We have been working in the Philippines since 2015 and remain fully committed there. Since our operations began, we have trained approximately 500 Filipinos in how to start and grow their businesses.

We help our students gain the confidence in their business planning an research skills that sometimes leads to a modest loan to start and grow their business. Below is a short video of one of our graduates, Rebecca, who is a seamstress, discussing how a loan with change her life.

Our students come from all walks of life, but the sweet spot of our ministry is the poor and disenfranchised from society. Many of our recruits come from “squatter areas”, pictured above. These are make-shift houses cobbled together on land that is not being used. Most often there is no running water or electricity. Over the years, raw sewage and unsanitary conditions develop in these communities contributing to an unhealthy environment.

You can see the squatter area to the left where 100’s of families live. In the upper right, a mere 2 blocks away, is the Seaside Mall, the most upscale mall in the Philippines.

We first begin with a 2-day program called, “Generate Your Business Idea (GYB). In this class students are taught how to develop an idea and complete the market research that it takes to make the idea a successful business.

As you can see above, the businesses are quite modest, but most have the probability to flourish and scale providing life long economic support to the owners and their families.

After developing and researching their business idea, the students are taught to develop a complete business plan. This is a 5-day workshop called, “Start Your Business (SYB).” One of the exercises that they complete is called, “business diagramming.” The above picture illustrates a simple battery charging business that covers the business systems of marketing and sales, operations, employee development and financial management. By diagramming their business, they develop a visual representation of the the business and they can see how the finances need to be accounted for and reconciled.

The students then undertake a rigorous set of exercises that help them identify their revenue by category and frequency. Through market research, they ascertain the cost to produce their products and services. Close attention is paid to startup costs and fixed and variable costs. Gross margins and net profit exercises give the students confidence in their business plan.

They even learn money management techniques with an emphasis on cash flow analysis and projections.

After completion of their business plan, DBA graduates their students in a formal process that brings a sense of accomplishment and confidence in taking their businesses forward. Every effort is made to help the graduates with a capital formation plan that sometimes involves the securing of a loan to begin or grow their business.