A month of new dreams: Project Bagong Araw Month 5

Nanay Mila in front of her store

With most of their training module covered, the Nanay (mother) micro-entrepreneurs are already preparing for their own expansion strategies. Hapinoy and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) provide business skills training, access to loan capitals, and physical store improvements for sari-sari store (small retail store) owners in Haiyan-affected areas. The last training session focused on business planning to equip the Nanays as they expand their stores and possibly venture in new businesses. It also included a module on mobile literacy to enable Nanays to maximize the power of technology in efficiently running their stores.

Nanay Mila Nilo from Palo Leyte dreams to have a snack bar or food vending business in addition to her now growing store. “I plan to open a food stall maybe a barbeque stand or sell snacks like pancakes, or halo-halo. I want to put it in front of the school in our community so I can sell to the kids.” “Balak ko magbukas ng dagdag negosyo tulad ng barbecue-han o kaya magtinda ng sari-saring pagkain tulad ng pancakes o halo-halo. Maganda sana sa harap ng school dito saamin.” She says she still has a lot to plan to ensure that her new business will flourish like her store. “I need to know what my budget should be for my business to earn. For example, I need to know how much I’m spending to make the barbeque and if my price is enough to earn and how many sticks I should set as a target to earn. It has to be planned out well and I need to spend time on it like how I did when I first started my store.” “Kailangan ko pag-aralan magkano ang budget ko para kumita. Kailangan ko malaman kung magkano gastos sa pag-gawa ng barbecue at kung okay ba yung presyo ko at ilan ang dapat kong ibenta para kumita. Kailangan maplano ng mabuti para bumenta at kailangan talaga tutukan tulad nung nagsisimula ako sa tindahan.” Nanay Mila started her store to add to what her husband is earning and she would like to share some advice to other mothers who share her story. “You need to reduce credit sales and you have to be frugal and you really have to be ready to spend a lot of your time on your business. Record keeping is very time consuming but it will tell you if you are earning or not.” “Kailangan bawasan ang pagpapautang at magtipid-tipid din pag may time. Kailangan din talaga na paglaanan ng oras ang tindahan at negosyo. Matrabaho talaga yung paglilista pero importante yan kasi dyan mo malalaman kung kumikita ka ba talaga o hindi.”

Like Nanay Mila, Nanay Eduardina Calamaya is already planning for a new business. She plans to one day open a car spare parts shop or a fabric store. But being a single mom, Nanay Eduardina has a lot to consider and plan for. “I need to think about the location, my capital, if I will be able to get loyal customers, and how much time I’ll have to put into it since I have to juggle it with my other business and being both a mom and a dad.” “Kailangan ko pag-aralan yung lugar na pagtatayuan ng negosyo, siyempre yung capital, kung makakakuha ba ako ng suki at gaano karaming oras ang kailangan ko ibuhos dito lalo na’t nanay at tatay ako at may tindahan pa ako.” Despite the difficulties, Nanay Eduardina believes that with her new knowledge in managing a store, she’ll be able to succeed in her future ventures as long as she sticks to the guidelines she learned about. “I know I can do it because of what I know now.” “Alam kong kaya ko at kikita ako dahil sa mga alam ko na ngayon.” Like any mother, Nanay Eduardina is very dedicated to her business all for the sake of her children. “I save up for them so they can finish their schooling. I also make sure that I don’t spend too much and certainly not more than what I earn from the store.” “Nagsasave ako para sa kanila at pinapatapos ko sila ng pag-aaral. Hindi ako naggagastos ng higit pa sa kita ko sa tindahan.”

The last few months of Project Bagong Araw is bittersweet for both the Nanays and the Hapinoy team. The project has been a great bonding experience and though Hapinoy and the Nanays will still have projects together, the monthly training sessions will surely be missed. It has been amazing for Hapinoy and PBSP to have been a part of the Nanays’ journey from when they were just starting to rebuild their dreams to now when they have already created and are chasing new dreams.