THE DIFFERENCE YOU MAKE
Zambawood is a social enterprise. From relaxing at the resort, to visiting the farm and harvesting the produce, to enjoying a coffee at its cafe, you are supporting a platform that gives youth with disabilities a chance to grow their skills.
With the Philippines easing its travel restrictions, both resorts are ready to welcome tourists and employ and re-employ people with disabilities.
Its training programme is for youth aged 18 and above who have medical clearance to work, and the duration varies — a barista programme by government agency TESDA for example, is 178 hours. The trainees graduate with a licence that certifies that they are fit and trained to work.
As of March 2022, Julyan’s Coffee Spot has rehired two of the trainees, while there are three trainees awaiting assignment at Julyan’s Garden. Rachel is in constant communication with TESDA and nearby schools for possible partnerships to train more youth.
Before the pandemic, corporate establishments such as GLOBE Telecom’s office in Makati opened their doors to Zambawood’s deaf trainees, who ran pop-up coffee kiosks on their premises. Zambawood hopes to see more corporate partnerships return as the pandemic eases.
