The Bangsamoro WOW (Women, Orphans and Widows) Dressmakers social enterprise was established by Ittihadun-Nisa’ Foundation, Inc (INFo) to provide education and employment opportunities to women, orphans and widows affected by conflict in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao through garments-making.
For the past years, INFo has continuously honed the knowledge, skills and attitudes of its beneficiaries through trainings on basic dressmaking. However, 85 per cent of their graduates remain unemployed. Most of their graduates were unable to undergo on-the-job trainings due to a limited number of dressmaking shops in the area. In the same manner, 80 per cent of them do not have their own sewing machines. Their lack of industry-related experience hinders them from securing a stable employment opportunity. Hence, the Bangsamoro WOW Dressmakers social enterprise aims to bridge the education to employment gap of the INFo graduates by providing an avenue for them to enhance their dressmaking skills and earn a decent income for their families.
The Bangsamoro WOW Dressmakers social enterprise intends to generate a sustained income stream for their target beneficiaries. The INFo graduates will be employed as dressmakers to 'produce quality men and women clothing'. The organization envisions a 75 per cent employment rate among its graduates. In the same manner, the 'social enterprise’s profit' will be shared among INFo members commensurate to their capital contribution. This projects an increase in income of about 50 per cent among all its member-beneficiaries.