Just Released: WIMLER REACH OUT Newsletter, Issue 4, Vol 2

Reach Out Newsletter, Issue No. 4, Vol 2

BREAKING NEWS: Wimler HK and INTEMPORELLE Switzerland sign partnership agreement to promote development

WIMLER HK and INTEMPORELLE Switzerland signed a partnership agreement to promote  sustainable development as a way of giving back to the community. The signing of partnership agreement took place last November 7 at the Marriott Hotel lobby lounge in Hong Kong. Mr. Kevin Rey, Chief Operating Manager of INTEMPORELLE Switzerland and Mr. Floyd Lau, chairperson and director of WIMLER Foundation HK signed the agreement in the presence of Leila Rispens-Noel (director and co-founder), Emilie Veringa (director and co-founder), Luz Tan (Press Relations Officer) and Marie Medura Touhy (Friend of WIMLER).

INTEMPORELLE Switzerland, a premium Swiss Skin-Care Brand offers the finest products which nourish, protect and rejuvenate skin; indispensable to most vital daily skincare rituals.  Its Swiss laboratories have blended precise, scientifically proven bio-engineering technology with nature's best restorative plant extracts, poly-vitamin complex, precious glycoproteins and minerals. The result is a highly evolved, scientifically formulated skin care system that protects and promotes beautiful skin.

10% of every purchase of Timeless Radiance Day & Night Cream will be donated to WIMLER HK and you will receive two gifts with purchase

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“We at INTEMPORELLE are excited about this partnership, sharing our mission and vision and being able to give back to the community is the foundation of INTEMPORELLE,” Rey said during the signing of the contract.  In United States, INTEMPORELLE already supports Sunrise Community, a non-profit organization which provides     programs and services to physically challenged people.

“WIMLER Foundation HK encourages companies to embrace CSR as it firmly believes that business companies have an important role to play in poverty alleviation and to improve the quality of life people.  We are extremely pleased with this partnership because we put into practice our shared values,” Lau responded. 

For more information about INTEMPORELLE Switzerland, please visit:  www.intemporellegroup.com

Policy Brief: Overseas Migrants and Entrepreneurship

Strategy to link overseas Filipinos  to MSME dev’t back home wanting 

MANILA, Philippines—FOR a country that enjoys billion-dollar overseas remittances from compatriots abroad, one might think that the Philippines has already capitalized on these monies’ entrepreneurial potential.

But a recently-released study by the bilateral German International Development Cooperation (GIZ) office here has found that the world’s fourth biggest recipient of overseas remittances has yet to have a strategy to direct the resources of Filipinos abroad into developing the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector.

“Apparently, there is no overarching approach to overseas Filipino entrepreneurship —and that is stalling the harnessing of the phenomenon’s many economic and entrepreneurial possibilities,” initial findings of a study by GIZ Philippines’ Private Sector Promotion Programme (SMEDSEP) wrote.

So the situation thus leaves overseas Filipinos and their families moving on their own when it comes to setting up MSMEs and surviving the tough grind of doing business in the Philippines, GIZ SMEDSEP’s study titled Business Bliss from Hardwork Abroad added.

Now with over 9.4 million Filipinos scattered in 220 countries and territories, the Philippines has received over-US$180 billion in remittances from 1975 to 2011 —the resource being the country’s major source of foreign exchange.

Yet there is also “an apparent disconnect between the Philippine business environment and the dynamics of migrant entrepreneurship,” GIZ SMEDSEP’s study further wrote.

This is not to mention that Filipino entrepreneurs, whether overseas migrants or not, continue to operate in a country that is ranked low in global surveys on competitiveness, and on the ease of doing business and investments. 

The Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is hoping to craft a migration-and-MSME development plan that can bring together government agencies within and outside the overseas Filipinos sector and the entrepreneurship community.

During GIZ’s presentation, Ms. Rhodora Leaño of DTI’s Bureau of MSME Development (BMSMED) admitted the DTI has yet to specifically look at the entrepreneurial needs of overseas Filipinos and their families given that the agency caters to the general Filipino population.

Overseas Filipinos were included as a thematic area in the 2011-2016 MSME Development Plan of DTI. GIZ, in a 2010 paper, tagged the Philippines’ overseas migration phenomenon as a “competitive advantage” for MSME development.

But while not all Filipinos here and abroad are entrepreneurial, economist Alvin Ang of the University of Santo Tomas said that such proposed development plan must give “sustainable options” to those overseas Filipinos who are entrepreneurial, as well as those who are risk-averse and may want to park their money in investment instruments.

Overseas Filipino entrepreneurs, GIZ SMEDSEP’s study found out, can engage in business —with or without the help of their family members back home— either when they are currently abroad on a temporary basis (including seafarers), when they are already permanently settling overseas, when they return for good to the country, and when they travel back and forth from their host country to the Philippines.

The migrant-financed enterprises operate not just in the Philippines but also abroad, as well as covering both the Philippines and overseas.

But for those Filipinos abroad deciding to return to the Philippines for good, GIZ SMEDSEP called for an improved means of doing business in the Philippines or, for those Filipinos abroad going back to their rural hometowns, a better hometown business and investment climate.

“Improving the overall [Philippine] investment climate is a pre-requisite to a hopefully successful reintegration program,” GIZ SMEDSEP wrote.         

         The absence of inputs from the overseas migration phenomenon in other countries’ strategic plans for MSME development may be a prevailing occurrence, says the nonprofit Institute for Migration and Development Issues (IMDI).

The study can be downloaded here:

http://www.smedsep.ph/bigbangreports/reports/10%20GIZ%20PSP%20Business%20Bliss%20from%20Hard%20Work%20Abroad%20Case%20Studies%2017Sep12.pdf

For queries, kindly contact:

·        Jeremaiah M. Opiniano (executive director)

Institute for Migration and Development Issues (IMDI)

Website: www.ofwphilanthropy.org

Emails: ofw_philanthropy@yahoo.com, president@ofwphilanthropy.org

            Mobile: +639175370723  

Sponsored the printing and dissemination of this policy brief

WIMLER HK celebrates its first founding anniversary with "Dance for the Kids"

Luz Tan

Public Relations Officer/Event Coordinator

WIMLER Foundation HK

Mobile: 96309311

E-mail: luz.tan@wimler.org

www.wimler.org

For immediate release

WIMLER HK Celebrates its First Founding Anniversary

With Dance for the Kids

Hong Kong, 18 September 2012 - WIMLER Foundation HK celebrates its first founding anniversary with “Dance for the Kids” which will be held on Saturday, November 24 from 6:30 to 10:30 pm. The event will take place at Penthouse Skylounge in Wan Chai. For HK$500 entrance ticket per person, guests will be treated with dinner buffet, three hours unlimited drinks, and dancing. Door prizes will be raffled for lucky winners. Net proceeds of the event will support WIMLER's "Send a Child to School" project.

WIMLER HK is a non-profit, charity organization whose primary objective is to support the capacity building and empowerment of migrant communities and to promote cultural diversity in Hong Kong based on mutual respect, solidarity, and shared empowerment among peoples.

A year after its inception, WIMLER HK through the support and contributions of its donors during the benefit dinner last April has funded the education of 135 elementary pupils and six high school students in Mlang, North Cotabato, Bansalan Central Elementary School and M.V. Duque Elementary School in Nueva Vizcaya.

In Hong Kong, WIMLER HK has been actively involved in the capacity building of migrants and migrant organizations. It collaborates with the Ateneo de Manila University School of Government (ASoG) together with the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong, Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO), Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA), Social Enterprise Development Partnership Inc. (SEDPI), Overseas Filipinos Society for the Promotion of Economic Security  (OFSPES), and Project BE in conducting Leadership, Financial Literacy and Social Entrepreneurship (LSE12).  The LSE Basic Course consists of 12 full-day sessions covering four sessions each for Leadership, Financial Literacy and Social Entrepreneurship. Fifty-one participants, mostly migrant domestic workers, are attending this 12 session course which started last July.

WIMLER also works with the Philippine Consulate, POLO, OWWA, CARD-MRI and PAHK in conducting leadership seminar series on skills development, financial literacy, value formation, and strategic planning for core migrant leaders. The seminar series aim at improving the capacities of migrants and migrant organizations.

WIMLER welcomes and appreciates individual/private corporate sponsorship to ensure success of the events. Sponsors will be acknowledged in our program, Facebook Event page, and Wimler blog.

For ticket information, call any of our Event team members:

Luz Tan: 9630 9311 or luz.tan@wimler.org

Emilie Veringa: 5191 0902 or emilie.veringa@wimler.org

Marie Medura-Touhy: 9151 48 67 or mariedmt@mac.com

WIMLER launches Book Drive and Arts for Kids Drive

WIMLER Foundation HK is conducting back-to-back campaigns to collect English children's books and arts materials. The books collected will be donated to Dugong Elementary School and Mlang Pilot Elementary School both located in Mlang, North Cotabato. WIMLER hopes that with the book drive, the two schools will finally have school libraries. Dugong Elementary School has no school library at all while the books in Pilot school are already old.

The collected arts materials will be used during the Children Arts Workshops which will be conducted this coming December.

Those who who would like to donate books and arts materials, kindly contact:

Emilie Veringa: 5191 0902 or emilie.veringa@wimler.org

Luz Tan: 9630 9311 or luz.tan@wimler.org

Marie Medura-Touhy: 9151 4867 or mariedmt@mac.com

Leila Rispens-Noel: 6897 6848 or leila.rispens-noel@wimler.org

What Friends of WIMLER said during the benefit dinner:

Please check our Event Albums:

Event Album 1

Event Album 2

Event Album 3

Lisa Furnad

To WIMLER Family, thank you for making a difference!! Nothing more rewarding than helping those in needs and I'm very much happy to be part of it!

Giselle Rivas

“It is a happy feeling attending this kind of event.  I am so pleased to be part of it. Thank so much to all! It is great event to cherish in our memories and heart. I love it! Many thanks to all and especially to WIMLER Team!”

Guy Lockwood

“It was my absolute pleasure to be present during the benefit dinner. I'm very proud and honored to be part of Wimler and give you my sincerest thanks. I look forward to doing more for WIMLER. Everyone is fantastic! Thank you so much for your generosity and hard work last night. You were well rewarded with a fantastic event!”

Chi Torrato Servigon

“Mabuhay ang WIMLER!!!”

Gloria Taripe

“For a cause such as this, it is a privilege to be able to serve. Thank you for your invitation. “

Penny Salcedo

“It is such a privilege to have graced your wonderful event last Saturday night as one of the special guest performers. I feel humbled to share a little bit with WIMLER through my singing. Looking forward the near future to be of actual help to all the wonderful kids who deserve to have an education. Mabuhay and God bless WIMLER!”

Myra Ma Hewlett

“Such a wonderful evening and excellent food!”

Raquel S. Mina

“The benefit dinner was a success: good organization and venue and people are all nice. It was a privilege to have attended this benefit dinner for WIMLER Foundation and I would like to mention a famous proverb where it states that “Charity begins at home, but should not end there”.

Rozglow Distribution Hong Kong.

“It has been a wonderful evening...thank you for inspiring us. Thank you for the wonderful and meaningful evening.”

Chad Salvador Del Valle

Thank you Ate Emilie, Tita Luz and Tita Leila. Congratulations to your event and More Power to Wimler.

Sue Biggins

“Well done for a successful evening. Just a shame we had to leave so early, would have loved to stay for dancing!”

Natalie Lowings

Well done to the organizers of Wimler Foundation, a charity organization in Hong Kong for arranging such a brilliant event. I had a great time and what a brilliant charity. thank you to Emilie Veringa-Tobias for inviting us (on behalf of Divers Sanctuary).

Celeste Murphy

“Leila and the WIMLER Hong Kong group - You are an inspiration. My friends and I are very pleased to have been a part of that beautiful evening.”

Rio Jo

“Kudos to the wonderful women behind WIMLER FOUNDATION; hope you will not get tired of helping others. It was fun seeing friends and meeting new friends last night. It was a blast!”

Wimler HK holds benefit dinner to help send Filipino kids to school

This article was  first published in The Sun Online Edition

By Jan Yumul 

More than 100 people turned up for a charity dinner hosted by the Wimler Foundation Hong Kong Limited, held at the United Services Recreation Club in Jordan on April 21.

In her speech, Wimler founder and president, Leila Rispens-Noel, thanked everyone who supported the event, then revealed the inspiration for her mission.

Because of poverty, she was forced to stop studying after high school so her brothers could continue with theirs.

"I wished to study but I could not because my father died in 1979, he was 49. But I wanted to study, I was ambitious," said Noel. She recalled telling her father that she would never go back to being poor if she could. So, she continued working and studying at the same time until she received some good news. Someone from Chicago had written to their parish priest in Bansalan, Davao del Sur, offering a scholarship.

"And that's how I finished my college, through the help of someone whom I didn't know. I never had a chance to meet him," said Rispens-Noel.

She summed up by saying that children are poor not because their parents are lazy, but because they never had an opportunity. Once that opportunity is given them, most will respond positively.

Rispens-Noel spent 29 years in the Netherlands before relocating to Hong Kong.

The keynote speaker, Consul General Noel Servigon, congratulated the team behind Wimler and all the donors and sponsors of the event. He also said that Saturday is usually reserved for his family, but could not say no to Rispens-Noel, whom he first met during his stint in the Netherlands a decade ago.

He also revealed that education has played a big part in his life, as his first job when he was just 18 was as teacher in a midwifery and nursing school in the province.

He also told the benefactors how they made a very important decision by attending the dinner, not only to help the Filipino children who will benefit, but in initiating the group in Hong Kong which he hopes will be a model for other organizations.

With the motto "a dinner for you, a year-long education for a child," Wimler-HK, together with Wimler Philippines, aims to help 100 primary school children in Mindanao when the school year kicks off this June.