Partners:

• Episcopal Diocese of the Central Philippines (EDCP)
• Center for Community Transformation (CCT)

Program Type and Services:

• Christian Microfinance Institution: “Credit Led”

Training and Resource Examples:

• Discipleship training
• Community servant leaders’ training

The Community

Most families in the slum communities of Manila earn $2 to $3 dollars a day from working at odd jobs. The women are usually the main providers for the family. They scratch by through small-scale buying and selling of basic food, soap, and clothing products.  However, due to lack of working capital and basic business skills, their businesses falter and many fail. They have no other means of supporting their families. When a business fails, the family has no money for food and the children go hungry.  Malnutrition leads to diseases that can cripple a child for a lifetime. In the midst of these communities, Episcopal churches serve both the physical and spiritual needs of the people.

The Program

Through the Microenterprise Development and Spiritual Enhancement Program (MDSEP), the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Philippines has had great success working in its communities.  This program was piloted in two congregations — Holy Faith Episcopal Church in Cainta and Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in Taguig (both located in Metro Manila) — however, beneficiaries are Episcopalians and non-Episcopalians from the immediate communities.

After four years, the MDSEP has become successful, thanks to its continued partnership with the Center for Community Transformation (CCT), which proved to be effective not only at providing microfinance support, but also spiritual formation to its borrowers.  This holistic approach — technical support combined with spiritual support — aligns well with Five Talents’ mission to defeat poverty not only through creating jobs and providing business training and loans, but through transforming lives with the power of the Gospel.

The Need

In the fall of 2000, Five Talents established a “branch office” in the community of Cainta in the slums of the Manila, where more than 1,500 poor families are breaking the cycle of poverty!  With a 99.4% repayment rate on four loan cycles, this has been a remarkable investment in the poor. In 2001, Five Talents expanded to incorporate the Taguig community, which has helped hundreds of families get a start in business.  Please join us in praying for these needs today.

2011 Funding Request:

• $15,000

Help us empower the citizens of the Philippines with the capacity to improve their lives by supporting this Five Talents International program. You will be fighting poverty, creating jobs and transforming lives!

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