Written by Habeb Guiaman and Franz Manlutac, IDEALS
Micro and small enterprises (MSEs) play a key role in fostering peace and social cohesion in communities. Not only do they help generate employment, MSEs offer pathways into economic participation, skill development and social recognition.
Since 2024, IDEALS has equipped MSEs with skills and tools to enhance their administrative, operational, financial and digital marketing capabilities. Under SPEAK Mindanao, KAPYAGUYAGA was a one-day capacity-building session for micro and small businesses to enhance knowledge of cooperatives & social enterprises, to improve business & finance management, and to identify effective marketing strategies for the cooperatives. “Kapyaguyaga” is a portmanteau for Maguindanaon words kapya which translates to ‘good’ and uyaga which comes from ‘uyag-uyag’ or source of income or livelihood.
In partnership with Connected Women, IDEALS capacitated a total of 30 out-of-school youth and 20 women entrepreneurs from MSEs and cooperatives based in Maguindanao del Sur. Through the 2025 Elevate GAIL program, women partners deepened their knowledge and skills in marketing, digital tools like ChatGPT and Google Workspace, and social media management.
Among the partner cooperatives who joined these trainings was the Magungaya sa Langgapanan Farmers and Fisherfolks Marketing Cooperative, a collective born from the efforts of former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants. The cooperative is based in Sultan sa Barongis, a municipality in Maguindanao del Sur long affected by flooding and armed conflict. Choosing to break the cycle of violence, its members are rewriting their paths through agricultural and entrepreneurial work, allowing them to plant and harvest seeds of peace in their community.
Chairperson Muslimin Salih represented the cooperative at the Voices for Peace: Youth for Peace and Social Justice, an advocacy culmination and exhibit of youth-led peace and human rights-focused projects nationwide.
During an interview with the cooperative’s chairperson, Muslimin Salih shared: “We came from years of conflict and uncertainty. Today, we are farmers, fishers, and entrepreneurs, using what we learned to build peaceful lives and show our community that change is possible.”
Through Elevate GAIL, the cooperative’s women members gained confidence in themselves and in their work. Among them is Ariej Matabalao, a cooperative member since 2023, who participated in the training. She is one of the members in charge of marketing and finance, specifically in the online visibility and bookkeeping of the cooperative’s products. The month-long training was an avenue for women like Ariej to acquire technical skills in digital work—opening opportunities for social mobility within and beyond the cooperative.
After the training, Ariej shared, “I learned new techniques in business and leadership, I feel more confident in my abilities, and am better prepared to contribute to community development. I also connected with other women and discovered the power of collaboration while gaining skills in managing businesses and resources effectively.”
Ariej Matabalao, a women cooperative member of Mangugaya Langgapanan
Farmers and Fisherfolk Marketing Cooperative.
In the past quarter, the cooperative participated in exhibits and trade fairs, not only to promote their products, but also to share their stories. Moreover, the cooperative has grown in membership, as the community sees that even in conflict-affected areas, hope and opportunities are possible. Wider visibility through effective marketing has led to numerous orders from municipal offices, BARMM agencies, and ministries, further strengthening the cooperative’s role in the local economy and community.
Members of the cooperative take part in a group photo opportunity in Sultan sa Barongis, Maguindanao del Sur. / Photo courtesy of the Mangugaya Langgapanan Farmers & Fisherfolk Marketing Cooperative
Over time, the cooperative has become a bridge for community voices and a support system for former combatants—women and men—to pursue peaceful lives. #
About the project
SPEAK Mindanao or the “Support to People’s Empowerment through Amplifying community voices for Kalilintad in Mindanao” was a three-year (2023 to 2025) project supported by the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF). SPEAK Mindanao aimed to increase the capacities and opportunities of Bangsamoro communities, such as micro and small entrepreneurs, out-of-school youth, for improvement of leadership skills and strengthening their network for partnerships.