‘All of us are part of this fight for a better Philippines.
Be involved and engaged in what’s happening in our country,’
Josh Mahinay urges other OFWs
MANILA, Philippines – A little Mindanaoan boy treks across a rice paddy on the way to school.
Day breaks as he makes his way across the muddy field, toting a dilapidated plastic bag with his worn-out books, wrinkled pad paper, a short pencil, and tiny crayons.
The image of the boy made Josh Mahinay recall his childhood days. He too would go to school carrying a plastic bag with all his things, which usually got ripped before the end of the day. He had to pass by a sari-sari store almost every day to ask for a new plastic bag.
“[I] was gripped by the reality that the boy I saw in Mindanao was just one among thousands, perhaps millions,” Mahinay says.
Mahinay left for the US in 2007 “in search of greener pastures.” He found himself working blue collar jobs, consultancy, and seasonal marketing throughout his time in the US. Mahinay first wrote about his story for Rappler in an essay that went viral called “Leaving Los Angeles to pursue greener pastures” in 2013, when Bag943 had just begun.
He left his marketing job in Los Angeles, California, and established BAG943 in July 2012. For Mahinay, BAG943 is a “mission-driven business that incorporates social responsibility.”
The company’s flagship project is its “Bag of Dreams” – for every school bag bought, another bag is given to an underpriveleged kid in one of its adopted public schools in the country.
Coming home
While it is every OFW’s dream to return to the motherland, Mahinay shares that he hesitated in his decision to come home and start BAG943.
Mahinay explains that during that period, he was also in the process of applying for a higher marketing department position in one of retail giant Target Corporation’s LA branches.
He said his friends and family were “confused” about his decision.
Mahinay also admitted that he did not have a background in business when he made the decision to start the company.
“Nothing was really well-planned or put in place before that decision to finally come back,” he says.
But despite these odds, Mahinay claims that it was faith that enabled him to push through with the plan to return to the country and start his business.
“Faith made me believe what my mind could not conceive,” he adds.
Moreover, Mahinay believes it is only by returning home that he can truly be of service to the less fortunate in the Philippines.
“My life was carefully orchestrated by God so I can tell a story of hope, can inspire my generation, and cause people to live a life of service and compassion for those who have less in life in this nation,” he says.
More than a bag
Now on its third year, BAG943 has gone a long way in providing poor children with school bags.
From its initial release of 200 bags in 2012, BAG943 has now given over 6,000 bags to 35 public schools and communities across the country.
Mahinay reports that the company has given a total of P4.7 million in merchandise to its beneficiary-children.
But is the “intangibles” that hold the greatest value in his company, he says. Mahinay believes that the “Bag of Dreams” initiative has brought inspiration to its participants and has created a lasting and life-changing impact for its beneficiaries.
Mahinay said their initiative goes beyond bag distribution as it “represents our much bigger cause on education.”
Mahinay noted that beyond providing school bags, BAG943 has now partnered with the Department of Education and non-governmental organizations to provide scholarships and values formation programs for the children, and livelihood for the children’s parents.
“We hope that in the near future, the kids we reached out [to] will become good and responsible citizens and leaders of this country,” he says.
Sustainable impact
Mahinay says that BAG943’s 3-year mark poses the challenge “not only to sustain [it] but also to grow.”
He adds that the company’s growth “means our ability to do more for our cause.”
Mahinay notes that the company is currently looking to diversify its workplace and partner with a US-based designer-entrepreneur.
He also says that BAG943 will introduce new products while “staying true to our social values and commitments.”
Mahinay is planning to develop a mentorship program where he will impart his knowledge as a social entrepreneur to hopefuls who wish to create their own sustainable impact.
From a fellow OFW
Mahinay calls out his fellow OFWs and tells them to “never forget where your home is.”
He ultimately hopes OFWs will get involved and give back to the motherland as he did with BAG943.
Mahinay says that he is part of a campaign, “Republika ng Filinvestor,” under the real estate company Filinvest, which encourages OFWs to invest back in the country in whatever means they can.
“OFWs can contribute in so many ways despite distance to their family and to the country,” he notes.
Mahinay also says that despite being offshore, OFWs are a large part of the collective effort for nation-building.
“All of us are part of this fight for a better Philippines. Be involved and engaged in what’s happening in our country,” he added. – Rappler.com
For more information on how you can be part of Josh Mahinay’s initiatives, visit bag943.com or facebook.com/BAG943.
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.
Losing electricity for the night is a huge inconvenience for all of us. Imagine all the chores that we’ll have to do in the dark— the dinner meal that we have to cook, the dishes that we have to wash afterwards, or the homeworks that we have to finish before dawn– definitely, nothing would be easy!
This is the life of a whole community in Caramoan Island. Even through years of modernization and advancement of technology, areas such as Sitio Lipata in Caramoan Island are still deprived of electricity due to the remote location of their islands.
Through our #BeTheLight campaign we were able to raise enough funds to buy 400 solar lamps as alternative light for the humble homes of the welcoming people of Caramoan. Now, the solar lamps allow the children to continue learning even in the night and see the paths of their tracks as they walk through the community in the darkness of the night. Solar lamps may be just one of the many solutions that we have to seek for the to aid in the lives of the marginalized sectors fo the communities. Someday we hope to give long-lasting light to more communities that are still left in the dark.
In a country wrathed by natural disasters, misinformation, corruption, and extreme poverty, the call to serve the people may seem like a rare purpose for the Filipinos to choose. But it seems like our ancestors have raised us well. Despite the unending problems that we face as a nation, true to our family-oriented nature, a lot of Filipinos still find a way to serve the people and give voice to the country’s marginalized communities. One of them is Mr. Windel Alvarez, the honourable teacher behind the #Bangkarunungan project. The #Bangkarunungan project was conceptualized by Teacher Windel to bring education to the children who are unable to go to school due to the lack of transportation services from their islands that would bring them to the schools in the cities.Through this project, Teacher Windel still wanted to empower the youth with knowledge by going to their area himself along with other teachers to teach them the same concepts that other kids are lucky to learn in classrooms.
To help Teacher Windell with his promising endeavour, we in partnership with Convergys built and donated one boat for the #Bangkarunungan project in Caramoan Island where Teacher Windel is currently teaching. Along with other stakeholders’ donations, the #Bangkarunungan boat now have three additional boats that will ship their project to success. Surely, more children from remote areas will get the education that they have been deprived of for years. Opportunities such as this give us hope that someday the world will become a better place for our children. We hope that the future would bring us more ways to serve as an instrument of social change particularly by empowering the youth.
How could an archipelago have no available water for the people living in it?
Well, it seems like being in a third world country with unsophisticated technology guarantees endless possibilities. In the Philippines, hundreds of communities still struggle in their-day-to-day life because of the lack of technology that would provide them with clean and potable water. This leads to the unimaginable issues and health problems that have been normalized and sadly accepted by these poor communities who have been crying for help for years.
In 2018, through the project of VP Leni Robredo and the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation we took part in the building of a water tank for Sitio Lipata which is located in the remote island of Caramoan. There are still a lot of basic necessities inaccessible to the residents of the island but the families were already very happy and grateful to finally have a means to keep clean water for their community. Soon we hope to make a way to provide potable water for the residents so that they would not have to suffer from the consumption of unclean water or travel far away just to get drinkable water for their families. Some day through projects such as this we hope to reach more communities who still have no access to basic necessities.
Education is a right, but in our country, it has become a privilege.
When we hold bag drives to far-flung areas, one story that the kids would fancy telling you is the story of how far they travel from home to school. There, you’ll learn how kids as young as seven years old spend two long hours on rough uncemented roads just to get to school. Surely, this hour-long on foot travel would have been discouraging to many but to our surprise, the kids don’t see it this way. In fact, they said that they love going to school and that they look forward to sitting in class and listening to their teachers everyday. When we heard about it, our hearts were crushed. If the kids themselves are not giving up, then why should we?
This hope in every kid is what inspires us to keep on giving. Here in BEAGIVER, we try to do everything that we can to keep the light in the children’s eyes. One of our inititiatives is a scholarship program that we provide to impoverished kids in the community. In partnership with Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation, we are currently providing scholarship assistance to 77 students aged 8-21 years old in Zamboanga. In addition to that, dormitory assistance is also provided to students who live kilometers away from home.
To make education accessible to all children may seem like a far-fetch idea for now, but as long as we keep on giving– in any way that we can, we will reach the time when our children do not have to pay so much to exercise their right to education.
The Generosity Caravan is a flagship event of BEAGIVER which aims to make stops to different key cities in the Philippines to inspire, engage, and empower its people especially the youth, to give back to their local communities in need by realizing their potentials and going beyond their limits.
On September 15, 2018, the Generosity Caravan made its first stop in Tagbilaran City where 800 students, young professionals, businessmen, NGOs, and other local stakeholders gathered to witness powerful talks about the journeys and struggles of the country’s leading social entrepreneurs and community change makers.
We believe that through initiatives as this, we will be able to awaken the spark that is waiting to be ignited in every Filipino hoping to build a better nation for the future.
To check upcoming events that you can be part of, check here.
Our company believes that in order to attain our vision of giving back to the people, we have to go beyond the literal concept of giving and venture in investing in the empowerment of communities’ livelihood. This way, we are able to achieve a more sustainable way of giving back to the communities particularly our sewing partners from Bulacan and Marikina City and the Yakan weaving community in Zamboanga City.
Sewing Partners
For years since its establishment, our designs have been brought to life by the intricate craftsmanship of our sewing partners in Bulacan and Marikina City. Through our partnership with them, our company has been able to produce multi-purpose bags of high quality— a proof of how skilled our local workers can be, contrary to the reigning belief that foreign products are greater than local ones. At the same time, our partnership with them contributes in the stability of our sewing partner’s source o livelihood.
Yakan Weaving Community
The richness of our country manifests in the beauty of our local products and through our Yakan Weave bag we showcase the unique patterns and diverse colors of Zamboanga City’s Yakan fabric. As an endangered skill among the Yakan tribe, our partnership with the Yakan Weaving Community contributes to the exposure of their beautifully made natural fabric and increase in income opportunity.
These are just two of the many communities that we hope to empower and help in the future. Soon, we believe that we will attain a country with a reliable local industry.
To support our livelihood projects, purchase any of our products here.
BUY ONE, GIVE ONE: A CONCEPT OF CHANGE
The BUY ONE, GIVE ONE model of BEAGIVER has impacted the lives of children in different communities all over the country. It works on the idea that if you buy a bag, you will be able to donate one bag an impoverished kid that could aid him in his studies and eventually pursue his dreams.
When you purchase a bag, one bag goes to you and another goes to a beneficiary school kid from our adopted public schools and communities in the Philippines. Every month our team and volunteers distribute school bags and school supplies which hopefully can inspire poor children to keep pursuing education and go for their dreams no matter how hard life gets. Our aim also is to instill in their hearts the culture of generosity.
After each bag drive, we send an email update to our customers which includes pictures of the bag drive, his beneficiary, the biographical information of the kid, livelihood of his family and his dream in life. Also, each bag that we hand over to the kids has a name tag that bears the first name of the customer. So even if the beneficiary kid does not personally know who purchased the bag for him, he knows that someone somewhere thought about giving him a bag so that he can be inspired to finish school and be successful in the future. Sending updates and pictures to our customers make their buying experience more meaningful. Some of our customers join us during bag drives to personally experience the joy of giving.
More than the physical giving of bags, we are planting a seed of generosity in the lives of these school children that hopefully will blossom into something great in the future. Each bag will remind them on the importance of education. It is not just a bag, it is a bag of dreams which carries whatever dreams they have. Because in a country where we do not have.
To have a meaningful buying experience, click here.
ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY ALUMNI – BICOL CHAPTER KICKS OFF ITS FIRST BEAGIVER BAG DRIVE
The Ateneo de Manila University Alumni Association – Bicol conducted their bag drive in the mountainous area of Baao, Camarines Sur. As part of the organization’s goal which is to create an impact to the marginalized communities. The organization is composed of working professionals
Their chosen school Caranday elementary school is composed of students from the Agta-Tabangnon tribe. Students have to walk for hours just to get to school. Amidst these challenges the children are still eager to learn and pursue their dreams
With the help of friends, family and colleagues, the organization was able to raise 222 bags with school supplies and slippers. Smiles marked on the kids’ faces as they received gifts and educational materials from Mideer, a toy company.
Atty. Jet-jet Vergara expressed her happiness towards the kids seeing their bright smiles as they received bags from BEAGIVER Ventures, Inc. She was inspired when she heard the kids expressed what they want to be in the future.
Since 2013, BEAGIVER Ventures Inc. has helped campaigners in organizing campaigns of individuals and organizations. These bag drives has impacted not just the lives of the initiators but the beneficiaries as well.
If you wish to initiate your own bag drive campaign go here. To browse which campaigns you can support, go here.