CEBU, Philippines - Go Negosyo collaborates with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7 through Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) for out of school youth recently.
Go Negosyo Program Manager Manuel Dela Fuente said in a statement that partnering with DSWD is the best marriage as far as the program is concerned since the program is really intended to help the out-of-school youth.
DSWD 7 Information Officer Kerwin Macopia said that through the Negosyo Mo, Buhay Ko (NMBK) program of Go Negosyo, the out-of-school youth are given a chance to accomplish their goals and dreams in life.
He added that the NMBK aims to screen, train and transform the youth, who will then be matched with a partner entrepreneur or business and these out-of-school youths will commit forty percent (40%) of their income to a trust fund that will be used to finance their education.
The said program was supported by various national government agencies led by the DSWD, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Dela Fuente stressed that the program is not only about employment but it is also changing the lives of these out-of-school youth and giving them hope. He added that with their income, it can help them to support their studies.
The participants were chosen from families in the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program whose ages range from 18-25 years old, Macopia said. Out of the 56 applicants, 47 passed the initial screening.
Macopia said that Go Negosyo started the partnership with DSWD last year and catered to out-of-school youth in Metro Manila. Interestingly, Cebu is the first province outside Metro Manila to have the pilot testing of the program. — (FREEMAN)