MANILA, Philippines - Prior to the current buzzword of social entrepreneurship, the Ang Hortaleza Foundation Inc. (AHFI) has quietly conducted its own version of social entrepreneurship through its Ganda Mo, Hanapbuhay Ko livelihood program. AHFI, previously known as Splash Foundation, is the corporate social responsibility arm of Splash Corporation Group of Companies, HBC Group and World Partners Group.
“It was not easy selling “Ganda Mo, Hanapbuhay Ko” to our trustees,” Maurice Ligot, managing director of AHFI, recalls.
“When we started “Ganda Mo, Hanapbuhay Ko” in 1997, corporate social responsibility was equated with corporate donations. Our trustees initially felt that doing a livelihood program that trained people to be beauticians using Splash Corp. and HBC products was too self-serving. They believed that CSR should come from the goodness of the heart, untainted by any selfish motive,” she says.
Some 16 years and 25,000 graduates later, AHFI continued to sustain its CSR flagship program.
“Ganda Mo, Hanapbuhay Ko” is a five-day training program that equips trainees with basic skills in cosmetology. AHFI works with LGUs, government agencies, and NGOs to recruit possible trainees for a minimum of 25 up to 60 trainees per session.
AHFI has conducted the training in all parts of the country, aside from the trainings it provides in its home base, the Social Development Center in Valenzuela City.
At the end of the training program or at their graduation day, the trainees receive a Certificate of Completion with the TESDA logo (the GMHK is TESDA accredited) and a starter kit as an incentive for them to do home service.
As a sign of reciprocity for the free training, the graduates conduct free haircut to the public school children or their choice of beneficiaries in their community.
“Ganda Mo, Hanapbuhay Ko” actively monitors the results of the training. The “Kumusta Na” program brings its graduates together two months after the training to follow up on their progress. The partner NGO and AHFI partnership ensure that at least 60-75 percent of the graduates are actively using the skills they learned as a means of livelihood, either doing home service, working in a beauty parlor or trainer for AHFI.