Women Migrant Returnees livelihood training

The Development Action for Women Network (DAWN) continues to promote the best practices of sustainable reintegration for women migrant returnees, survivors of gender-based violence and trafficking and members of their families.

DAWN complements its psychosocial interventions of group counselling and therapeutic workshops with skills trainings on sewing and handloom weaving. The therapeutic properties of sewing and weaving also serve as skills for alternative source of income and employment, providing a holistic approach to reintegration.

Part of DAWN’s sharing of best practices with relevant stakeholders are the various visits of partners to learn more about its advocacy and programs. One of which is the visit of the faculty and students of Crest Secondary School on 9 January 2026. Based in Singapore, their team learned about DAWN’s programs and services and they also had a hands-on session on creating coasters. They appreciated the work DAWN is providing for women migrant returnees, since a substantial number of women migrant workers are based in Singapore, mostly working as domestic and service workers. This was made possible in partnership with Javalava Tours.

The next activity is with the Business Management Team of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) on 14 March 2026. As part of Women’s Month, DAWN and BPI partnered on promoting the welfare of our women migrant returnees and members of their families. BPI provided DAWN members with a Financial Literacy Awareness Lecture on Digital Fraud. The BPI Team also learned how to do handwoven coasters as well as have an interactive session with DAWN members who shared their experiences of working overseas and able to reintegrate back home. BPI mentioned that this is the start of its partnership with DAWN and will support through various programs and activities in the future.

The Development Action for Women Network (DAWN) continues to promote its holistic approach to reintegration to women migrant returnees, survivors of gender-based violence and trafficking and members of their families.

Aside from conducting skills trainings on sewing and handloom weaving, DAWN also provides its facilities to produce various handicrafts. DAWN SIKHAY Coordinator Ms. Marife Patiño is able to create a variety of products from handwoven shawls to hallow bags and other small accessories. Through this program, they have their alternative source of income, and it also provides an environment to channel their creativity and promote well-being through the therapeutic properties of sewing and weaving.

Because of DAWN’s holistic approach to reintegration, several guests and partners visited DAWN to explore possible support and opportunities to assist women migrant returnees, survivors of gender-based violence and trafficking and members of their families. Among those who visited were Asec. Levinson Alcantara of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Miss Eco Australia 2025 Adriana Gravador, and First Secretary (Migration) Lara Engel of the Embassy of Canada to the Philippines.