“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry.”
John 6:35
The program Negosyo Asin Trabaho (Business and Work) started when FEBC DWAS-AM was still on air (1978-2008). The program continues today, live every weekday. It has grown in popularity over the years, with FEBC Philippines developing partnerships with vocational schools and government departments so listeners not only learn about employment and business skills on-air, but also receive start-up grants and qualifications.
A segment on the program is Bahay to Business in Bicol (From Home to Business in Bicol). FEBC Philippines partnered with a Technical Educations and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) vocational school in the First District of Albay: the San Francisco Institute of Science and Technology.
“Our aim was to give our listeners the necessary training for the skills they needed to start their own small business. We localised it and took it to the next level by having an actual demo class,”Raquel Landong, Station Manager of DWAY-FM, one of the 11 radio stations operated by FEBC Philippines.
TESDA then offered the full course of Entrepreneurial Development with students receiving a TESDA Certificate of Competency.
Upon graduation, thanks to FEBC’s partnership with the Philippines’ Department of Labor and Employment, the top seven students received a Nego Kart (a street vendor food cart) worth P15,000 each and a startup capital of P1,000 (about A$400).
“Our first graduation in 2010 on Entrepreneurial Development we had 39 graduates; or second graduation in 2012 on Food Processing we had 66; our third graduation in 2015 in Bread and Pastry Production with a national competency certification on NCII, we had 25. In 2016, in Bread and Pastry Production NCII, we had 16 graduates,” said Raquel.
The bread and pastry production courses teach on-air students the basics of baking bread, cakes and pastries and encourages them to start their own business.
“Some of our graduates have moved on to start their own small businesses by selling cakes, pies and pastries. Some teachers have used this for accreditation to gain employment in the Senior High Track of the Department of Education. Some have gone abroad and have used their National Competency (NCII) Certification as bakers and cooks.”
Praise God for the skills and resources FEBC is able to share via its radio programs. As our teams demonstrate Christ’s love and support, the hope Christ shines through as people and communities are empowered to lift themselves out of economic hardship.
