Quezon City, Philippines, 8 August 2022 – The Foundation for a Sustainable Society, Inc. (FSSI) through its partnership with Investing in Women (IW), an initiative of the Australian Government, is supporting four new women social enterprises (WSEs) across the country.
Trunk to Gold Agribusiness Corporation
Trunk to Gold Agribusiness Corporation (T2G Agri) is a women-owned and -led social enterprise. It was founded in 2017 to address the stagnant growth of the coconut industry in Jasaan, Misamis Oriental. The municipality is highly dependent on coconut as its main crop. T2G Agri seeks to improve coconut productivity and income of coconut farmers in the community.
The FSSI-IW Program is supporting the enterprise on the upscaling, marketing, and value creation on coconut sap by-products. T2G produces coco sugar, coco savor, coco vinegar, and coco honey from coconut sap as alternative to producing copra. They are also engaged in adlai rice trading. The support from the program will increase their capacity to expand their operations and market.
Additionally, the program aims to encourage the farmers not to convert their coconut farms to other agricultural produce.
PRIME Innov8 Manufacturing Co.
The social enterprise is no stranger to FSSI. Key stakeholders of PRIME Innov8 Manufacturing Co. (PRIME Innov8) have previously been partners of FSSI.
The SE is engaged in the manufacturing of disinfecting and cleaning products. Its founder, Celia Pajel, is an environmental consultant and chemist by profession. As Technical and Quality Assurance Manager, she ensures that PRIME Innov8’s products are manufactured through a production system that helps preserve the environment.
The social enterprise also provides economic opportunities to communities in Rodriguez (Montalban) and San Mateo, Rizal where it is based.
Read: PRIME Innov8’s story as a triple bottom line woman-led social enterprise
The FSSI-IW program aims to support PRIME Innov8 in their market expansion.
Co-investment arrangement with FPSDC
Two women-owned cooperatives are also being supported through FSSI’s co-investment arrangement with the Federation of Peoples’ Sustainable Development Cooperative (FPSDC).
Polo Samahang Nayon Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Polo Samahang Nayon Multi-Purpose Cooperative is based in Polo, South Cotabato. They offer a savings and loans program, human resource services, and post-harvest facilities. The cooperative operates a consumer store and a gasoline refilling station. They are also engaged in cassava trading and pina leaf fiber production.
FSSI-IW’s support will aid in the construction of their post-harvest facilities and as working capital for their cassava production and trading.
The project is expected to create job opportunities in the community.
Kauyagan Savers Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Kauyagan Savers MPC is a women-led cooperative operating in five towns in Bukidnon. The cooperative offers financial services, operates a consumer store, and is engaged in agricultural development and youth programs.
The support provided by the FSSI-IW program is allocated to the construction of their new building and as additional working capital for their consumer store.
The program will help provide affordable and trusted products to their members and the community, and augment the income of its members.
As of August 2022, six (6) women-owned/led social enterprises have been supported by the Investing in Women (IW) program. You may read about FSSI’s gender lens investing journey through a case study by Value for Women, specialized advisory firm that helps organizations advance gender inclusion. VfW provides technical assistance to FSSI as part of its partnership with IW.
