Creating opportunities for decent work and promoting inclusive economic growth are essential pillars of sustainable development. In line with this, the BS Social Work students of North Valley College facilitated a Skills Enhancement Training on Chorizo Making for Indigenous People (IP) women in Barangay Makilala, North Cotabato in March 2024. The activity aimed to strengthen the economic capacity of indigenous women through livelihood training that fosters productivity, entrepreneurship, and financial independence. By combining practical skills with business education, the program encouraged sustainable work opportunities and community-driven economic growth.
Aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, the training emphasized the value of empowering individual particularly women in marginalized communitiesโto participate actively in the local economy. Participants were taught proper food handling, meat processing, and hygienic packaging, along with essential business skills such as pricing, marketing, and customer service. Through hands-on learning and mentorship, the program promoted self-reliance and inspired participants to establish small-scale enterprises that generate income while upholding quality and sustainability standards.The Skills Enhancement Training on Chorizo Making stands as a model of community empowerment that integrates education, livelihood, and sustainable development. By equipping IP women with marketable skills and entrepreneurial knowledge, the initiative contributed to job creation, poverty reduction, and economic resilience core principles of SDG 8. More than just a livelihood project, it represented a step toward inclusive growth, enabling indigenous women to become productive contributors to their families and their communityโs progress.
