Our Initiatives

OUR INITIATIVES

Volunteer
Nation PH

Volunteer Nation PH is a volunteer management and matching portal that aims to connect individuals and organizations to meaningful volunteer opportunities. This platform is a collaboration between USAID- Save the Children Capacitating Strategic Organizations to Strengthen Civil Society Organizations (CSO2) Project and YFI PH, two organizations committed to empowering people to create positive change in their communities.

BAKAL LOKAL

The project aims to bridge consumers to micro and small entrepreneurs (MSMEs) and match local producers to MSMEs in Western Visayas via an online platform showcasing local, organic, fairly traded and sustainably sourced products.

Bakal Lokal will be known as a reliable platform in bridging the local micro and small entrepreneurs to a wider consumer base, businesses are matched to local producers and local services and causes have a special platform to inform and engage the public.

The project aims to provide the following solutions:

One-stop online shop
The convenience of delivery or accessible pick-up points for consumers and local MSMEs.
Subscription-based buying for repeat purchases.
Lower prices for bulk buys
Eco-friendly packaging
Sustainably sourced, fairly traded, certified local products

PRODUKTO LOKAL

There is so much potential in the grassroots. Delve deeper into the community and don’t be afraid to be entrepreneurs because entrepreneurship empowers people. Empowered people change the world.

A unique program focusing on bringing locally produced products, ranging from food to non-food, to the global market Develops and promotes local products Empowers local communities and engaging entrepreneurs to become sustainable social businesses. Provides technical support on product development. Technical support may be packaging, labeling, branding and product concept framework. Online (e-commerce website) and offline platforms (distribution centers and fairs) to market products.

Produkto Lokal is a market linkage model that serves as a consortium of both homegrown and local producers. It is also an avenue that engages young and emerging entrepreneurs in producing local products of global quality. We cultivate creativity and unique ideas.We do our best to keep a friendly, caring and inclusive community. We have loyal tenants who continue to partner with us. We have also partnered with the city government and forged partnerships with other local organizations to shine light and support our cause.

wEEKEND TIENDA

Weekend Tienda sa Iloilo is a concerted effort of various government, academe and non-government agencies initiated by Regional Development Council 6 and NEDA Region 6. It hopes to bolster the local economy by empowering the local industry players starting from homegrown, startups to MSMEs. It hopes to bring the best of Ilonggo Cuisine, delicacies and products available to locals and visitors, both foreign and from other parts of the country. Youth First Initiative Philippines (YFI) Inc. played a vital role during the operation of the said project as co-implementing organization together with Taytay sa Kauswagan Inc.. YFI is also the led organization for marketing of the said project.

279 LOCAL BUSINESSES AND STARTUPS

We started in January 2016 with only 32 entrepreneurs. We support local communities in developing local products.

118 LOCAL ARTISTS AND PERFORMERS

Local musicians, performers and artists are given a venue to share their creativity, advocacy and talents.

20 LOCAL BUSINESSES AND STARTUPS

Our team is led by volunteers. Startups test and showcase their products’ marketability during our weekend fairs.

TRAININGS DONE

SOME PRODUCTS LAUNCHED IN PL FAIRS

Locally sourced and locally produced

TRAININGS AND WORKSHOPS

We integrate training and workshops in our initiatives to help equip ourselves and our partners. We believe that equipping stakeholders will pave the way towards sustainable initiatives. Here are some of them:

Plastic Solution. Promote zero waste practices to MSMEs focusing on working towards a sustainable lifestyle, plastic waste management and a zero waste economy.
Plastic Solution. Promote zero waste practices to MSMEs focusing on working towards a sustainable lifestyle, plastic waste management and a zero waste economy.
Artisan fair Workshops featuring topics on: Engaging your Customer, Entrepreneurship and Youth Empowerment by Senator Bam Aquino, Brandy Strategy by Brad Geiser of GeiserMaclang, a marketing consulting agency in the Philippines.
Basic Accounting and bookkeeping for Non-accountants with Ms. Bernadette Ternura of Ternura Business Consultancy.
Digital Marketing Starter for Small Businesses with Ms. Jenille Cristy Lozada of Dame Digital.

TABAS

Tabas is a Filipino term used in sewing for cutting a pattern of a design (verb) or a cut design pattern (noun). The use of the term in the title is to showcase the nature of the livelihood project – sewing. We also envision this project helping the women in the community design a future that will lead them out of poverty to an improved and beautiful quality of life in the long-run
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In line with Youth First Initiative Philippines, Inc.’s (YFI) strategy to make increasingly active contributions to the sustainable development goals, we have identified to help Barangay Botong, Oton, a 164-household barangay. The community has an existing social housing program and two organized associations. This project will work hand-in-hand with Barangay Botong Oton Seaside Homeowners Association. The Project will be divided into three phases (see Theory of Change and Project Outlook document). The first phase will be the preparatory stage which will serve as the foundation of the project. This will include soft skills trainings and sessions that are programmed to address mindset change and help the project become more sustainable. The second and third phase will mainly focus on implementation, monitoring and development. At the end of the first year, we will conduct an assessment and dialogue with the community for possible scale ups and turnover to the association.

YOUTH FIRST

This is a social conversation wherein the youth, government officials, lawmakers, advocacy champions and target institutions meet and talk together in finding solutions in overcoming social inequalities.

The area of conversation is being prioritized into few categories to give focus and special attention to make it more achievable in a span of 6 years.

The idea is simple, here are our issues, and what can we do to overcome these? As a lawmaker, government official, among others, what can you contribute to help shape the future of the succeeding generation?

our initiatives