SUCCESS STORY

Si GOD ang nakakakita sa ginagawa ko


I am Crystel Ramento, 11 years old Kids For Christ member from North A-3 Davao City. I was starting my Batang Business last May 2005. At first I approach my mother if she could buy biscuits for merienda, pero gusto kung ma-share sa mga kalaro ko ginawa naming ng nanay ko ang munchkin recipe. After that natikman ng mga kalaro ko ito at nasarapan sila kaya ang sabi nila gumawa ako ng marami para bumili sila hanggang one of the store owner nag order ng 50 pieces pero hindi ito umabot ng isang araw ubos na ang product ko. 150 na ang sumunod na order nila, hindi alam ng Nanay ko that I sell the munchkin in sari-sari store, ng malaman n'ya ito pinagsabihan ako kung bakit ginawa ko ito, ang sagot ko “Para po makatulong ako pang allowance dahil hindi ko gusto na nakikita kang umiiyak dahil wala kaming pambaon, dahil marami kang binibiling gamot para kay Lolo at marami ka nang utang dahil sa gamot na binabayaran.” Umiyak ang Nanay ko, umiyak na din po ako at niyakap ko po s'ya.

Sumali po ako ng Kids for Christ Regional Southeastern Conference, tuwang-tuwa po ako dahil sa produkto kong munchkin ako ang naging champion sa Batang Business. Pinagpatuloy ko ang pag-gawa at beninta ko sa school canteen namin araw-araw, At araw araw din po ako naglalagay ng 15% ng kita ko sa Batang Bayani canister. Noong summer nagturo din po ako ng workshop sa mga Kids for Christ sa chapter namin. Pag sapit ng pasukan nakapag-ipon na ako ng pera at bumili ako ng bag, notebook at iba pa, nakatulong din ako sa ibang bata na nagbebenta ng munchkin at sa hapon ko po sila binigyan ng 20% mula sa benta nila. Hanggang nag-ipon ako ng pera para sa 10th International Kids Village sa Baguio. Hindi ito naging sapat dahil kinukunan ko ito sa pangaraw-araw na gastusin, pero gusto ko talagang makapunta para isali ang Munchkin ko tapos kasali din ako sa creative competition na GAG at sayaw. Nanghiram po kami ng capital para gumawa ng maraming entry sa Batang Business. Ang na raise naming na pera ay pang registration pa lang namin but I believe in prayer, na pag ang bata ang nag pray kay Lord, He could answer me, sabi ko makakapunta talaga kami sa IKV because this is the way I can prove myself na deserving ako as Batang Business, kahit hindi ako sikat sa school namin si Lord ang nakakakita sa ginagawa ko. Napakasuwerte ko talaga when Tito Jepoy help us to have ten thousand papuntang Baguio!

Nang dumating kami ng Baguio I am very happy, nakasakay na ako ng eroplano kasama ko pa ang Nanay at Tatay ko kahit kunti lang ang dala namin na pera tuwang-tuwa ako dahil maraming bumili ng Munchkin at naubos pa ito kahit hindi kami nanalo sa Batang Business entry namin dahil kulang kami sa time, because kasali ako sa GAG show at sayaw, naging champion naman kami sa GAG show at PRAISE GOD! Dahil ang kinita namin sa Batang Business ay kasya lamang pambili ng ticket sa barko. Yeeehhheyyy! Kita n'yo mula Apparri hanggang Jolo ang Beyahe namin.

Sabi ng Nanay ko “Have faith and believe that Jesus is always there in our life” Kaya sabi ko sa ibang Kids for Christ member huwag matakot ilabas ang talent para kay Jesus.

“I wish to have a sari-sari store someday”.

(Crystel is the daughter of Analiza Ramento and Geoffrey Ramento a Kids for Christ Coordinator of Davao North A-3)

Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Matthew 19:13
When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Luke 14:25-
But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Mark 10:13-
"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.

Batang Business, simply put, is an entrepreneurship program for kids. Notwithstanding its Catholic roots, the program is open to all kids, 8-12 years old, regardless of religion or belief. Its vision: Filipino children as entrepreneurs, embracing the values of perseverance, creativity and stewardship. Its mission: to provide an environment that will encourage and nurture the entrepreneurial spirit in children.

Under the Batang Business program, kids are taught the basics of entrepreneurship through quarterly business projects. During the first month, a Batang Business team is formed, composed of 5-6 kids, a parent mentor and an Ate/Kuya facilitator (program volunteer from Singles for Christ). Kids can go on ‘Lakbay Business’ or exposure trips or can go through workshops to help them conceptualize the kind of business they will go into. Kids’ workshops on hygiene and sanitation, proper packaging and marketing can also be held. The second month is spent on actual production. The project is capped on the third month by a selling activity via participation in trade fairs similar to that of SM Mega Mall’s Christmas Tiangge. On the fourth month, this is where the kids ‘close the books’ thru the preparation of a simple financial statement.

Financial stewardship anchored on Christian values is a critical component of the program. Hence, more than the projected profits, kids are taught to focus on proper allocation of their resources and earnings by allocating 10% of their income from the ‘business’ to the church (tithing), 10% for the poor, e.g., Gawad Kalinga, and 80% to the kids for savings. They may also choose to plow back part of their savings towards putting up a new business project.

Why Batang Business?

Batang Business is an advocacy of Kids for Christ (one of the family ministry of Couples for Christ) launched in 2004, the organization firmly believes that one is never too young to learn about business, about saving and about helping others. It is hoped that the seeds of entrepreneurship, financial responsibility and concern for others planted in the hearts of our kids today will bear fruit in the next 10-12 years, when our kids would have finished college and, instead of looking for jobs abroad would, instead choose to put up their own enterprises, create jobs, ‘infect’ their partners and employees with the values they grew up in and slowly but surely, help the Filipino shape the future of this nation.

Our goal is not a first world Philippines but simply a country that can rise from poverty to have abundance, less for self enough for all. Batang Business will be there to help make it happen.


VISION

Filipino children as future entrepreneurs, embracing the values of perseverance, creativity and stewardship


MISSION

To provide an environment that will encourage and nurture the entrepreneurial spirit in children


VALUES

Perseverance • Creativity • Stewardship