Vietnam Forum features Philippine Social Enterprise experience

Dr. Marie Lisa Dacanay, the President and Founder of the Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA) shared the context and experiences of social enterprises in the Philippines in a forum organized by the Centre for Social Initiatives Promotion (CSIP) for civil society organizations (CSOs) in Hanoi, Vietnam last January 27, 2015. 

In her presentation, Dr. Dacanay highlighted two cases or models of CSO-led social enterprise initiatives in the country. The first case is about the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development – Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD-MRI)as the model for achieving a significant scale of outreach among landless rural poor women and transforming them into empowered client-owners of social enterprises. The other case discussed is the story of Alter Trade Foundation Incorporated and the Negros Organic & Fair Trade Association (NOFTA) as the model for transforming  agricultural worker-beneficiaries of land reform to become empowered leaders and members of cooperatives or associations engaged as partners in fair trade and community development. 

The forum, with the theme “Social Entrepreneurship – the innovative approach towards sustainability of CSOs” was attended by more than 50 participants from various CSOs in Vietnam. The forum was sponsored by Irish Aid.