DTI Aurora through the Negosyo Center San Luis recently conducted Entrepreneurship and Skills Training on Coconut, Pineapple and Sweet Potato Based Food Processing and Rattan Weaving for persons with disabilities (PWDs) at Brgy San Isidro, San Luis, Aurora. The Food Processing Course for the Shared Service Facilities (SSF) on Coconut Based Food Processing of Samahang Unlad Bukid ng Brgy San Isidro Credit Cooperative (SUSICCO) was promoted.

Business Counselors Judelyn Peneyra and Florelyn Caniete of the San Luis Negosyo Center facilitated the two-day training. They also conducted an entrepreneurship awareness briefing for the participants. They discussed the basics and essentials of entrepreneurship. They helped develop the participants’ business ideas and strengthen their enthusiasm to start a small business and establish livelihood.

A total of 43 participants from the Persons with Disability Federation of San Luis Aurora joined the activity. They produced Buko Candy, Coco Bar, Pinapple Jam, Sweet Potato Cheese Balls and Yema Cake sweet delicacies. They also produced rattan products woven as small and big baskets, round and oval trays, laundry baskets and bread baskets. A total of 11 f finished products were produced by the participants during the training.

The training was meant to improve self-esteem of PWDs and further develop their capacity and capability to start a small business and become a successful entrepreneur. The participants were very grateful for the opportunity to take part in such training because the course made it possible for them to make use resources that are abundant in their respective areas. DTI provincial director Edna Dizon said that their livelihood is ‘a good source of income for themselves and for their families thereby enabling them to become entrepreneurs that can lead to a better quality of life.”