How Our Organization Began
Founded in 1984, the Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation, Inc. (NWTF) began as a non-governmental organization that aims to help women achieve self-sufficiency and self-reliance, particularly in Negros Occidental’s low-income and depressed urban and rural communities. It sought to increase women’s awareness of their economic potential, to increase their skills and productivity and to improve their quality of life.
In 1989, NWTF accepted the challenge of replicating the Grameen Bank credit methodology and established Project Dungganon (Honorable).
In 2000, NWTF piloted in Bacolod City its individual lending program known as Project Kasanag (Light that offers Hope). This credit assistance is designed to assist the urban micro-entrepreneurs engaged in manufacturing, trading, buy and sell, service and shop-keeping to enable them to improve their quality of life and be instrumental in the economic progress of the community.
It has broaden its services to include the Project Dungganon Insurance Package which covers a Life Insurance, Hospital Income Benefit, Accidental Death Benefit, Permanent and Total Disablement, Medical Reimbursements and Weekly Indemnity. The insurances also include a Retirement Fund for the members and also provides for the member’s spouse against death and disablement.
In 2004, NWTF launched its Scholarship Program and extended scholarship grants to qualified dependents of its clients. It also introduced the Micro-crop loan, a new product design to address the needs of the Agrarian Reform beneficiaries, giving them the opportunity to cultivate their own land and retain ownership of it.
At present, with 48 branches and more far flung communities to reach out to, NWTF has broadened its horizon with the creation of their own IT company called DO-IT. With innovative steps and operational advancement, DO-IT becomes a significant tool to take on the challenges in spite of the swift progression in technology and the global escalation of financial and environmental distress.
