A new dawn for our Nanays in Leyte
Last March, Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), Hapinoy, Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF), and four major Micro-Finance Institutions launched Project Bagong Araw to help revive the sari-sari (mini-retail) economy in areas that were affected by Typhoon Yolanda.Seven months after the typhoon and the first month since Bagong Araw’s initial implementation in Barangay Naga-Naga in Palo, Leyte, the Nanays are well on their way to gradually revitalizing their business.
“Nanay” is the conversational term for mother and also a Filipino term of endearment to women who are older.
The busy Nanays have been participating in training sessions while managing their stores and using the new business skills they have learned. The Nanays are enthusiastically looking forward to the rest of the program after their first session was concluded. Other activites to expect include access to loans and structures for essential store improvements.
One of the primary lessons shared in the sessions was recordkeeping and cashflow tracking, which was greatly appreciated by the Nanays. A single mother of four, Nanay Eva, shares her realizations “I learned that simple things such as recordkeeping and cashflow tracking are very important because this is how we will actually see how much is coming in and going out of our store and also how much my family and I are taking from the store.” Controlling and recording how much they get from their business will make it easier for them in supervising it.
When asked about suggestions on what else could help in reviving their sari-sari store business, it was suggested that others services like an e-loading business could probably be added to the training syllabus. No updates on that yet but one thing’s for sure, the Nanays are very receptive of Project Bagong Araw, as they are very excited for the upcoming learnings they will be having for the months to come.