How learning website Kalibrr changed the life of a single mom

MANILA, Philippines - Like any mom, Merlilia Abuzo only wants the best for her son. But being a single mom, things are more challenging for her. She had worked as a cashier at a resort, and later on as a product inspector in a manufacturing company, but she felt the need to look for something better to be able to provide for her son and secure a better future for them both. “I left because I really needed to find a better opportunity,” she shares.

However, finding a good job proved challenging for Merlilia because she only finished one year of college. She had heard about call centers and the opportunities they offered, so she applied as an agent at a well-known multinational company. But she didn’t make the cut.

That didn’t stop her from giving it another shot, though. In July 2012, a friend told her about the free online call center training offered by a website called Kalibrr, and she took it immediately.

Kalibrr (www.kalibrr.com) is a learning website that helps people get jobs. Globe Telecom’s fully-owned subsidiary Kickstart Ventures, Inc. invested $100,000 in the company in November 2012 because it believed in Kalibrr’s mission to help people through learning and employment.

Kickstart president Minette Navarrete says, “We hear a lot about the positive economic sentiment in the Philippines today. Kalibrr is demonstrating its commitment to helping uplift Filipinos; and Kickstart is committed to supporting Kalibrr.”

Merlilia shares that through Kalibrr, “Doon ko natunan lahat tungkol sa computers, BPOs, call centers.  Before that, zero talaga yung knowledge ko tungkol sa industry. I had training before, but it wasn’t enough.”

She completed the Kalibrr program in a week, and things soon started looking up. Kalibrr immediately referred her to one of its partner companies for a job interview. “It’s because of Kalibrr I gained self-confidence. With the online training, tapos yung mga (and the) interviews, I gained self-confidence. Natuto rin ako (I also learned) how to speak with people,” she says. Needless to say, she got the job.

Merlilia started working at Sutherland, a multinational company in Taguig City in August 2012. “Madugo,” she exclaims with a laugh when asked how it’s been going. It’s a lot of hard work, but she enjoys the challenge. She’s constantly pushing herself to do her best and adapt. 

Today, five months into her job, Merlilia is more content than she ever was. While she admits to the job being stressful at times, she says she’s up to the challenge. She’s now more adept at using a computer and various programs, and more importantly, feels more confident about the job. “I feel like a career woman now!” she exclaims with a laugh.

As Kickstart’s Minette Navarrete envisions it, “with Kalibrr’s radical innovation and purposeful execution, we see Merlilia striding confidently into a happier, brighter future – and we see many more Merlilia’s walking into that future with her.”