THE United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) has donated laptops for some of the 900 garbage collectors-turned-entrepreneurs of recycled clothing and bag store Rags2Riches (R2R), both based in Metro Manila.
The used laptops were recently turned over by the Bankers Institute of the Philippines (BAIPHIL) to the social enterprise that employs the urban poor women from communities surrounding the Payatas landfill in Quezon City. The women weave used rugs and other recyclable and indigenous materials into clothes, bags and accessories to be sold at its three stores in Glorietta and PowerPlant malls in Makati City and the UP Town Center in Quezon City.
R2R said the weavers use computers to encode sales data, create presentations and spreadsheets, and operate R2R’s online channels and also act as R2R’s store ambassadors.
The donation also forms part of the BAIPHIL’s corporate social responsibility to provide livelihood projects to poor communities for their long-term economic growth
“UCPB is privileged to be part of BAIPHIL’s and R2R’s program to uplift the lives of these industrious and hardworking women through livelihood opportunities to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. Thank you for inviting us to be one of your partners in this noteworthy endeavor,” UCPB Senior Vice President and BAIPHIL Director Arnel A. Valles said.