The Changemakers of Metro Manila
Written by Alyssa Vienesse Tan
“All social change begins with a conversation.” — Margaret Wheatley
When you hear about social change, you’d immediately think of sweeping events like the Civil Rights Movement, the Feminist Movements, the Green Movement, and many more. Although they consist of different ideas and idealizations for change, they have one thing in common–a purpose. That is where it all comes together. As long as their purpose involves uplifting their societies by solving their most prevalent problems, they are fighting for social change. A lot of people believe that these changes have to be significant to be considered as a movement. However, they have forgotten that every movement has always started with one voice–one changemaker.
There is more than one way to address these problems. In fact, changemakers put it upon themselves to build enterprises that earn a profit and push their initiatives. They aim to encourage their consumers and inspire innovators in following their footsteps. These six changemakers have changed the world far more than they realize with their social enterprises, and even as we speak, they continue to transform our society for the better.
How did they do it? Why did they do it? Let’s find out!
AMAMI
In such a fast-paced society with technological advancements, culture tends to take a backseat, and for many cultural traditions and practices, they are a few years away from fading completely. Handcrafted pre-hispanic jewelry making has almost become non-existent, and as the tradition dwindles, the last remaining artisans have considered migrating abroad in search of blue-collared jobs to keep them going. That is exactly what Christine Tiu and Danielle Tan aimed to solve when they co-founded AMAMI–a way of preserving tradition while merging them into contemporary couture.
From starting by selling them to their family and friends, they had later expanded their enterprise from there. In Christine’s words, “We are very grateful for all their support as we would not be where we are today without them.” AMAMI aims to become an enterprise that not only popularizes a dying practice but also supports their artisans.
It is not easy, especially during a pandemic. With lockdowns ensuing and cases rising, a lot of uncertainties rise for many small enterprises, but Christine remains steadfast. She feels a deep sense of responsibility for their artisans, and that connection she has for them is enough to keep her on her journey in moving forward–adjusting and innovating to many obstacles on her pathway.
For any aspiring changemakers, she leaves this message, “Choose a problem you deeply and truly care about–one that you see yourself getting out of bed for in the months and years to come. I can assure you the road ahead will not be smooth and easy, but as long as you are committed to your vision–your ‘why’, your unique journey as a changemaker will most definitely be a fulfilling one.”
If you want to know more about AMAMI please click here for the website. You can also check out their Instagram and Facebook pages.
Liter of Light Philippines
Typhoon Haiyan had brought the destruction of 10,000 lives. With its harsh winds and relentless storm surges, it had taken thousands of lives while hundreds of thousands were left without access to the proper necessities. Lives were displaced. Lives were lost. With all this happening, Iliac Diaz had an idea–to create replicable street lighting systems critical to creating safe environments in the disaster-affected areas. “Rather than relying on expensive or imported systems,” he had said, “we developed training kits to teach these communities how to build simple night-lighting systems by hand.”
There were difficulties, like expanding and scaling Liter of Light to around thirty-plus countries over the world. Despite this, there is one thing that kept Iliac Diaz going–the Filipinos he had helped and the livelihoods that he would save. He didn’t just want to give a man a fish and get on with it; instead, he wanted to teach him how to catch that fish. That, in itself, is the essence of the true changemaker. Even during the COVID-19 outbreak, Liter of Light pushed its mission in serving the community by launching the “Light it Forward” campaign that had empowered (figuratively and literally) over 15,000 families.
They didn’t stop from there. To commemorate the newly launched UN Decade of Action last March, the organization had also built a large-scale replica of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Wheel. The wheel had been assembled by hundreds of children who had been forced to stay at home for the past year, and this project had further empowered them that anything is possible with just a little bit of hope.
Iliac Diaz ends with this, “Young people have had to adjust to a ‘new normal’ with online school, being away from their friends and classmates and sometimes even loved ones. Even amid darkness, there are rays of hope. Through our campaign, we have worked with hundreds of you to make a difference and continue to tackle energy poverty. Thank you for sharing your light with us.”
If you want to know more about Liter of Light, please click here for the website. You can also check out their Instagram and Facebook pages.
KYND Studios
The percentage of plastic waste crowding around our streets and seas has reached new heights, and the pollution has never been worse. What Metro Manila needs is sustainability to combat the popularity of these one-use utensils, and that is exactly what Kim Gagui, a student in DLSU, is trying to address.
Just a single photo of a shampoo bar had pushed her to research the idea of a ‘zero-waste lifestyle’. Intrigued and invested in the idea, she’s now more motivated than ever to speak up against the capitalistic drive behind environmental waste. And after joining a few organizations that share the same advocacy, she was inspired to start Kynd Studios–a company that “brings to life the advocacy of environmental sustainability by creating a space that is kind to both people and planet”.
By selling products that are reusable and zero-waste, they aim to encourage people to resort to a better, sustainable lifestyle. When asked about her plans to expand her initiative this year, she states, “We want to focus on growing our digital community to encourage people to join this collective movement–for holistic, developmental, and sustainable change.” This, I believe, is something every changemaker should count on when raising their voices for the change they want to see.
If you want to know more about Kynd Studios, please click here for the website. You can also check out their Instagram and Facebook pages.
Turners
The fashion industry has also become the prime contributor to environmental waste. 85% of textiles end up in landfills, and this in itself calls for sustainable action–one that Turners deliver. Vanessa Tiong had always dreamed of establishing her clothesline, and when she had attended the Ateneo Corporate Sustainability Conference in 2019, she was even more encouraged to do so. By incorporating sustainable functions into her business model, she didn’t have an easy road ahead. Despite this, she further continues to expand her dream. As she had said, “The more I learn, the more I am able to keep pursuing my passion and giving as much value into what I do and what I make.”
Even if the pandemic looms above our country, affecting many start-ups and small businesses, she remains encouraged as she pushes her initiative by reusing their scrap fabric into earrings and scrunchies. She even involves herself in partnering with different organizations and fundraisers that advocate for positive causes like women empowerment and educational opportunities. A truly admirable feat.
For any aspiring changemaker, she ends with this, “You don’t have to be the best, just be true to yourself. Find that burning passion within you and stick to it because if you listen to it and give it a shot, you’ll make big impacts and spark the change inside out. To change the world, you have to be the model of that change. So it starts with you.”
If you want to know more about Turners, check out their Instagram and Facebook pages.
Bugkalot Coffee Company
The Bugkalot Tribe is located in the Northern part of the island of Luzon. Many may not have known much about them, and Joseph TanChi was one of them. It was only when he had met some missionaries who had worked with the Bugkalot that he was inspired to work with them and expand his initiative and mission as well. There, he formed two objectives–to send the Good News about Jesus Christ to the Bugkalot community and to assist them out of poverty.
However, this mission does come with a lot of challenges. Mistakes were made, but what Joseph decided to do, instead of giving up, was to keep moving forward. He believed that his belief and his initiative were far stronger than any challenge that they’d face. For them, they were given the privilege, and with that comes the opportunity of helping not just the people, but also the economy. In their words, “We’re able to learn so much, meet so many new people, try so many new things, that the momentary hardships pale in comparison when we take a step back and look at the bigger picture of what we’re a part of.”
It was an arduous journey, but they kept their ‘why’s close to heart and moved forward–something that all entrepreneurs should look up to. When asked about their message for aspiring changemakers, they could only end with this, “Because we’re missionaries, our first message to anyone will always be to seek a relationship with Jesus Christ, He came to give us life through a relationship with Him, and if we have that, everything else follows. Also, realizing that there is more to life than merely living for ourselves is always a great place to be. It’s such a cliche, but that mindset can move us from merely spending our lives to investing our lives.”
If you want to know more about Bugkalot Coffee Company, please click here for the website. You can also check out their Instagram and Facebook pages.
Taxumo
Taxes–just the thought about it is enough to give anyone a headache. With its countless regulations and its continuous updates, it is hard to keep up with all of them, especially if you’re just a small business owner. That is exactly why Taxumo has been created, to help the ‘major contributors and drivers of the philippine economy’ without costing them their wallets!
Evan Tan, the Chief Marketing Officer of Taxumo, loved the idea of helping more and more self-employed professionals reach their dreams without thinking about the incredibly taxing world of taxes. During the pandemic, the enterprise had taken an initiative in offering Taxumo subscriptions to medical professionals in filing their tax duties, taking a weight off their shoulders why they hurriedly work in the front lines. They have also forged partnerships with sites like Lazada, Upwork, and Online Filipino Freelancers.
Taxumo was an answer to a need of many, and it continues to be an answer even under such a widespread pandemic. When asked about his message, Mr. Evan Tan could reply with this, “While we aspire for big and sweeping changes to happen instantly, small, purpose-driven, and incremental changes bring value to our respective communities too. These changes often work together and can create long-lasting, sustainable change. Therefore, we need to recognize the power of uniting towards a common vision, and how we can make a positive impact with our collective contributions. We just need to start with a clear goal in mind. But what is important is that we start.”
If you want to know more about Taxumo, please click here for the website. You can also check out their Instagram and Facebook pages.
In closing
Seeking to change the world is hard and overwhelming, but it isn’t impossible. These changemakers, young or old, had all taken it upon themselves to better the world one step at a time–for their future, for our future. If there’s anything that you should be taking from this article, it’s your purpose.
Solidify it, change it, highlight it–whatever you do, don’t ever give up on it. It only takes one determined soul to turn a dream into reality, and maybe…just maybe, that soul can be you.
