OWWA, COCA-COLA SEEK WOMEN OFWS’ REINTEGRATION
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration-National Reintegration Center for OFWs (OWWA-NRCO) and Coca-Cola Philippines have committed to help mitigate the growing problem of women migration by creating opportunities for women OFWs, especially domestic helpers and caregivers, to venture into income-generating activities locally, such as sarisari stores that could facilitate their return and reintegration.
Through a memorandum of understanding, both parties have agreed to help distressed women OFWs explore possible economic opportunities when they come home through the Women Entrepreneurs Reintegrated and Economically Active at Home (WOMEN REACH!) program.
It will be piloted in the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices in Kuwait and Singapore.
“We believe that this is something that enriches both our organizations. Through our 5by20 Sarisari Store Training and Access to Resources or STARProgram, we provide something very concrete for the women who we’d like to reintegrate. With OWWA, your expertise, your reach and your scope, we get to reach out to the women who really need this the most,” said Atty. Adel Tamano, Coca-Cola Philippines Vice-President for Public Affairs and Communications.
“The main narrative of the push factors of women for going abroad is to provide for their families and send their kids to school. If we can show them the WOMEN REACH! program and the potentials of growing microenterprises, and help them to run these enterprises, they may be able to support their families while in the country. When that happens, we give them back to their families,” noted Josefino Torres, OWWA Deputy Administrator.