Aboitiz credits great entrepreneurial moms

CEBU, Philippines - The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) recognized its micro-finance clients who have shown exemplary works as model mothers with acumen for business and entrepreneurship.

More than 3,000 mothers and women from the provinces of Cebu, Leyte and Bohol gathered during the 10th General Assembly of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) Micro-finance program last Saturday at the University of San Jose - Recoletos Basak Campus.

RAFI micro-finance executive director Ma. Theresa Catipay said that the annual general meeting is designed to create public awareness on micro-enterprise as a development tool for self-employment and poverty reduction.

Dubbed with the theme "Fiesta sa RAFI Micro-finance: A Thanskgiving Celebration," the 10th General Assembly is aimed at providing non-financial services to the clients, opportunity to learn the economic and social aspects of micro-finance,  interaction with peers and learning how to constantly improve their livelihood and living conditions.

She also said that the one-day affair became one setting for women to be empowered in the community and be informed about micro-finance.

"It serves as a venue to make our nanays realize that they are part of a big community. With these meetings, we encourage them to come out and speak out," she said.

There are over 22,000 RAFI Micro-finance nanay clients in total.

Catipay further pointed out that the event is intended to acknowledge those clients and their accomplishments that are worthy of emulation.

"It is a personal choice to change your living conditions to improve and transform and we honor those who serve as examples for the others," she added.

41-year old Claudia Celis of Dagohoy, Inabanga, Bohol was awarded as the outstanding client for 2013. Celis who has been a nanay client of RAFI micro-finance program for the past five years is into buying and selling scrap items, coconut wine, and charcoal and distributing of purified water.

The general assembly also conducted a forum entitled "Rising from the Rubble" with Tropical Souvenirs International owner Charmaine Ong and Arden Classics president Arden Siarot as resource spearkers.

Other activities included exhibits, short training lectures, showcase of talents in balitaw, cultural dances and culinary arts, and a medical mission in partnership with the Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center.

Formerly known as Cebu Micro-Enterprise Development Foundation Inc. (CMEDFI), RAFI Micro-finance is a non-stock, non-profit organization that started in December 1998.

It is a program under the Micro-finance and Entrepreneurship focus area of RAFI that provides financial resource and know-how to women micro-entrepreneurs to foster financial independence and entrepreneurship. —/JMD (FREEMAN)