Access to Economic Means of Development for Women Experiencing Social Exclusion

The Philippines has a population of about 81.5 million people with a poverty rate of 30%. It has a high rate of inequality and consequent social exclusion of the poor from the benefits generated by growth. Under-employment is 31% and the unemployed are mostly young (70% of which are 15-34 years old). The highest unemployment rates are found in highly urbanised areas.

Reledev Australia Limited, in conjunction with AusAID and the Foundation for Professional Training Inc., is implementing a training project to enable women from low-income families in Region 7 (Cebu, Negros Oriental, Bohol and surrounding islands) to benefit from tourism growth. The project aims at their human and economic development, specifically through hospitality training, organised work experience and job seeking skills. Participants come from Cebu and surrounding islands and even from Mindanao.

Work experience is organised in hotels, pension houses, restaurants, fast food outlets, resorts, bakeries, catering establishments, etc. Women are expected to achieve employment in these and similar establishments given their training and the experience they receive through the project.

In March 2006, the Reledev Program Manager visited the training premises in Cebu and met beneficiaries in the different venues where they access industry experience. Feedback from industry managers was very positive. The project effectively introduces and inserts women into the mainstream of an industry’s workforce.

Janice Ramirez describes her experience: During the training at Café Georg, I was given an allowance. I am a graduate and I am strong and proud of my skills. I have improved communication skills, relations with supervisors, friends, guests and co-workers. After 6 monhts on-the-job training, I was accepted as a dining attendant and reported as an employee a day after graduation and received minimum wage. Now I help support my family for our daily needs. From being a dependent student, I am now an independent worker. As a woman the training gave me many opportunities. I am more resourceful. I can bake cookies or any food item and can start a business. I feel that I can survive in the world.

About her industry training experience Clarissa Naganhon says: It’s really a great motivation. You mature as you handle different people, situations and events. You understand the value of work, whether it’s a big or small job. I will treasure it for a lifetime. It was really a great experience that money cannot buy.

Hospitality skills training provides an easy and fast pathway to employment for women derived from poor socio-economic backgrounds and of low academic endowments. This sort of training is also very effective if delivered precisely in project areas that have a strong tourism and hospitality industry.

Young women from poor families are able to change the financial situation of their families by gaining employment within a short time. Hence training this target group creates impact in their families (additional family income) and their community (they provide others with an example of achievement and that the alleviation of poverty is possible through training that prepares one for specific employment outcomes).

Performance indicators	1 Year Target	/ 1 Year Result
Courses delivered	2	2
Women trained	87	91
Women with industry experience	77	92
Supervision meetings held	154	219
Companies involved	25	25
Women prepared for job seeking	55	56
Women employed	50	49

Updated November 2007