THE IMPACT PROJECT
Encourage. Equip. Empower.
GOALS
The IMPACT Project has 4 goals:
- To recognize the good that already exists in the communities where SSA works
- To encourage the participants through the hope of the gospel
- To equip the participants with practical livelihoods training
- To empower the participants with the ability to secure regular employment and steady income
Side by Side Alliance believes that every person is created in the image of God and has inherent dignity and worth. We also believe that God gives good gifts and abilities to those He has created. We look for and celebrate those good gifts when we have opportunities to partner with new communities.
People often ask the question, “Why does SSA want to come alongside people in vulnerable communities?” This is our answer: God has loved us and He calls us to love Him and to love our neighbors. We love because He first loved us! One way we show love for neighbors is by caring about each other’s burdens.
SSA knows that gaining freedom from poverty takes hard work and is long-term commitment on the part of everyone involved. We seek to equip men and women in vulnerable communities with the knowledge and skills they need to become economically productive. SSA provides participants with a two-year program that provides instructional and hands-on training in four skilled areas. This can transform a person from wondering if work is available on a daily basis to being gainfully employed.
Once a person gains the means of being economically productive, that person’s entire family gains freedom. The IMPACT participants will then be able to provide the basic necessities of life for their families: clean water, food, safe shelter, education, and healthcare. With steady incomes, the IMPACT participants begin to see a better future for their families! A sustainable livelihood changes everything!
History
Partnerships are the foundation of Side by Side Alliance. When SSA heard about the services Eastern Visayas State University was offering, they saw an opportunity to work together.
EVSU’s Extension Service aims to support programs helping local communities. After finding out about the service, SSA began to work on a plan with EVSU. SSA and EVSU reached out to local community leaders to find out what they thought was most needed. The communities expressed a need to find more stable jobs.
After speaking with local communities, SSA created the IMPACT Project. It would help day laborers who often do not have regular work the opportunity to learn a skilled trade for free. Participants would start with a two-year instructional training program. Once they completed the training, they could take an exam certifying them in one concentration. The goal was to alleviate poverty by equipping participants with employable skills.
With a plan in order, the partnership began to take shape. SSA would provide the funding, from materials to transportation, food, and fees for the review course and NCII exams. EVSU would provide the skills training necessary for the program. The local government in Santa Fe would provide logistical support. Lastly, the participants would add motivation and diligent pursuit of this knowledge.
Once the plan was set, SSA, EVSU, local community leaders, and the participants signed an agreement. This four-way partnership outlined everyone’s responsibilities. Once it was signed, the next step was bringing the IMPACt Project to life.
On March 21, 2021, the IMPACT Project held its official Opening Ceremony. It is now equipping dozens of participants from the Santa Fe community with skills in carpentry, masonry, steelworks, and plumbing. The men from our two partner-communities are out to build better futures for themselves, their families, and all who come after them!
How It Works
- Phase 1: Participants receive instruction from EVSU engineers, including hands-on workshops, in the following skill areas every week for 5-6 mos: carpentry, masonry, steelworks, and plumbing.
- Phase 2: All the partners together provide input and decide on appropriate output projects for each community. Currently, the participants are constructing a new restroom and handwashing station in each barangay represented in the IMPACT project.
- Phase 3: Each participant is given the opportunity to take a 2-day review for the NCII exam (national certification in one of the four skill areas). Those who complete the instructional portion of the course can sit for the NCII exam in one of the skill areas. If passed, this exam leads to national certification in that skill area.
- Phase 4: Each participant will be matched with a local contactor for 2-6 weeks of on-the-job training.
What’s Next?
We are currently in phase 2 of the IMPACT project. After months of training classes, participants are now putting their new skills to work! For their output project, participants have teamed up to construct a new bathroom in each of their communities. Known as ‘comfort rooms,’ or ‘CRs’ in the Philippines, these output projects provide real-life practice and public displays of all the skills the men have learned.
Residents in both barangays (villages) are excited to have a public CR in each community! There will be a hand-over ceremony once the work in both communities is complete.
Phase 3 of the IMPACT project is quickly approaching. It involves providing participants with a 2-day review course in one skill area. After this review, they will take the national certification exam. Being certified in a trade means a person is no longer a day laborer, but rather, has become a skilled worker!
After completing the national certification exam, SSA will move on to phase 4. IMPACT Participants will have the opportunity for on-the-job training with local contractors. This training will help connect them with contractors who can employ them in the future. It also gives them the opportunity to use the skills they acquired through the IMPACT Project immediately.
The IMPACT Project is 100% donor-funded through SSA supporters. In addition to funding the supplies and support for the project, SSA also covers the cost for the two-day review course and the exam for each participant.
The IMPACT Project is making a HUGE difference in the lives of the participants and their families! They will soon be free from the heavy burden of poverty as the men are able to get jobs, begin to earn a regular income, and renew their hope for a better future!
If you want to be a part of the IMPACT Project, you can donate today! With your help, SSA can continue to encourage, equip, and empower current participants. We also hope to continue the IMPACT Project to help future participants around the Philippines.