Women’s organizations convene on gender-responsive project proposal writing
Victoria, Oriental Mindoro–Eleven women’s organizations in Victoria, Oriental Mindoro convened in a training that honed organizational skills in designing and writing effective project proposals. This training on Gender-Responsive Project Proposal Writing for Women’s Organizations, sponsored by the municipal local government of Victoria, was held last September 11-12 at the Tree of Life Business Center, Salong, Calapan City.
The municipality of Victoria in Oriental Mindoro is a local project site of the AECID Magna Carta of Women Project. Their partnership engagement extends capacity development, technical and funding support to pilot LGUs that will craft and implement gender-responsive policies, plans, programs and activities for women’s economic empowerment and women’s social rights.
Women’s groups consisted of representatives from the Christian Women’s Association (CWA), Child Development Workers’ Association (CDWA), Rural Improvement Club (RIC), Association of Barangay Secretaries (ABSEC), AKAPIN ViCOR Shine, KASAGPI, Senior Citizen’s Federation, Barangay Health Workers Association, Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Parents’ Association and the Pantawid Pamilya Program Parent Leaders. Representatives of the Federation of Farmers’ Association and local government technical staff also attended the activity to guide the organizations in project proposal preparation.
“This new venture develops specific skills among women’s organizations working with existing projects to design and complete good project proposals.” Maria Ellaine Kris Diomampo, AECID MCW Project Local Area Coordinator said.
Nelsie Alvarez Uy from DILG as the Resource Person 
Rhoda Mabunga, representative of IPs groups sharing her insights on the two days training.
Ms. Nelsie Alvarez Uy, Area Project Coordinator of the Grassroots Participatory Planning and Budgeting of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), served as the main speaker for the training. She emphasized the importance of acquiring knowledge and skills in project proposal writing.
“Without direct project funding, most organizations would not be able to accomplish their goals. Writing clear, thorough and targeted project proposals (that would garner proper funding and technical assistance) is therefore essential to the organization’s success,” Nelsie Alvarez Uy explained in signifying activity objectives.
As a municipal endeavor to economically empower women, the training specifically aimed at enhancing capacities of Victoria’s entrepreneurial women on business management and resource mobilization.
Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator Caroline Manuel cited the training’s significance in building possible partnerships with national government agencies, civil society organizations and the academe.
Final project proposals of participating women’s organizations will be presented in a Convergence Forum that will generate commitment and support from possible partners. The Forum is tentatively set on October 7, 2014.
