrants practical textbook learning and hands-on application on managing their income and expenses, including their monthly remittance back home. It also discussed basic information about entrepreneurship. |
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Written by Frozti Ann Agrasada
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Friday, 15 January 2010 02:41 |
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 Micro and migrant-owned enterprises improved and expanded their operations through loans from Unlad Kabayan. Around 400 jobs were created in 2008, posting a 28%-increase from the previous year.
With a credit line from the Development Bank of the Philippines, the Credit Assistance Program of Unlad Kabayan increased its loan releases to PhP8M in 2008, from PhP 3.6M in 2007, or by 126%. Gross income grew by 31%.
On the photo is Merlita Mendoza, migrant returnee who started this fruit and vegetable stall in 2002 in Bacoor, Cavite. The enterprise currently employs four full-time workers and generates an average daily sales of PhP15,000 |
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Wednesday, 06 January 2010 03:16 |
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 On 15 October 2009, Unlad Kabayan’s Executive Director Maria Angela Villalba, Development Communications Officer Frozti Ann Agrasada, and Australian volunteer Tim O’Mahony attended the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines ceremony, held at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.
Ms. Villalba won the ‘Social Entrepreneur of the Year’ award in 2007 for her work with Unlad Kabayan. Ms. Villalba presented this year’s Social Entrepreneur of the Year award to Gemma N. Bulos, Founding Director of A Single Drop for Safe Water (ASDSW).
As the Ernst and Young website states “Social entrepreneurship is about applying practical, innovative and market-oriented approaches to benefit the marginalized and the poor. A social entrepreneur is one who has created and leads an organization, whether for-profit or not, that is aimed at catalyzing large scale and systemic social change through the introduction of new ideas, methodologies and changes in attitude.”
Unlad Kabayan promotes social entrepreneurship through all its programs, and believes that all members of the community can utilize entrepreneurial practices for the good of their community.
The Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines was established in 2003. To find out more about the awards visit www.eoyphils.com. |
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