Mind the women

March is International Women’s Month. It might be appropriate to take note of the progress achieved by some women who, in a group or individually, are leading useful, productive and purposeful lives.

Visiting the Echostore in Serendra and finding our friend Chit there made us realize that with zeal and creativity, women can truly be independent. The Echostore is a venue for unique home, food and gift products made by newly-empowered women. Chit walked us through the tiny yet fully stocked little haven, and we marveled at how so many things have been produced by women’s hands.

The working force is composed of home-bound mothers and grandmothers with little income, who in the past had no opportunity to develop their creativity. They have been taken under the wing of caring persons and institutions who have given them training and encouraged them to work with their adept hands. Today, they have turned plastic bags, computer wires, old CDs, newspapers and scrap metal into beautiful handbags and pouches, among other things.

Take the always-discarded grocery bags from supermarkets, for example. In the creative hands of these women, they have been transformed into beautiful handbags, dressy enough to carry to social gatherings. The women-workers clean the plastic bags, cut them into thin strips, and fashion them into hand bags of varying sizes and designs. Incredible!

Behind these women are the members of the Carewell Community (which also works with cancer victims and survivors) and the Invisible Institute which provides training, materials and marketing know-how.

Some of the creations have a “Rags to Riches” tag, typified by a lady who used to earn P300 a day and now makes at least P12,000 monthly. This endeavor helps many others, such as the people of Payatas, lead a better life. Designer Rajo Laurel has lent his talent in producing pouches from scraps.

Some products that caught our attention – the king’s grill, a small portable stove made of coconut shells (P50 for 4 pieces); the lyf saver, a tube containing a mixture of cinnamon and other herbs, a good de-stressing solution to inhale or rub on sore muscles; the coco nectar from Gammalab, for fortifying the immune system.

We have written previously about malunggay pesto sauce. We were told this has successfully landed in many kitchens in the city. Now comes Morigana – malunggay whole food vegetable capsules that provide enough vitamin requirements of an individual, and reportedly more than what one gets from fresh fruits and veggies. The flyer says this can be taken by babies (in liquefied form), pregnant women, or anybody needing nourishment.

In the same outlet is the latest in coffee makers, the Soltazza MiniBaristra from Italy, which until recently has only been seen in hotels and big restaurants. It has conquered corporate boardrooms as well, and maybe soon, the homes of discerning coffee drinkers. This gadget uses the internationally recognized Italian brewing system and pod technology. The pod contains a coffee sachet, placed in the machine’s chamber. In no time, the perfect beverage (could be tea as well), drips and in a minute you can enjoy your drink. The individually-wrapped pods are sold in boxes of 10. There is a choice of blends, but nationalistic Chit succeeded in convincing the makers to include Philippine Origins espresso pod and Philippine Select coffee pod, both organically grown in the Cordilleras. The machine is tagged at P18,000 while the pods are sold at P20 per.

The Croissanterie bakeshop by the entrance to the new Robinson’s on the South Super Highway has breads and pastries, including turn-overs similar to those that used to be sold at S&R. Ranging between P24 and P26 a piece, they are good snacks, fully filled and tasty. At Robinson’s we found the new Continental brand of bottled chicken with mushroom or curry flavored thick soup at P175; live hito for P120 a kilo; cold cut combos for P88, and Café de Bohol.

Remember, don’t get carried away by the “Sale” sign – it might make you go over budget!

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