Six cooperatives completed the four-month Global Social Benefit Institute (GSBI) Ignite! Accelerator Program of the School of Business and Economics Center for Social Entrepreneurship (SBE CSE) with the support of Santa Clara University Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship and the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.

Five of these participating cooperatives came from the Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Integrated Development Center (JPIC IDC), namely Sumbanan Consumers Cooperative, Nagkahiusang Pondok sa mga Katawhan sa Lapu-Lapu (NAPOKALA), Christian Workers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CWOMCO), San Pio Homeowners Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SAPHIOC), and Tipolo Creekside Urban Poor Home Owners Association (TICUPHAI), while the sixth cooperative is the Bantayan Island Seaweeds Production and Marketing Enterprise.

The GSBI Ignite! Program assists initial stage social entrepreneurs by helping them learn business fundamentals and apply these learning experiences to improve their business entities and financial plans.

SBE Dean Melanie B. de Ocampo, Ph.D., underscored the milestone that the participants achieved and hoped for the growth of each cooperative as detailed in their plans of action for 2020 and beyond.

The 3rd cohort of the Ignite! Program will run from May-Sept. 2020 and SBE CSE is now looking for possible participants. For interested individuals, associations, or cooperatives, you may send an email to [email protected] for more information.

by Allan O. Gozon, Center for Social Entrepreneurship

Tags: Business and Economics