Providing skills, training, and hope by supporting Faith + Work initiatives.

Those who live in poverty face many challenges. They lack resources to meet their daily needs or to change their circumstances. Employment opportunities for vulnerable women and out-of-school youth are especially limited. Living in marginalized communities also means a lack of access to other business people, training, and essential resources that could provide support towards a sustainable livelihood.

CBM partners with Kabuganaan Philippines Ministries (KPM) and the Capiznon Association of Baptist Churches to fund projects such as the Bugana Livelihood Center and Food for Life, providing long-term support for poor and marginalized communities. In Roxas City, the Center is transforming lives by developing a sustainable livelihood and employment opportunities for vulnerable women and out-of-school youth from poor communities. Hands-on training is also provided to produce high-quality handmade artisanal products sold in-store and online and small business training for budding entrepreneurs.

Faith + Work initiatives involve fostering new enterprises, training partners to engage in a business context, linking business people, investing and supporting strategically in people and places as we seek to integrate faith and work. For followers of Jesus, work matters to God and has eternal Kingdom value; work is a gift that provides us with an opportunity to participate in God's redemptive work in our communities and our world. Understanding this theology of work is essential to developing a strategy to support people as they honour God through their vocation.

New work is also starting in India and the Congo. This ministry will be around agriculture and food production, including juices and packaging.

Funds will provide business training for individuals interested in learning more about small businesses and entrepreneurship. The funds are also utilized to provide seed grants (early-stage funding) to new start-up initiatives so that participants can learn new skills for business or farmers can learn how to use new technology, such as how to grow organic rice. These seed funds provide new businesses with working capital to buy needed equipment or materials, rent space and pay salaries until the business activities can become self-sufficient.

Your support will help marginalized people gain access to new opportunities and a brighter hope for the future.