Teach 15,000 rural kids to save and invest

Our learning from the National Youth Leadership Training did not stop there!

Last November 5-6, 2022, we gathered all young leaders in the Queen City of the South—Cebu City for the the Youth Leadership Training for aspiring entrepreneur and young business owners alike.

The Youth Entrepreneurship Training is an avenue for our 31 participants to increase competency as they desire to venture into the business world. It highlighted skills such as self-mastery, and product promotion in the traditional and/or digital market. We've had loads of topics discussed to unleash the potential of our future young entrepreneurs. 

Building an enterprise starts from within the value and character we discover and grow, to fostering a creative and entrepreneurial mindset up to the vision we pursue. All these are the foundation for learning the technicalities of entrepreneurship. It also promoted active participation between group members through the tasks set intended for camaraderie and team effort.

It was a back-to-back activity along with the Leadership Training and our team has witnessed how enthusiastic the participants were after more than two years of seeing and learning in a virtual space. We hope to conduct more of these this year!

Thanks for reading, Global Givers!

Warmest Holidays, NATCCO Family!

It’s the season of cheerful giving and gratitude. We hope to share our great desire for everyone to be able to spend a meaningful Christmas with their loved ones and family. Wrap up the year with laughter and reminisce about the moments that made you grow this year. Christmas signifies a new beginning to bring you the greatest hope. Moving forward, let’s face the future with a renewed perspective of what is to come.

Luke 2: 10-11 says, But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon!

This article is written by DCCCO's Youth Coordinator, Ms. Honey Mae Grepon. In this article, she shared he experience and journey as previous Youth Cooperative leader to empowering other Children and Youth in Dumaguete City, in the Visayan region of the Philippines. Let's read on her story of hope and inspiration.

It will always bring me a big smile whenever I will reminisce my journey towards being a Youth Program Coordinator of DCCCO Multipurpose Cooperative (DCCCO) because I started as an ordinary Teen Saver at the age of thirteen (13) and eventually became the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of DCCCO Laboratory Cooperative by 2012-2015 which later on recognized by the Cooperative Development Authority as DCCCO Youth Zone Laboratory Cooperative (DYZLC) on December 18, 2018. Being in the Lab Coop allowed me to lay bare my frustrations and pains, experience the joy of being a child, lead and think out of the box, and learn lots of life lessons. When I became an employee of DCCCO, our Youth Coordinator of Dumaguete Branch back then, often allowed me to participate and assist in her activities for the Youth sector. Thus, giving me more exposure to the various activities and programs for the Youth and the Aflatoun members. After plenty of discernment, I grabbed the opportunity to become the Youth Program Coordinator of DYZLC in the Head Office when the position was opened. 

As a Youth Program Coordinator, it was a big challenge for me to formulate policies, programs, activities, systems, and procedures for our laboratory cooperative especially because the DYZLC is still in its early stages of becoming a full-blown and established laboratory cooperative. I am also faced with difficulties because of the changes in the implementation of our activities and services brought by the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Committing myself to participate in various activities provided by the National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO) helped me a great deal in equipping myself with the necessary knowledge and expertise to conduct the activities of DYZLC. The opportunities provided by the NATCCO Children and Youth Team were very timely and relevant to the new learning style of today, how to mobilize collections, and mitigate the challenges of the new normal.

Furthermore, DCCCO, our Guardian Cooperative has been very generous in allotting a budget from the Cooperative Education and Training Fund for the implementation of our membership developmental activities and the improvement of the capabilities of our DYZLC officers and DCCCO staff. I have found great mentors and support from the management, officers, and staff of DCCCO and DYZLC.

The Aflatoun and Youth Program honed me to become what I am today. From the management of my finances, and my attitude towards my brethren, to how I fulfill my mission as a Youth Program Coordinator, it was all credited to my experiences and learnings from the Youth Program and to God Almighty’s providence.

It was very life-enriching to connect with Aflatouners from other countries because of the Aflatoun Program and fellow cooperators from other places in the country. The Aflatoun and Youth Program allowed me to meet committed and passionate Aflatoun Coordinators, cooperators, young individuals, and impressive mentors and learn from them.

It is evident that the cooperative movement is improving and changing many lives, especially of the people in the marginalized sector of society. The youth of today should value the presence of the cooperative movement. I can attest that it would be truly life-changing if one will take part, become an active member, participate in various activities, become a good leader and help other people.

“Success without succession is a failure”. The current and future Aflatouners and the Youth are the hope of tomorrow. They should continue the legacy, the good deeds, and the beneficial impact of the cooperative movement and the Aflatoun Program on the lives of many.

MSU-IIT National Multi-Purpose Cooperative is one of NATCCO's partner implementing the Aflatoun Program in the Mindanao Region of the Philippines. This article is written by Pegerine Mark B. Libot, MSU-IITNMPC's Youth Program Coordinator.

MSU-IIT National Multi-Purpose Cooperative started its Aflatoun Movement and Youth Program last June 23, 2008. In the span of 14 years we partnered in over 21 schools across Mindanao particularly in Lanao Del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Zamboanga Del Sur, and Agusan Del Norte. We have a total of 12,175 Youth and Laboratory Cooperative Savers, Aflatoun Savers are 1,633, Teen Savers and Youth Cooperative are 5,154 and the rest are kiddie savers.

Before pandemic we conducted various activities in our Aflatoun Partner School. The highlight of every year is the awarding of our Top Savers and Top Depositors in Aflatoun and Laboratory Cooperative.  The primary purpose is to entice our youth to engage in savings and learn the value of it.

To increase engagement of our youth and aflatouners, we conducted series of events mostly before pandemic. We conducted the financial literacy for aflatouns, youth coop and laboratory coop at MSU-IIT Coop Academy, it was attended also of the teachers and parents. Our primary goal is to advocate the development and empowerment of the youth by teaching our future generation the significance of thrift and savings.

Last August 24, 2019, we have our Bright Ideas: Sustainability Pitch Competition and Trashtag Challenge. We have also our  Jingle Competition and Money Saving VLOG Challenge, Youth Leadership and Financial Literacy Training. This contest is open to all Laboratory Cooperative members including Aflatoun. There are more than 10 schools from Iligan City that  joined the event from Elementary to Senior High School. The winners received a cash prize and a certificate from the event.

We have also our outreach program last December 2019 at Barangay Kabacsanan, Iligan City, the said event was attended by youth members and committee. Our recipient is the children of the chosen school of that barangay.

Before pandemic early 2020, we have our series of membership campaigns including our youth and laboratory cooperative. We visits some schools in Butuan. Davao City, and General Santos City. The main purpose of those campaign is to entice more youth and kiddie to join our savings program.

The pandemic does not hinders us to do activities for our youth last 2021. We have a series of outreach activities, such as Barangayan in partnership with PNP, webinar for Empowering Youth in communities through Gender Leadership, and Youth Christmas Outreach Program.

As what Franklin D. Roosevelt says, “We cannot always build the future for our Youth, but we can build the Youth for the future.”