Bae Inatlawan preparing the check for the Daraghuyan lemon grass project.  A hands-on realtime training by GreenMinded, Inc. - 10/22/09 by mary jean netario cruz

The lemon grass project is a project that had been identified for the Daraghuyan Tribal Community in Mt. Kitanglad, Malaybalay City.  It was conceptualized our of a desire to help the community to be free economically.  My journey had led me to UP Los Banos, Geox Farms, AIDFI, the Gold in Grass, and other  different farms and communities in the Philippines.  Looking for technical information, searching for answers to understand and longing to see the realization of this dream.  Finally, we had planted the first seedling. Samdahana Institute has been instrumental through funding the initial phase of the propagation and distillation machine.  Ferdinand Cruz of EASTI made it possible too.  We have just started, but vision is better now that we have started the propagation by 1,000 sqm nursery at the heritage center.  Another thousand sqm is to be planted by the tribe as we have completed the first five thousand and it grows bigger and bigger. Lemon grass is to be planted in areas not use for the vegetables. Six months after, we will start the distillation of lemon grass oil.  We will be producing lemon grass concentrate too. 

The lemon grass project is envisioned to be rolled out to other communities as part of the Memorandum of Agreement with the GreenMinded, Inc.

Lemon Grass project is another initiative of Soup of the Day.

Another community crying for help! Yes they admit, their life is at risk but only if there is another source of income that can help them bridge every day of their survival. Who would not want to secure seeing their love ones alive every after hydraulic mining activity? Their river is dead, authorities hunting them for illegal mining, but should they wait to die of hunger rather than to make the most of what they have? They need help, genuine help that can bring back their dignity. We DARE to explore possibilities for them.

GK Roque 1 is the beneficiary of the KIDS Foundation Feeding Program. The program will be feeding 100 children, one snack a day, 5 times a week for a period of six months starting September 1, 2009. Soup Of the Day (SOD) is mentoring the mothers to serve nutritious yet economically prepared food. The neighborhood agreed to plant herbs and vegetables that will augment the nutritional values of the food they will serve and at the same time addressing their food safety and security.

The operation of the food to be served to the children is anchored on Social Entrepreneurship. The entrepreneurial challenge is to meet the goals at P18/meal budget per kid funded by L'oreal.  The mothers under SOD mentoring took the challenge and believed that together they can operate the feeding operation at a profit. The profit will be used to fund other projects such as planting vegetables or ended up operating a Soup of the Day catering business in their neighborhood.

Professionals are tapped to help the mothers in their entrepreneurship challenge! Everyone is excited, they take ownership and responsibility for this pilot feeding program of KIDS anchored on Entrepreneurship. 

The mothers are in need of kitchen equipments and utensils that they will use in their catering business. Should you have any of these kitchen items that you have no use, please call KIDS foundation or Soup of the Day at 09178546851.

Please visit http://www.kidsfoundation.org.ph

Xavier University Social Outreach partnered with Soup of the Day in mentoring a new breed of Entrepreneurs.  The concept framework is to do business while addressing social problems honing the entrepreneurial spirits of the students while embarking into this business activities having in mind that profit is not the ultimate consideration but a means for sustainability.

How we can achieve this goal?  The Student Entrepreneurship Program Participants will be selected to be grouped based on their interests and skills.  They will run a food kiosk business called Soup of the Day in the four campuses of Xavier University Ateneo CDO.  They will go through a process of conceptualizing, developing, sourcing, production, distribution, selling and managing the whole business cycle within a period of one year.  Every year thereafter, a new batch will continue running the business.   The participants will be learning the importance of organic farming as they work with community based livelihood who is planting the organic ingredients of their products. 

The Bayanga Elementary and High School has been chosen to benefit from this operation. The beneciaries will be planting hersb and vegetables that they  can supply to SOD SEP as well as using it in their Bayanga kiosk operation.

Learning while Earning, Earning while Helping, Teaching while providing Solution to Social problems through experiential and participatory methodology anchored on Social Entrepreneurship makes this project sexy, interesting and exciting.

A loop of producers, social entrepreneurs, social investors and consumers is created in this concept to ensure sustainability of the project.  Support from the government and other agencies is looped as well.