This social and cultural enterprise partners with The Spark Project to amplify its core mission of supporting livelihoods and helping artisans fulfill their dreams.
Bayanihan is a word that many Filipinos are familiar with. The term refers to a communal desire to extend kindness to those around us. One organization in particular has been keeping the spirit of bayanihan alive for over a decade: ANTHILL (which stands for Alternative Nest and Trading/Training Hub for Indigenous or Ingenious Little Livelihood seekers).
READ ALSO: Generosity In Style: 5 Brands That Give Back To The Community
The social and cultural enterprise has been supporting and highlighting Filipino culture for 13 years. Today, it continues to stay true to its purpose through community enterprise and sustainable livelihood programs that preserve the country’s rich weaving traditions.
“We have always anchored on creating opportunities for our partners to thrive in their craft, while sustaining their livelihood and aiming for zero-waste. We recognize our growth from being a homegrown brand and to an ecosystem for many, including our partners, communities, artisans and collaborators,” explained Anya Lim, ANTHILL’s co-founder and managing director, to Lifestyle Asia.
Finding New Ways to Help
Like many local enterprises, ANTHILL needed to make certain adjustments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This involved gradually shifting their strategies when it came to exploring ways to further assist their partner artisans.
“We witnessed our global community respond to our call for support and it was through their presence, in both our highs and lows, that we are inspired to continue weaving dreams. The bayanihan spirit lives in our community, no matter where they may be in the world,” Anya Lim elaborated.
A result of these pandemic changes was artisans transitioning as independent partners and putting what they learned from ANTHILL’s Community Enterprise Development Program into practice.
The program includes informal workshops and dialogue that help them hone entrepreneurial skills and develop a more long-term approach in their business strategies. This way, they’ll be able to seek out alternative forms of income that’ll further support them and their families.
Providing a Platform for Impact
ANTHILL decided to bolster their advocacy by making the most out of the rapidly evolving landscape of online fundraising. Together with The Spark Project—and with initial funding from the Australian Alumni Grant Scheme—they were able to launch the Bayanihan Crowdfunding Campaign.
The campaign ignites the bayanihan spirit by connecting artisans directly to the market in order to help them fulfill their specific objectives or targets. Visitors have the option to be a “backer” for a project by donating a certain amount to help artisans reach their goals.
When donors pledge specific amounts, they get to choose a “reward” from options that are arranged into different corresponding tiers. These rewards include handcrafted creations made by the artisans themselves.
Keeping Filipino Creativity Alive
As with many fundraisers, the rewards are icing on the cake. Many Filipinos who’ve donated to good causes can attest that the true motivator is the opportunity to make a positive impact. When people work together, they create a ripple effect that can, quite literally, change the lives of those around them.
Plush Toys to Expand a Business
Take Ate Jingle, for example, a mother of three who was able to build her own sari-sari store using her savings from working at ANTHILL.
The artisan is known as “The Craft Master,” and has been the longest running community manager of ANTHILL’s partner HOME Plush Toys, having worked there for years. She makes dolls and possesses invaluable skills when it comes to managing her business. Her goal is to expand her sari-sari store with the help of the online fundraising platform.
Textiles for a More Diverse Livelihood
Then there’s Ate Jelyn, “The Weaving Warrior,” who’s been working as a community manager for ANTHILL’s other partner, Hablonan ni Laureana in Argao, Cebu.
She not only has skills in weaving and community enterprise management, but also aims to explore sustainable livestock farming using her degree in Forestry.
The artisan hopes that this knowledge will help her in raising her own poultry, pigs, and cows. Hopefully, with funds from the campaign, she’ll be able to maximize what she’s learned and transform it into an alternative source of income for her family.
Tailor-Made Success
The campaign also aims to assist Ate Belen, the organization’s “Super Seamstress.” Through crowdfunding, the talented artisan hopes to purchase the tools and materials she’ll need to open up her own tailoring shop.
In turn, this new venture will bring in more funds to help her sustain the business of her dreams.
Power in Numbers
Indeed, ANTHILL continues to empower those in their ecosystem, as they’ve done for years. From artisans that keep handcrafted traditions alive to design collaborators and production partners who bridge the traditional with the modern. Of course, there are the donors and Weave Wearers—those who proudly carry themselves in the artisans’ thoughtful-made pieces, and play an important role in helping dreams come to fruition.
“Through this campaign, we experienced the long term value of nurturing our partner artisans. Since we started it, we saw how they’ve showed up and stepped up to empower themselves in terms of developing skillsets, expanding their own business endeavors, and reaching a wider audience,” shared Jennifer Rivera, a volunteer consultant for the organization, with Lifestyle Asia.
ANTHILL’s crowdfunding campaign aims to keep this ecosystem and its valuable connections alive. After all, bayanihan isn’t just a cultural term, but also a value that positively impacts the lives of both those who practice it and those they help. It shows that anyone can be a hero, in their own way, and that big changes happen through collective action.
ANTHILL’s Crowdfunding Campaign is on going until July 20th. Follow ANTHILL’s trail on Facebook and Instagram.
Photos courtesy of ANTHILL.
