Virlanie believes that all children they care for should have the right to an education so they may lead a successful life. Following the same idea, Virlanie decided to come up with income generating projects back in 2003.
IGP’s activities are designed to enhance creative talents as well as encourage concentration, discipline, maturity, understanding of the requirements of honest work and the value of money. Some projects are designed to introduce them to the concepts of personal management. Virlanie guides its children to take the responsibility of the selling price, the success or failure of the sale, and the beauty and the quality of their products. The skills that they learned will surely become useful for them once they move out of the Foundation as empowered young adults.
As Virlanie encourages integration, dialogue and expression through artistic activities, the products made by the children strictly adhere to regulations of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) with regards to the children’s working hours. In fact they only work three hours at a maximum, twice a week for the t-shirt painting and once or twice a week for the jewelry-making activity.
Here is an overview of Virlanie’s current Income Generating Projects (IGP):
Hand Painted T-Shirts
This project is specific to the Drop-In Center, one of Virlanie’s Homes for young children.
Serving as a creative outlet for children to cope with the adjustment of a new environment or adjust from the experience of living in the streets, the children living in the Drop-In-Center are taught by an art facilitator about how to paint, choose good color combinations, and execute proper brush strokes.
For the children, it is important that their art be understood, commented on, appreciated, and they take it as serious work. Making art in this interactive environment can have a significant positive effect on the children’s self-esteem. Furthermore, the t-shirt painting activity aims to foster social integration. The t-shirts are sold to individuals and the children receive a compensation for their artwork.
The T-shirts have various designs and shapes. For further information, please feel free to visit the foundation.
Recycled Bags from Flour Sacks
Virlanie has also encouraged the start of a new project with the beneficiaries of Virlanie’s Open Day Center (ODC) in Quiapo. In this case, the parents of the children in ODC are taught how to cut used flour sacks donated by Ad’laine bakery and sew them into bags. The purpose of this activity is to support the entire family through training and livelihood. Virlanie believes that empowered families’ makes for a brighter future for children.
Paper beads Jewelries
The girls and young women living in Virlanie’s Elizabeth Home and in Mother and Child are provided with trainings on making paper beads jewelry. The project aims to develop their entrepreneurial skills including crafting products, selling them and marketing them. With the opportunity of being creative in their design, the girls and young women are able to appreciate the idea of hard work through the appreciation that comes once their products are.
Where to buy our products
Our products can be bought at Virlanie Foundation - 4055 Yague Street, Makati. In addition, an IGP booth is also set up once every two weeks at Mara’s Organic Market in Legaspi Village, Makati.
IGP products can also be ordered (please send an email to the IGP coordinator).
Contact:
IGP Coordinator
E-mail: igp@virlanie.org