Economic Empowerment

The Economic Empowerment Programme is a two-year pilot project (2009–2011), which focuses on enabling the employment of persons with disabilities in the National Capital Region (Metro Manila). The main goal of the programme is to ensure that the right to work of persons with disabilities is recognized by both public and private employers, which will not only improve their economic stability but will in turn increase their independence and provide them with greater freedom to make choices about their own lives. The programme supports persons with disabilities by providing them greater access to job information, skills trainings, job placement, access to financial services, encourages self-employment and other general support services enabling their meaningful participation in the world of work.

PhilCOCHED works closely with both governmental and private employers to place persons with disabilities in appropriate jobs and workplaces, at the same time advocating to change attitudes of employers and co-employees on disability issues and concerns.

See, She Sews. Nanay Fely sews pants ordered by her neighbour in Payatas A, Quezon City, one of the most depressed, highly-populated areas in Metro Manila.

Felicitas is one of the first eight beneficiaries of the Microfinance Project “Make 1T Big”! an initiative of the Philippine Council for Cheshire Homes (PhilCOCHED)

Sewing her and her grandchildren’s future

Economic Empowerment Case Study

By: James Paul S. Inawasan, Programme Officer

Felicitas Lorenzo or Nanay Fely, has had her fair share of heart-ache. Her eldest son, who was disabled, died recently, however his spirit lives on in his mother’s burning desire to help other Persons with Disabilities.

As part of PhilCOCHED’s Economic Empowerment Program, Felicitas who is President of Payatas A Inclusive Education-Community Support Group was provided with a small start-up capital of a thousand pesos (USD 22) to start her own business. Now she has more reasons to smile since this capital has significantly grown in just a month’s time. She proudly details her success to the group in a dimly lit, warm room she herself donated to the Community Support Group for their regular meetings.

Felicitas now earns a net profit of about PhP 375.00 (USD 8) per day; the kind of income she could never have even expected during her heyday as a factory worker, and which was much needed during the time her eldest son was sick for more than two years. While she tends to her 3-year old grandchild, Felicitas describes her money earning scheme; she purchases pants for PhP 125.00 (USD 3) and then alters and sells them for PhP 250.00 (USD 6) per pair. Although this is a 100% mark-up, her products are still cheaper than those available in malls and other commercial establishments in the surrounding area. After acquiring sewing skills during a decade working in a garments and textile factory, she proudly adds that she can complete three pairs of pants in one sitting or afternoon, “a sort of relaxation”, she quips.

The latest development is that Felicitas has just successfully acquired a “contract” with a local establishment in Monumento, Quezon City which requested her to make 24 sets of garments (including a bedsheet, pillow cover and blanket) with each set purchased at PhP 560.00 (USD 13). Felicitas managed to negotiate the delivery of finished products in batches in order that she could stretch her limited capital of just P1,000.

Felicitas is deeply thankful for the assistance provided by the Philippine Council of Cheshire Homes for the Disabled (PhilCOCHED) to enable her to start her own business and augment her family income. She hopes in the future to use some of her earnings to create a bigger

capital so she can enter into bigger and better deals with prospective clients – a kind of step by step process. PhilCOCHED sees the promise in these types of small investments and plans to extend the project to other members of the Community Support Group in the near future

For now, as long as opportunities and necessary guidance are provided to people like her, they surely can make 1T (one thousand) big!