NZ envoy enjoins other countries to support solo mothers program

The government of New Zealand is inviting other countries to support its joint program with Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) in empowering solo mothers in Cebu.

In an interview with New Zealand Ambassador Peter Kell, he said his government is open to talking with other countries like Canada and United States to join the program, which is now benefiting at least 150 solo mothers across Cebu province.

Under this joint program, which was signed between CCCI and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) in 2019, deserving unmarried single mommies are trained to acquire skills in Information Communication and Technology (ICT) and also undergo Life Skills Training.

Other strategic partners which are involved in the project are the Department of Information and Communications (DICT-Visayas Cluster 2 Office), Local Government Units and CCCI chapters around Cebu province.

According to the Ambassador, depends on the success of this pilot project—one of its kind in all its support projects in the Philippines, New Zealand may continue with another phase, or invite other countries to join, and help more beneficiaries.

Single mom participants are from various areas in Cebu Province namely Naga, Cordova, Balamban and Bantayan.

“We have been working with the CCCI for years and have seen the positive impact this project has made for solo mothers... We hope that as our solo mothers take the next step, they continue to build on their skills, develop their networks and share their experience to other women,” said Kell.

The P2.5 million project, provided by the New Zealand government as a form of grant assistance to CCCI, also included the purchase of tablets and internet load cards for beneficiaries, as most trainings went online since 2020.

Originally scheduled to complete by September 2021, since it started implementation on June 2019, the completion target was stretched due to 10-month setback brought about by COVID-19.

Kell, together with other officers from New Zealand Embassy was in Cebu recently to check on the project’s development.

The Ambassador shared that he is impressed at how the program transformed beneficiary solo mothers in gaining confidence and skills. He hopes that these women may find more opportunities to augment their income and pursue their own businesses, creating an alternative career path secondary and complementary to parenting.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Ybañez, executive director at CCCI, reported that after completing the trainings these solo mothers landed jobs in English as Second Language were they became home-based teachers while some joined the call center industry. Others opened up their own online stores.

This latest project was inspired by the successful implementation of smaller program, the Entrepreneurial Training for Young Unmarried Women in Cebu City in 2018, also a joint program of CCCI and the New Zealand of Embassy which graduated 23 solo mothers.

With the programs’ encouraging outcome, Kell reiterated the Embassy’s willingness to share the program’s success story to other countries, and invite them to join the cause. —