E-CARE hosts international development training

Twenty-two Anglicans from Myanmar and Mexico journeyed to the Diocese of Santiago for E-CARE’s annual International Development Training, eager to learn how to develop the economic wellbeing of their communities. They came to see how the Episcopal Church in the Philippines established self-reliance as a Church, in pursuit of financial independence themselves. The Diocese of Santiago serves as a shining example of how cooperatives can both empower communities with access to capital and generate income for the church.

Priest and lay members of Christ Episcopal Church share challenges and lessons in forming their savings group.

For one week, trainees, a couple E-CARE community organizers and I immersed ourselves in the St. Williams Multipurpose Cooperative in Paracelis, Mountain Province, surrounded by beautiful lush forest landscape (with no internet or cell service!). We learned firsthand of St. Williams path from a new mission station surrounded only by trees and a few farms in the 1990s to becoming a thriving parish and a catalyst for significant development in the barangay (village).

Inside the main office of St. Williams' savings & lending operations

St. Williams Multi-Purpose Cooperative began as a savings group among 3 of the Episcopal Church women with a capital of about $20. At this time, cash flow was heavily restricted. If a family needed to money for school tuition or if a family member were to fall ill, one would need to walk to the center of town (a half day trek through the mountains) and try to borrow from a wealthy businessman, with no certainty that one might be willing to lend.

They began small, with membership limited to only church women, then all church members, then Anglicans; now, any person who wants to join in the spirit of cooperation is welcome. Over the last 25 years, it has grown to have 1800+ members, 50+ employees, and a capital assets valuation greater than half the municipalities in the Philippines!

Trainees and staff in front of SWMPC main office building

By providing access to capital, St. Williams has promoted the development of the local community -- and their membership is expanding beyond the Cordillera region to all parts of Luzon! They’ve also expanded their services savings and lending, now offering rice and corn processing, rice and corn trading, transport, farm input supply, four general merchandise stores, a pharmacy, an elementary school, a teaching farm and more!

Inspecting milled corn at SWMPC rice and corn processing center

Touring the SWMPC teaching farm

Trainees (and myself!) learned the basics of starting a cooperative from the St. Williams’ staff’s presentations, tours of their facilities and stories of their challenges. Traveling back to Santiago and onto Manila with the trainees, I was encouraged hearing their excitement to apply these lessons in their own communities. Myanmar in particular, in the process of transitioning to democracy from a military regime, has vast potential for growth as community organizing is a relatively new opportunity. We’ll watch and see how these 2 countries (and their Anglican churches) empower people to enhance their livelihoods, support their church and, in turn, assert themselves in true independence.

Trainees participate in a workshop creating a coop plan to generate income for their parish

International fellowship!