The Association of MSMEs and People’s Associations for Social Enterprise Development launched its Social Enterprise (SE) Workshop series on October 25, 2023. This monthly gathering aims to support social entrepreneurs and associations in their SE journey through the sharing of knowledge, experiences, and resources. An initiative under the National Social Enterprise Development Roadmap (SE Roadmap), these workshops also provide a space for the public to engage with the SE community and to learn more about the work that they do.
Ms. Pinky Poe, Chairperson of the MSMEs and Associations Subsector, welcomed over 150 participants to their first SE Workshop, titled Empowering Indigenous Peoples (IP) Communities through Social Entrepreneurship. It was also a fitting celebration for IP Month. Before the main event, Ms. Poe introduced the SE Roadmap, giving context for these sector-led SE initiatives.
Commissioned by BPI Foundation in 2021, the SE Roadmap is a five-year, strategic plan to advance SEs in the country through a multi-sectoral approach. Ms. Poe highlighted some of the findings from the roadmap research undertaken by Bayan Innovation Group and the Society for the Advancement of Professional Social Entrepreneurship (SAPSE). One was that there were prevailing misconceptions about SEs and a lack of understanding of what they are. Furthermore, efforts to advance social entrepreneurship in the country were still being done in silos, with the need to consolidate SE stakeholders’ efforts becoming more and more evident. With the SE sector spanning MSMEs and people’s associations, NGOs, cooperatives, the academe, and corporations, there is huge potential for collaboration. Ms. Poe emphasized that, “Through this national movement, we can access each other’s resources, build on what we are doing, and create greater impact in our work.”
Following this, Ms. Poe gave the floor to Ms. Wryneth Gay Gaong Mayapit, co-founder and Chief Community Engagement Officer of INDI Heritage PH. Wryneth shared her experiences as an IP herself, growing up in an Igorot community, before starting her social enterprise. INDI Heritage PH aims to rejuvenate pride in cultural heritage and works with local and indigenous communities. They provide skills development programs and transform available resources into valuable, lifestyle products, while addressing unemployment and culture disappearance. INDI Heritage Socks PH, their flagship brand, is the first and only Philippine brand that integrates woven designs into premium, lifestyle socks.
Wryneth first shared a background on Indigenous Peoples, often called the original inhabitants of the land. Apart from having unique and distinct cultural and social practices, they have a strong adherence to communal spirit and are deeply connected to their ancestral lands. In going around the Cordilleras and immersing herself in the communities, Wryneth saw the wealth of assets that can be leveraged into opportunities for IPs: from agriculture, textile weaving, jewelry-making, and handicrafts, to natural dye, tourism, food and wood and stone carving.
However, although there is a lot of interest in working with IPs, there are also many challenges in establishing successful partnerships with IP communities. One of the reasons for this is a history of exploitation, cultural appropriation and commercialization of indigenous art, which has made IP communities wary of or even antagonistic to prospective partners. One example that Wryneth gave for such exploitative practices is when elements of IP culture are used in fashion without proper understanding of their significance, without respect or acknowledgment, and without proper consent.
In setting up INDI Heritage PH, Wryneth and her team had to navigate through deeply-rooted cultural sensitivities and misconceptions about what they aspired to do. Many times, the communities were doubtful, despite the fact that Wryneth was an IP herself. She stressed that in addressing a community’s lack of trust and openness, her team had to dig deep and seek first to understand their IP partners. Her experiences showed her that it was crucial to immerse in the communities, to understand the most pressing and persistent, everyday problems before seeking answers and solutions.
With IP communities so used to being treated with a top-down approach, they anticipated that they would be dictated upon, with no decision-making power. Wryneth and her team thus took extra care to build INDI through a ground-up approach. By making sure that their partners were heard, they earned the trust and commitment of the IPs they worked with. Constant communication with the IPs, local government, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, and all project stakeholders was also key to building strong, long-term partnerships.
During the Q&A that followed, there was an overwhelming response among the workshop participants in how eye-opening the dialogue was and what potential collaborations could be initiated with IPs. There are definitely many opportunities to introduce innovations, skills training and development, market linkages, as well as mentoring for IP communities. As she continues to grow INDI, Wryneth is guided by the principle of seeking first to understand the community’s perspective.
The session closed on a very hopeful and positive note, with Ms. Poe thanking Wryneth and the group for such an insightful and engaged discussion. Ms. Poe also invited the audience to learn more about the SE Roadmap and the ways in which they could become part of the SE movement.
BIG congratulations on the launching of the SE Workshop Series! For more information on the MSMEs and Associations subsector and its initiatives, connect with us through collaborate@bayaninnovationgroup.org.