Show me the ‘Mani’

MANILA, Philippines - Ronavelle Amen, 39, grew up with the smell of peanut butter in their home in Davio, Iloilo. Her mother Natividad would grind peanuts early in the morning, whipping up her very own recipe for a delicious peanut butter that they would put in plastic bottles and later sell on the streets, in the market and to their neighbors.

“It was our backyard business. My mom was very hands-on and passionate about our peanut butter and peanut business. But it was not sustainable. Because we lack money, it became an on-and-off business. Still, my mom would try to find ways to resume our small business,” Ronavelle tells STARweek.

When her mother died, Ronavelle wanted to continue their peanut business even if she didn’t have much capital.

“I thought that this has been our business for the last 30 years and I don’t want to stop it. I wanted to continue my mom’s legacy. Since I was young, I’ve been dreaming of upscaling and improving our peanut and peanut butter products,” Ronavelle says.

Whenever she would go to the grocery and pass by the aisle where branded peanut butter products were, she would be filled with longing, wishing she had her own.

“I thought it was impossible because I didn’t have money and I don’t know anything,” she says.

But everything changed when she met people from the Great Women Project, a governance and capacity development project that aims to promote and support a gender-responsive enabling environment for women’s economic empowerment, particularly those in micro-enterprises.

The organization aims to create employment and income opportunities for women and their communities.

The Great Women Project, with technical and funding assistance from DFATD Canada, has directly benefited over 10,000 beneficiaries with business development services delivered through national and local government agencies.

Ronavelle is one of the beneficiaries who was given training and tools to improve her small-scale business.

“They’ve opened doors for me, opportunities that I didn’t know were available to micro-entrepreneurs like me,” she says.

Great Women also connected her to the proper agencies to develop her peanut butter brand.

“The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) helped me in designing the label of my peanut butter products. I named my product ‘Nating’s Homemade Peanut Butter,’ after my mom,” she said.

“Through Great Women, our local government unit has recognized me and made me as one of their beneficiaries. Through USWAG Pangbuhian, I was able to secure loans from the DSWD without any interest,” she says.

As a beneficiary, Ronavelle attended the Great Women’s Intensive Design Clinic Series, together with ECHOsi Foundation and other partners.

Through the Intensive Design Clinic Series, women micro-entrepreneurs receive technical advice and mentoring on value-adding for products, developing new product variants and designs, managing the micro-enterprise, strengthening production capacities, proper packaging and labeling, and assistance with food and nutrition requirements and technologies.

Ronavelle says the seminars were a great help to her.

“I didn’t know that you have to secure a business permit when you start a business. After learning all these things, I now have a business permit and I’ve also registered my business with the Department of Trade and Industry,” she says.

Aside from the seminars, Great Women also helped Ronavelle display and sell her products at ECHOstores, one of the organization’s partners.

ECHOstore is a social enterprise and lifestyle retail store carrying green trade products created by marginalized community groups from all over the Philippines.

Ronavelle says ECHOstores have helped her reach out to a wider market.

“Because my peanut and peanut butter products are displayed at ECHOstores, I had this firm resolve and determination to improve my products. They have to pass the highest standards. I have to be strict with quality control,” she says.

“Before I was just contented with putting my products in so-so plastic containers. I learned from Great Women that if you want to put your goods in the high-end market, you need to improve the packaging of your products and ensure quality,” she adds.

Now, Ronavelle sees to it that she only makes fresh produce and doesn’t store her peanut products for a long time, producing them only when there are orders.

With the help of Great Women, Ronavelle also acquired an electronic peanut grinder, something that her mother had wished for when she was still alive.

“My mother really wanted a peanut grinder so we can produce more products. Now I have one. I’ve also rented a small place for the production of my peanut butter products to maintain the quality. I no longer make my peanut products at home,” she shares.

She is extremely grateful to Great Women for the life-changing experience.

“Through the Great Women Project, my sweet and salty peanut snacks and peanut butter spreads now have a formal label. Slowly but surely, people are starting to recognize and buy my products. I can’t thank Great Women enough,” she enthuses.

“My goals are simple: I want to help my sick father with his medication, earn a living for my family, provide livelihood to the neighborhood in our vicinity in the future. I want to help the community to support peanut farming in the country.” Simple goals, lofty aspirations.