WOMEN empowerment. Diversity. Women empowerment. Inclusivity. Mental health wellness. Entrepreneurial knowledge. Digital literacy. An alternative source of income.
All that will be addressed in the Uplifting of the IP Women Project in Davao, a four-month capacity-building project, which had its soft launch during the 6th Davao ICON 2021 Investment Conference on November 11 at Microtel Davao.
The first-of-its-kind project is a collaboration of government agencies and the private sector of the Philippines and New Zealand that will benefit some 100 women beneficiaries from five women's organizations of the Matigsalug Tribe in Davao City.
It aims to promote physical and mental health wellness among the indigenous community through seminars; create alternative sources of income for IP women to aid them through the pandemic; develop and promote entrepreneurial knowledge and skills among the indigenous community through mentorship and training; and promote the acquisition of entrepreneurial skills and digital literacy among the IP community that will help them adapt to and thrive in the new normal.
Peter Kell, New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines, said: "We believe that investing in women's hopes and dreams has a multiplier effect and direct impact to the younger generation."
"We are delighted to support these women who aspire to develop their skills, talents, and livelihood through innovative ways in line with their cultures and behaviors," Kell said during the launch, adding that the project supports the city government of Davao's Peace 911 efforts in empowering the IP community.
He was pertaining to the women of the Matigsalug Council of Elders Marilog District Davao City Inc. (MACOEMADDACI) in West Marahan, Barangay Marilog Proper; Traditional Costume Handicraft and Development (TCHAD) in Barangay Buda; IP Women of Barangay Datu Salumay; Pegsabeka; and the Dapetan Weaving Association (Depatan-Wa) in Barangay Datu Salumay - all located in Marilog District.
Kell also said that the contribution of the indigenous people (IP) can make to society is massive.
He added, "Effective functioning societies are those that encourage inclusiveness, diversity, and participation by all. Given the challenges today's society faces, we desperately need to empower indigenous people (IP). We desperately need to empower indigenous women."
The New Zealand Embassy to the Philippines is funding the program spearheaded by Go Negosyo in partnership with Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 11, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) 11, City Government of Davao (Peace 911), and Zeald, New Zealand's largest and most experienced digital transformation agency.
Initial planning on the project started early this year and it was originally set to kick off in the fourth quarter of 2021 but adhering to the city's tightened Covid-19 protocols, which prohibits any form of mass gathering, it has been moved to early 2022 instead.
Reality bites
Matigsalug women's main products include baskets, accessories, tribal wear, bags, curtains, school and office uniforms, and personal protective equipment (PPE) such as scrub suits, and cloth face masks, among others.
The IP women, especially the IP women of Barangay Salumay, usually sell their products along the highway for local consumers and tourists while the TCHAD members use Facebook as their marketing platform. Others, however, have direct links to local designers who patronize their products.
While they already faced limited regular buyers, limited access to internet connection and e-commerce, limited production, lack of knowledge on social media and marketing, and capital and transportation constraints even before the pandemic struck in March 2020, their situations turned for the worse for over a year now as tourist arrivals also dwindled.
The project
Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCCII) president Dr. Malou Monteverde, said the project will heavily impact the social-economic development of each indigenous community and will provide sustainable lifeways and knowledge to the beneficiaries.
"Together we will uplift the IP women by rendering our knowledge and skills among the indigenous community through mentorship and training ... acquisition of entrepreneurial skills, and digital literacy among the IP community that will aid them in improving their livelihood and provide them with tools and other incentives as means of helping them gain additional capital to adapt and thrive in the new normal," the DCCCII chief said.
The IP women beneficiaries, according to her, will undergo a series of consultations and other wellness seminars to ensure their readiness and assess their needs prior to the project implementation. They will then be introduced to business development training, which aims to increase the quality of their products, accelerate their production, and enable them to digitize their products and services.
Go Negosyo trustee Engr. Merly Cruz said the IP women beneficiaries will undergo five phases in the project.
Phase 1 will be a two-week participant selection and area preparation and the second phase will be a one-month capacity building and wellness training (entrepreneurial modules, wellness, webinars, and product development) that will come in two batches.
A one-week digitalization and website development training in the third phase, which includes a three-day website development seminar-workshop with Zeald's Get Ecommerce Movement (GEM) Philippines and GEM Academy Philippines staff.
The fourth phase will have two weeks of product and preparation (website development preparation and stock management platforms linkage for logistics and e-payment) while the final phase will be for marketing activities that include the website and shopbot launch, courtesy of GEM Philippines, and the DCCCII virtual agri-trade fair set in the last two months of the project.
GEM, a Zeald initiative in New Zealand, was launched in the country in 2020 to offer MSMEs free websites and shopbots or popularly known as chatbots. GEM Philippines will also build free websites and shopbots for the IP women entrepreneurs to promote their products and services online.
Zeald CEO Andrew Forsyth said, "We wanted to duplicate what GEM has accomplished in New Zealand where hundreds of small businesses have digitally transformed to survive and thrive amidst the pandemic by also giving Filipino MSME owners the opportunity to scale their businesses online. This is our way of giving back to the community since we have over 50 Filipino staff currently working from home due to the pandemic."
GEM Philippines has already built free websites and shopbots for over 40 Dabawenyo businesses and also from other parts of the country with 40 more currently being produced.
Go Negosyo trustee Engr. Merly Cruz said, "The websites and shopbots will provide the much-needed continuity to the effort we are doing because they will be continuously selling the products. Once it is market-driven, they will continue to sell because there is a market."
After four months, Cruz said they hope to monitor the output and impact not just of the trainees but also on the community.
"Our dream is to provide a continuing exercise for our IP women to be able to help their husbands augment their family income," she said.
Cruz said, "We are very happy, very inspired, and hopeful that a project that is forthcoming will make history in Davao City."
She added that Davao City will serve as a hub of the project as there are plans to expand it as necessary in Mindanao and in other areas of the country where there are IPs.
Hopes are high that being equipped with entrepreneurial knowledge and digital marketing skills, the empowered Matigsalug women will soon carve their names not just in the national but also in the global market.