July 19, 2024/ COTABATO CITY. While the project encourages self- reliance to people’s organizations (PO) who are formed at the community level, it is also important that there is continuous guidance and supervision. This act is undertaken through constant monitoring, both actual and distant utilizing relevant tools and multi-media platforms.
Further, the project team likewise initiated supplemental training to strengthen the capacity of the PO- a community-based organization created to help manage the project at the grassroots level.
Twenty- four POs were recently undergoing training on organizational management, and policy formulation. This activity has started on July 15, 2024 and is expected to be completed by September this year. Participants are clustered based on their location to manage the learning process and for practical consideration of time.
In the said training, participants are learning relevant skills to strengthen their organizations through constant communication and by crafting and implementation of organizational policies.
According to them, the activity guided them of practical, strategic and contextualized ways to pursue with their organizations and get the most of the investments provided to them such as numerous trainings along with the complete set of tools and equipment for their livelihood activities.
These inputs were found significant based on the findings from the recent monitoring that many of the POs failed to see and practice the importance of conducting organizational meetings where they get talks and updates in planning together the management, operation and sustainability of their groups and their respective enterprises.
Related inputs on production, packaging, marketing and profit- sharing were also taught to the participants. Resource persons likewise refreshed the knowledge of the participants with topics on the roles and responsibilities, membership and organizational structure.
Under the project, these POs were organized and provided with specific skills trainings tailored to their chosen enterprises based on the available raw materials in their localities.
By learning the skills, these POs were able to yield various products that they sell, from which they generate income helpful for their families, like banana chips, native delicacies, coconut oil, palapa (local spicy side dish), bread, rice products, others.
Operating their respective local business, these POs who are mainly composed of women discovered their potentials to become more productive for their families and communities.
However, they need further support and so the said training on strengthening their capacities were carried out.
This initiative to extend further support to the POs is relevant to the on-going implementation of the project SUBATRA-ECSO: Enhancing CSOs Capacities for Inclusive Development Interventions in BARMM in Support to Bangsamoro Transition.
Approaching its final year as a project, SUBABATRA-ECSO works for the Component 4 of the entire SUBATRA Programme, which is the is the Justice and Society Project- The capacity of civil society to contribute to a peaceful transition to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is enhanced.
In 2023, the project has benefited 4, 860 individuals across the 24 communities within and outside the Bangsamoro Region, with various development assistance on basic social services and protection, livelihood, capacity buildings, among others.
Launched in 2021, the SUBATRA-ECSO is a project funded by the European Union European Union in the Philippines and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation AECID Philippines.
The Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA Inc.) is managing the implementation of the project together with partner civil society organizations (CSOs) in the BARMM. (BDA Communications 2024)
