Jr. Weavers Program
The BEAGIVER Jr. Weavers Program is an impact project which aims to empower minority groups economically by preserving their traditional culture of weaving and using it as a means to strengthen their source of livelihood and improve their income opportunity. BEAGIVER Ventures Inc. aims to implement this project to all minority groups in the country that are known for their weaving culture and are at the same time facing problems regarding the preservation of their skill to future generations. For now, BEAGIVER Ventures Inc. has already implemented the program in Upper Calarian, Zamboanga City where the Yakan weaving community can be found and is planning to implement the program in Basilan Island where the Yakans originally resided.
Historically, the Yakan residents located in Upper Calarian today are based on the island of Basilan. However due to the unsettling condition in the area caused by the endless war between some Moro groups and the authority, most of the Yakan people left Basilan and sought the comfort of Zamboanga City’s high land of Upper Calarian. There, away from the chaos of their previous hometown, their society thrived through fishing, farming, coconut, rubber, carpentry, and most especially, weaving. Yakan fabric came from natural resources such as abaca and pineapple fabric and was famous for its intricate design and beautiful colors which came from dyes extracted from tree barks, roots, and leaves. Through time, the Yakans depended on their culture of weaving as a source of livelihood for their families. However, through the passage of time, post-colonization and modernization has caused for the decline of enthusiastic Yakan weavers from the new generation, hence threatening the amazing culture of weaving which is now only done by the aging population of the community.
Through the BEAGIVER Jr. Weavers Program, Yakan weavers who are comprised of the children’s mothers and grandmothers, will hold a learning session every weekend to teach the traditional skill of weaving to Yakan boys and girl. In return, all the children who will participate in this program will receive a scholarship covering their school allowance, school materials, school supplies, and the weaving equipment for their weekly learning session. The BEAGIVER Jr. Weavers Program guarantees to support the educational needs of the Jr. Weavers so long as their parents commit to keeping them in school. The BEAGIVER Jr. Weavers Program is currently supporting 27 Jr. Weavers who have been receiving scholarship and have been making an extra of 300 pesos a week from the weaves that they make. To further help the Jr. Weavers, BEAGIVER also buys the children’s Yakan weaves and use them as a material for the manufacture of the BEAGIVER bags. Once this project in Zamboanga City and Basilan result to good outcomes, we aim to implement this project in other areas in the Philippines to fulfill our mission of strengthening the country’s local industries through the proper utilization of its rich and diverse cultures.
