Ongoing Projects

Enterprise Development and Microfinance

The Foundation adopts the triple bottom line approach where economic development is one of the core principles together with social and environmental development.  As such, the Microfinance project was launched a decade ago using the ASA methodology.  This scheme has the facility to reach out to a larger number of clients with enterprising poor women as its target sector. Under this methodology, loans and savings products and services are brought to the doorstep of  poor and under-privileged clients.

Ecological Enhancement

FSSI-HEKS Typhoon Parma Agricultural Rehabilitation Support Project

The Foundation for a Sustainable Society, Inc. (FSSI)-HEKS Typhoon Parma Agricultural Rehabilitation Support Project aimed to deliver agriculture rehabilitation support through a zero interest loan to at least 250 affected farmers from the municipalities of Atok, Tuba, La Trinidad and Tublay.  Farm inputs, farm materials for rehabilitation and cash for labor were provided to the farmers based on their needed specifications. This system will help lessen the dependency of farmers on local lending institutions.

HEKS is an inter Church agency based in Zurich, Germany that partnered with FSSI and JVOFI to provide the much needed support to these affected farmers to help them in their immediate recovery from the damages to their livelihood.

Capacity Building for Typhoon Parma Disaster Rehabilitation

This capacity building project focuses on strengthening the farmers cooperatives/associations to enable them to play a major role in the dissemination of information among their members, the monitoring of their members’ progress of their rehabilitation, reporting of farmers’ status, and collection of cost recovery.

This one-year project advocates the conversion to organic farming of farmers in Benguet who were affected by Typhoon Parma and assisted by HEKS under their agri-rehab program. Strengthening and capacity building shall include development of local leaders; installation of policies, systems and procedures such as management, financial, and monitoring systems; and training of all target farmers associations on disaster mitigation.

Special Projects

Capacity building and Harnessing Animal gifts to Transform lives and Nurture the Environment (CHATON)

Funded by Heifer International Philippines, Project CHATON aims to improve the economic conditions of impoverished families in barangay Kayan West, Tadian, Mountain Province. Through the Passing-of-the-Gifts, participating families become donors themselves by passing on the offspring of their original livestock and other supplies to another family thus reinforcing the spirit of sharing and caring. A hundred original families will be organized into four self-help groups (SHGs). Each family will receive one ready to breed pig and two chickens, three fruit tree seedlings, assorted vegetables and forage seeds. Four units of Biogas digesters will also be provided to groups. The biogas digesters will also be passed on to the next pass on families.

To enhance family values, improve skills and build solidarity and peace among families and communities, Cornerstones training and other educational activities will be conducted. Other training programs will  include improved animal management, sustainable agriculture, improved environmental practices, family savings, and income-generating activities.

Tobacco Farmer’s Cooperative Organizing and Capability Building Program

Following the Foundation’s experience in environmental and capacity building projects, it was ready to offer its expertise to Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing Co., Inc., now PMFTC, Inc., beginning in September 2008. The project entailed organizing and strengthening four (4) farmers’ organizations to establish and manage their fuelwood plantations in the provinces of La Union and Ilocos Sur.

An additional four (4) farmers’ organizations were organized in Delfin Albano and San Mariano in the province of Isabela and in Gattaran and Sto. Nino in Cagayan province in 2009. These organizations established their bamboo plantation projects in 5-hectare parcels of land that they developed and maintain in partnership with the landowners.

In 2010, PMFTC supported the expansion of the project to Ilocos Sur, specifically the municipalities of Sta. Cruz, Banayoyo, and Lidlidda; and, Bangar, La Union.

Our projects are in the following locations. You may also view the map in full screen.