Two years after the liberation of the city, thousands of displaced families are slowly rising up from the devastation left by the siege of Marawi. As they rebuild their lives and uplift their families, it is the strong and resourceful Maranao women who are taking the lead.
To help reignite the spark of the ‘Ilaw ng Tahanan’, Coca-Cola Philippines rolled out the Sari-sari Store Training and Access to Resources (STAR) Program in Marawi City, empowering and investing in the capabilities of Maranao women to help rebuild their own communities.
“Nandito ang Coca-Cola dahil naniniwala kami sa kakayahan ng kababaihan. Nandito ang Coca-Cola dahil naniniwala kami sa kasipagan ninyo. Naniniwala kami na kaya ninyong bumangon,” said Jonah de Lumen-Pernia, Coca-Cola Philippines Public Affairs and Sustainability Director, as she addressed the STAR graduates.
(Coca-Cola is here because we believe in the capabilities of women. Coca-Cola is here because we believe in your determination. We believe that you can rise.)
Before being certified as STARpreneurs, the trainees underwent basic entrepreneurial and gender sensitivity seminars where they acquired new skills that would be beneficial for their business. Aside from this, the STAR Program also provided them with access to resources and peer mentoring that would help them overcome barriers in their enterprises.
Coca-Cola partnered with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through the Strengthening Urban Resilience for Growth with Equity (SURGE) project in creating a holistic plan that would lead the women on the path to livelihood recovery.
The STAR Program in Marawi City was implemented by TESDA Lanao del Sur with other trainers coming from First Community Cooperative (FICCO) and Mindanao State University (MSU). In an induction ceremony held at the MSU, more than 700 Maranao women successfully accomplished the STAR Program. During the graduation, the DTI also provided sari-sari store, carinderia, and baking starter kits to kick-start their businesses.
“Bilang ilaw ng tahanan at epektibong negosyante, nawa’y ang bawat isa sa inyo ay maging halimbawa at buhay na patunay na sa pamamagitan ng pagsisikap at pagpupunyagi, maaabot natin ang mga pangarap,” said Rebecca Calzado, TESDA Deputy Director-General for Partnerships and Linkages.
(As mothers and effective entrepreneurs, I hope that every one of you will be an example and proof that through hard work and determination, we can all achieve our dreams.)
To further support their livelihood recovery, USAID, through the SURGE Project, built the Piagapo Trading Center – a public market in Piagapo City where the women micro-entrepreneurs can put their newly-honed business skills to practice. The Piagapo Trading Center will accommodate 60 to 80 retailers of both fresh produce, cooked food, and grocery items. Coca-Cola Philippines provided STAR Program scholarships to these retailers that started September 21, 2019.
“USAID, through its SURGE Project, is privileged to collaborate with The Coca-Cola Company to accelerate the livelihoods in Marawi by revitalizing the city’s sari-sari stores,” noted Brian Matibag, USAID-SURGE Deputy Chief of Party.
Coca-Cola has always strived to show their support for the people of Marawi. At the peak of the siege, Coca-Cola provided beverages to the soldiers and evacuees and, afterwards, supported rehabilitation efforts through AGOS, the Little Red Schoolhouse, Nurisha, and the STAR Program under the global 5by20 goal. The graduation of 700 Maranao STARpreneurs is another step in Marawi’s journey to recovery. Coca-Cola aspires to be there every step of the way, staying true to its global mission of continuously refreshing communities.