Mothers Building a Future Through Handicrafts

DumagueteLittle Children of the Philippines

$2,350

Raised of $2,000 AUD

Successfully funded on Nov 24, 2014
23 supporters
117%%

About This Project

 The Goal


This project aims to provide mothers with the handicraft skills and marketing support needed to be able to make a sustainable income from the rapidly growing tourist market in Dumaguete City, Philippines.


 The Need


The people in the communities that I am working with have incomes below $5 a day for a family of 5. They need jobs that pay a fair wage so that they can feed and educate their children. For them, nothing is more important than trying to get their children
out of the poverty trap. They love their children and it tears them apart to see them loose hope, as they get older.


 


My name is Janet Miller and I have been working with the Little Children of the Philippines (LCP) for 3 years now. I found myself teaching street children in the hope that we could encourage them to go to formal school. In fact they were desperate to go
to school! The problem was that their families could not afford the school uniform and supplies needed to send them. Instead the children were encouraged to scavenge and collected firewood to supplement the family income.


One of the children, refused to eat at school, instead taking her food home. Later we found that she had been feeding her sick father to try and “make him better”. He died, leaving a mother with 6 children to support.


I would love to be able to provide this mother and mothers like her with a secure job that will enable their little girls and boys to go to school.



 The Solution


Dumaguete is becoming a rapidly growing attraction for tourists from around the world and there is a need for quality souvenirs. My idea is to translate this need into an opportunity for our communities. The mothers already have a variety of handicraft skills
that with proper training can be developed to create innovative products that will become a “must have” for visitors to Dumaguete. We already have the support of our local department of Trade and Industry who are willing to help in any way they can. By working
from home, with much needed marketing support and start up finance, these women have the drive needed to become successful.


 The Result


Dumaguete is indeed a city with two tales.


Hopefully these tales can both have happy endings, leading to a great outcome for the families desperate to support their children and for the tourists who wants to leave something behind in return for the souvenirs they really want to buy.


Your donations will really help this happen. Thank you!


Facebook: www.facebook.com/lcphilippines


 

Use Of Funds

$2,000 Tipping Point Goal

Our Tipping Point is $2000


 This will enable us to:


1) Hold 2 workshops


- How to run a business


- What tourists want


- Design your own souvenir


2) Training for 10 mothers


- Sewing - we have an expert sewer who has sold craft overseas happy to train our mothers


- Recycled paper – we have experts in our communities willing to train


- Weaving – the Department of Trade and Industry have offered to give training


3) Provide equipment and materials for our first 2 mothers to start work.


 


Our Total Funding Goal is $8000


This will enable us to:


1) Provide remaining 8 mothers with equipment and materials to start work


2) Provide a covered stall on the boulevard (main tourist thoroughfare) for display and sale of goods


The cost for each mother will vary according to the craft they choose but an example costing is:


For sewing


$130 = Sewing machine


$150 = Fabric


$100 = Equipment such as scissors, zips, thread, cutting board


$125 = Working capital for 2 months including salaries, transport


65 mothers in our survey said they would love to be able to earn a living making crafts.

Any extra donations we raise will be used to help these mothers one at a time.

 

$8,000 Stretch Goal


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Rewards

Select Reward
$10.00

A personalized thank you email from Little Children of the Philippines

99 left

Select Reward
$25.00

As above plus emailed photos of mothers creating souvenirs

97 left

Select Reward
$50.00

A mailed thank you card made by mothers from LCP.

98 left

Select Reward
$75.00

A photo thank you card from the mothers you have helped with a personal message of thanks

99 left

Select Reward
$100.00

As above with a personal message written by the mother you have helped

70 left

Select Reward
$150.00

As above plus a photo fridge magnet of the mother you are personally helping

48 left

Select Reward
$250.00

As above plus an a personal gift made by the mother you have helped.

18 left

Select Reward
$500.00

Thank you! You have changed the life of one family in our community! We will send you a personal card and photos from the family whose life you have changed telling you about her chosen craft plus a gift made by her especially for you.

10 left

Select Reward
$1,000.00

What can we say! You have changed the lives of many people. You have provided a workshop, training for 5 ladies and have given one person the means of supporting herself and her family. We will send you photos of our training sessions, a personalized greeting card from the family whose life you have changed and a gift that they have made especially for you.

5 left