Teach 15,000 rural kids to save and invest

Paglaum Youth Laboratory Cooperative was created and organized last December 29, 1998 and registered under CDA CGY Recognition No. 0001 making it the first laboratory cooperative organized in the area with an initial 315 members and start-up deposit of Php 67, 993.26. The laboratory cooperative was created to mould the youth as second liners of Paglaum MPC, it specifically serves as a training ground for members in the management and operations of the cooperative. It serves as a venue for teaching the youth the value of saving, thriftiness and financial literacy.

One of the flagship Youth programs of Paglaum is the Aflatoun. It is a school-based savings program that encourages school children to save a portion of their allowance to the cooperative. Paglaum started the implementation of the Aflatoun with 6 partner schools last 2013. Every week, the Aflatoun coordinator will collect their savings and deposit it to their personal account in the cooperative. Through the Aflatoun Program, with 16 partner schools, the total school-based savings amounted to 990,395.50 last school year 2019-2020 alone.

Paglaum MPC serves predominantly rural communities, as the Coop’s tagline goes: “Reaching out to Rural Communities” Aflatoun is one of the programs that Paglaum brought to the rural communities and was received with much warmth by the Schools and Children as it was a great opportunity for them to further learn and grow. Children and teachers are very happy with the Aflatoun program because it allows them to save even without travelling far to the town proper. More than just creating the savings account, the value of saving is always emphasized through regular school visits and engaging activities.

In order to give value and further promote Aflatoun Program, Paglaum initiated several activities for its partner schools. Besides that, the cooperative is also fortunate to be in the loop with national and international organizations that are capable of initiating events which can be done within the community.

Some of the events include: The Aflatoun International Day, Global Money Week, Basic Cooperative Courses, Coop Seminars and Youth Summit. Such exposure has been very helpful in imparting the Advocacy and Values that Paglaum wishes to integrate among its Youth and Aflatoun Savers.

The past year has been very challenging in terms of the implementation of the Aflatoun school visits due to the absence of face-to-face classes because of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the world was in a standstill, Paglaum Youth Savers continued to reach out to our office requesting for their savings to picked-up. That is why Paglaum Youth Team decided to do a Pick-up Savings so that savers will still be inspired to continue their savings even while they are unable to go to school.

As we all look forward for a brighter and better 2021, the Paglaum Youth Team will continue to innovate and find ways to promote the Aflatoun, together with its other advocacy programs. The present challenges will not bring us down, perhaps it can propel us to even greater heights. As General Manager Gadwin Handumon always say, in vernacular “Handumon nato kanunay adunay Paglaum, (Remember always, there is Hope).”

Integrity. Resilience. Passion. Guimaras Brethren Multi-Purpose Cooperative’s (GBMPC) Holy Grail in its mission of providing efficient financial and social services to uplift the living conditions of Guimarasnons.

GBMPC just like any other coop has its ups and downs; has been stormed by tempests and storms in its operations but it has stood firm and unwavering. The pillar of integrity was among the most challenging facets that our coop has been beset with. Our maiden voyage embarked in 2008 having 15 Aflatoun partner schools.

It had started smoothly but was not sustained and lied low due to lack of staff to monitor the kiddie savings and program operations. The lack of teacher and school head support were also among the reasons; they had that fear that the coop might go bankrupt since Guimaras Multi-Purpose Cooperative (GMPC) was facing financial issues then before GBMPC took over its operations and eventually changed its name, from GMPC to GBMPC. Having this sad scenario for a starting coop is indeed a struggling jaunt; establishing the coop integrity so as to earn a good credibility from the locals is a sure insurmountable challenge to take.

It took us awhile and in 2012, the program was revived and the coop administration hired an Aflatoun Coordinator with a major responsibility of monitoring the program implementation in schools. It surely had a good leap. After some time, the Aflatoun program o has gained numerous awards and recognition from NATCCO Micoop Special Awards as Youth Serving Cooperative of the Year, both for the Youth Savers and Young People Categories - hailed in the Hall of Fame that has consistently grabbed the awards for five successive years! However, life is not just on the laurels; once again, Aflatoun Program encountered a new challenge on fraud which eventually put the organization on pins and needles where we once again need to fight and establish our image and credibility to win potential members, clients and the acceptance of the community.

However, due to the admin’s quick response, the new coordinator’s proper and close monitoring of the ledger and program operations, it’s not that hard anymore for us to regain stance and eventually gain the community’s trust and confidence once more. Kiddie savers, parents, micro-entrepreneurs and potential savers have patronized the various coop services and even increased its productivity which triggered for the organization to open up new services and offers; catering an array of the locals’ needs.

Through the years, the Aflatoun program has been gaining more attention from its elementary and secondary school partners; increasing memberships and savings of kiddie and youth members. The program has conducted a Aflatoun Youth Camp with the objective of cultivating the entrepreneurial mindset to the youth towards financial literacy. Also, the Aflatoun program conducts training and seminars, gives medals and awards in recognition of the exemplary members at the end of every school year as well as distributing candies during Christmas parties. Also, the cooperative is joining the annual Brigada Eskwela as its response to DepEd’s call of preparing the schools for the opening of classes.

In addition, our kiddie savers are also joining the annual Children’s Month Celebration of the province; we have been very participative in joining government programs and celebrations especially those that are geared towards children’s welfare.

The local government and the Schools Division of Guimaras have been very accommodating and positive towards the Aflatoun Program of GBMPC and have been our strong stakeholders of the program since then.

Presently, the program is being sustained and the staff are passionately and continuously planning for ways and activities that can benefit our kiddie members - the very same passion which is igniting us to always keep our best foot forward in any endeavors we intend to accomplish.