Kawang-Gawa: Mga Panginabuhi'ng Ginama sa Kawa!

Kawang-gawa is what is otherwise known as service or charitable service. It involves voluntary work, and is done with the objective to helping others.

For San Miguel Brewery Inc., Kawang-gawa   simply is an approach to building small businesses through the use of the local wok pan or the kawa. This mini-enterprise program attempts to defy the misconception that business needs a large capital to move.

In the Kawang-Gawa program, community businesses are encouraged to thrive as a source of supplemental or main income for the family. Most often, a would-be businessman or woman’s interest in starting a business is doused by the lack of capital and the misconception that every business needs a large investment.

SMB tries to disprove this by seeking communities who are willing to build on the two major sources of inner and the most valuable capital: industry and discipline!

Using the wok as the basic tool in the beginning of a business, the communities begin to see that there are limitless possibilities to a mind that seeks solutions to poverty. In the Kawang-gawa training held for Barangays Tipolo, Banilad, Casuntingan and Cabancalan in Mandaue City, more than eighty women had the opportunity to learn from baker Raul Betonio of San Miguel Mills, how to concoct a lot of possible businesses like binangkal (moonrock bread) making, or shakoy (soft pretzels) or pan-fried donuts, or even the tasty empanadas. Equipped with the wok, a ladle, a cookie sheet and a gasulette from Petron Gasul, an innovative business person can already start a small enterprise.

With a cash capital of P500, a wok, a stove, and a ladle, one can already start a home-based business while minding their children.

In Ormoc City, some 60 persons have also been trained on how to prepare food products using the wok in the first Kawang-gawa project done in Eastern Visayas by SMB in partnership with Petron Gasul and San Miguel Foods. In this event, Chef Mon Victoria of San Miguel’s culinary group was the resource person.

Another Kawang-gawa session was also held recently with the aspiring media chefs and Baker Raul Betonio in Cebu City during the Press Freedom Week.

This simple yet practical approach to promoting livelihood options in Kawang-gawa has also opened the minds of the participants to what they can do if they just fan their interest and live disciplined lifestyles to bring the business up.