Amazing Women 2013, Women and Fair Trade Program

Here are some pictures from our memorable Amazing Women exhibit 2013, subtitled Women and Fair Trade. We wanted to demonstrate the impact that fair trade has been making on women. It was a simple, intimate program of G&G's partners and supporters. Of course the participants of our capacity building program were there and Nadeth even demonstrated how to properly wear a T'boli malong. We hope you enjoy the photos

G&G Directors Sandy Romualdez, Annie Garcia, and Executive Director Greg Perez chatting before the program

G&G Marketing Officer Kennard Guiaco is Master of Ceremonies

G&G Executive Director Greg Perez talks about women and fair trade

Ate Daisy Pena of Caritas Manila shows the retaso denim bear and pilot monster doll their livelihood groups made for G&G

Nadeth demonstrates the proper way to wear a malong

Nanay Sol gives a heartfelt testimonial on how working with G&G has impacted her and Pamana Pag-Asa Cooperative

G&G Director Ms. Annie Garcia makes a rare speech underscoring the importance of partnerships

G&G Founder Sandy Romualdez gives words of inspiration

Tatay Jaime of Malabon shows off the Cora totes his group weaves out of plastic strips

Pamana group with G&G Directors holding up the canvas bags they make for G&G

Also represented were WFTO Asia and representatives of the SM team. We'd like to give special thanks to Jen and Bambi for all their help in making this possible and of course Ms. Annie Garcia, President of SM Supermalls who wholeheartedly supports our advocacy.

For more photos, visit our album on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/giftsandgraces.sales/media_set?set=a.435977069829855.1073741829.100002526976885&type=3

G&G Celebrates Amazing Women in 2013

This year, Gifts and Graces celebrated Women's Month with another Amazing Women exhibit. The exhibit was hosted by SM Southmall. This year, instead of individual women, we featured women's organizations that empower women. We wanted to tell the story not just of Filipino organizations but also those in Asia. From the Philippines we featured Caritas Manila, PAMANA ng Pag-Asa Cooperative, Kaibhan and Nanay Linda Casimiro of Pandacan. From Asia we featured Laxmi Majrjan and Rupa Biswa Karma both from Nepal. Below is the story of Freeset, an organization that works to help women be free from the bondage of prostitution

Being a fair trade organization, we featured the stories alongside the products that empower women.

Newspaper bags, brass bells, woven plastic bags

Agate bag charms, Soy candles, Embroidered pillows, travel sets, woven retaso coin purses

On weekends we featured product demonstrations. Here Ate Liezel Quismorio from Pandacan, Manila assembles mini origami stars made from magazine pages.

Our visitors also expressed support for our advocacies aligned with the Fair Trade Principles. Here's a collage of students, families, friends who support Fair Trade, the environment, women empowerment, micro-enterprises and Filipino craftsmen, and non-discrimination.

Among our visitors were some kids who played with the wood toys made by Tahanang Walang Hagdanan.

We were also visited by our Capacity Building Program participants

and a group of women from the Department of Tourism - NCR who made the visit part of their women empowerment program for the day.

Watch out for our succeeding posts on the stories of the organizations we featured as well as our simple program to highlight the importance of supporting women.

And of course we hope you can join us next year when we celebrate another group of Amazing Women in 2014.

Finally, our Conversation with Aun, our second AYAD volunteer who got away with many things just by putting on his jacket, presumably because it made him look like a "businessman from Cebu!" Here is his interview

At Aun's farewell lunch.
With the G&G team Nanding, Greg, Jo, Marge

Name: Aun Ngo
Age: 28
Nationality: Australian

What made you decide to volunteer?
I have been an avid supporter of volunteering for some time now and was involved in a soup kitchen back in Melbourne for over 8 years. So when the opportunity to volunteer internationally came up, I jumped at the chance. The role, which lasted 10 months, also gave me ample time to explore parts of the country and it's culture.



What are two interesting things about the Philippines that the average person doesn't know?

Prior to going to the Philippines, I didn't actually know all that much about the place. The most interesting thing that I will take away is just how beautiful and diverse the country is. Still relatively off the radars of many travelers it is only a matter of time before the world finds out about the amazing beaches, islands, waterfalls, volcanoes and sights of the Philippines.

Another thing that might not be well known is how unique the culture is; The Philippines is unlike any other Asian country. There are Spanish elements, American influences, ancient Malay influences, religious and socio-political forces that combine to create a wonderfully eclectic mix.

How did you use your skills and experience?

I had the opportunity to utilise some of my experience with marketing, social networking and photography to take a look at G&G's operations and assist with planning for the future. (G&G comment: Aun is very friendly and very social. Aside from his official work to help G&G with marketing, particularly social marketing, he helped put us in touch with some others who have gone on to become G&G supporters as well)

Did anything go wrong that seems funny now?

There was that time at a function where another volunteer and I were speaking to a Filipina for a fair while before realizing she was one of the country's most famous artistas.

What was the best moment of the entire experience?

Getting the opportunity to attend the Asian Development Bank's Annual Meeting was definitely up there. Being able to listen to a wide range of people passionate about development regaling stories from around the region.

At the ADB Annual Meeting 2012.
With Greg, Marge, and Ponce Ernest Samaniego

What did you learn about yourself?

I learnt that it is possible to eat too much pork. (G&G says: LOL! and Marty's Aun?)


Why should other people do volunteer work? What did you gain from it?

I find that people who volunteer actually come away receiving far more from the experience than the people they seek out to help. Volunteering enriches your life, introduces you to people you may not have the opportunity to meet otherwise (both other volunteers and clients), and you definitely know that when you are volunteering, you're not doing it for the money!

I gained a whole new circle of friends, appreciation for an amazing country and some passable conversational Tagalog!

Visiting partner community FCED Foundation and chatting with its Executive Director Ms. Teresita L. Silva.
Also in the photo: Raymund Acedera, Greg Perez, Atty. Rudyard Arbolado

At the Amazing Women Exhibit at SM North Edsa with the extended G&G family.
From L to R: Cielo Bueno, Mrs. Melot Moral, Loida, Carla, Raquel, Marge, Jo, Greg, Aun,
Nanding, Ponce, and Ms. Jen Colayco, head of SM Supermalls' Women's Committee

Amazing Women: Teresita L. Silva

It’s in the Genes – the Legacy Lives on

Teresita L. Silva - Keeping Children Off the Streets

Ma’am Silva, as she is fondly called by her staff, has been exposed to social work since she was that high! Her mother, Felicidad Alvarez of the Alvarez clan of Roxas City, Capiz, was the first professional social worker with a master’s degree in the Philippines. The degree is from the Catholic University in the United States. Ms. Silva herself took advanced post graduate pre-doctoral courses at the Columbia University School of Social Work. Her master’s degree in social work is from the National Catholic School of Social Work.

Tagging along with her mom to the various church-based social work commitments, Ms. Silva developed an affinity for working with the less privileged sector of society. Seeing how her mom’s work helped the communities where she devoted time and effort, Ms. Silva observed how community organizing alleviated family economic conditions and imbibed the humanitarian and compassionate nature of her mom. Seeing the need for income opportunities for developing communities, Ms. Silva, in her own time, and through her own foundations, developed programs and services to help families keep their children off the streets.

Ms. Silva has three foundations, interrelated and held together by the belief that children should be kept safe and protected at all times. These are all non-stock service foundations that bring together government agencies, NGOs and community volunteers to promote social and economic development in depressed areas of Districts 5 & 6 of Manila through community-based services. The family, especially the mothers, are given opportunities to augment the family income so they will not need to send the children to beg in the streets.

Child Hope Asia Philippines Foundation focuses on street children. These children are taught skills for life, values and through the Department of Education’s Alternative Learning System Program with its accredited modules and programs reaches out to street children and teaches them basic education. At present, Child Hope is in 20 areas in Districts 5 & 6 of Manila and has more than 300 street children in attendance. There are success stories here and Ms. Silva is proud to introduce her children who have become teachers and coordinators themselves.

The Tahanan Sta. Luisa Crisis Intervention Center Foundation concerns itself with street girls and sexually abused girls. The programs are geared towards psycho-social activities which help these girls.

The Families and Children for Empowerment and Development Foundation, Inc. (FCED) ties together the three programs held dear by Ms. Silva who believes that when the family is strong and is economically stable, the children grow in an atmosphere conducive to learning and becoming a useful and responsible member of society.

The Foundations’ main mission is to provide opportunities for the education, skills training & increased income of children, youth and their families. In this endeavor, Gifts and Graces is a major help in bringing the products of the mothers to a bigger market and a wider clientele base.

These Foundations are close to Ms. Silva’s heart and has been her life project. Her staff and many volunteers look up to her for guidance and inspiration. As one volunteer, a former streetchild who benefited from the Foundation and now a Doctor of Medicine says, “Ms. Silva inspires us with her passion and dedication to the welfare of the children and their family”.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Families_and_Children_for_Empowerment_and_Development

National Women's Month: Amazing Women Exhibit

As part of National Women's Month, Gifts & Graces in conjuction with SM Supermalls' SM Cares program is holding a month long exhibit celebrating the stories of 5 women leaders from our community partners. The women include Cielo Bueno of the Kaakbay Entre-workers Cooperative, Sr. Celerina of The Holy Spirit, Haydee Panhilason of Heidie's Crafts, Mel Nuqui of DAWN and FCED President Ms. Teresita Silva; all highly inspirational women that are helping to change lives through their organisations.

The exhibit entitled, "Amazing Women: Women On a Mission to Empower and Nurture," launched yesterday at SM Southmall (to coincide with International Women's Day) and will run until Friday March 16. On 19 March the exhibit will move to SM Megamall for one week until 23 March. Finally the exhibit will be at SM Mall of Asia from 26 March until 31 March.

Highlights of the exhibit include inspirational talks given by the women leaders, demonstrations of fabric weaving and bag making, craft activities as well as an Expression Wall where you can leave your special message for the important women in your life. Do come and support G&G at this special event, you can even purchase your favorite G&G products at the exhibit's bazaar.

We will also be posting the stories of our women leaders right here on our blog throughout the month.