A two-day Good Shepherd Bazaar opens today at the Good
Shepherd Convent in Quezon City. This is supervised by the St. Mary Euphrasia Integrated Development Foundation,
Inc. (SMEIDFI).
The Bazaar features bags, pouch bags greeting cards, friendship
bands, rosaries, icons, and food items.
Participating in the Bazaar are the different communities with programs that
help women and children through economic justice initiatives. Among the groups
represented are Bahay Pastulan in Tagaytay, Alay Kapwa in Manila, Welcome
House, Bukid Kabataan, Legazpi, Iligan, RGS-COW (Center for Overseas Workers)
in Davao.
During the opening of the Bazaar, Ms. Dulcy Balatero,
marketing consultant, acknowledged the collaboration of sisters, and women and
friends in ensuring the success of this project, that of empowering women in
the disadvantaged communities.
The teenage girls at the Ruhama Center led the prayers
through interpretative dance.
Sr. Ailyn
Binco, chief executive officer of SMEIDFI, lauded the hard work of women in the
different communities and in offering products of good quality to customers.
She said that the Economic Justice Project is a social enterprise activity in
collaboration with International Good Shepherd Foundation in response to the
growing concern of economic stability of its beneficiaries, particularly the
women and girls.
Ms. Claire Ann Arellano, marketing personnel of EMPOWERING FILIPINO ARTISANS OUT OF POVERTY
(EFAP) said that holding the bazaar at
the Good Shepherd Convent is also an affirmation and support of the work that
women do and an invitation to Good Shepherd friends to support the programs. Several bazaars Good Shepherd Bazaars have been
held in different venues in the National Capital Region.
Srs. Ailyn, Sr. Ananita Borbon of the Ministry Team and
Sr. Regina Kuzon, province leader of the Good Shepherd Sisters in the Philippines,
led the untying of ribbon that formally opens the bazaar.
EFAP, organized by the Mission Development Office (MDO)
in Rome in 2013, in coordination with SMEIDFI
assists in developing, and marketing various income generating handcrafting
projects developed by their women and girls.
MDO consultants, Valentina and Patrizia Downey of Italy
gave the First Training Workshop for the Artisans of Alay Kapwa, Welcome
House-Cebu, Center for Overseas Workers-Davao and Pinatubo from February 11-15,
2013 at the Heart of Mary Villa Conference Hall. A follow-up workshop was held in May 27-31
that same year.
The 2014 Good Shepherd Bazaar is open 9 am to 5 p.m. on
October 24 and 25.