SEDPI Social Enterprise Ventures, Inc. (SSEVI), the social enterprise incubator of SEDPI Group of Social Enterprises, provided capacity building to two budding social enterprises. SSEVI’s President and CEO, Mariel Vincent Rapisura, facilitated a review of Route +63’s strategic plan and provided a loan package for Solar Solutions to sell its products last January 12-13, 2013.
Route +63 aims to be the leading organizer of socially and environmentally responsible trips in the Philippines. Through its activities, it hopes to spur local economic development through sustainable tourism. Route +63 targets to serve 15,000 local and international tourists by 2017. The organization has already mounted trips to Sagada, Banaue rice terraces and Bataan. The trips had a special social, environmental or cultural agenda. The Sagada trip not only made the tourists appreciate nature but also the coffee culture of locals. Those who joined the tour in Banaue had the chance to volunteer their labor in rehabilitating rice terraces. In Bataan, the tourists protected the eggs and hatchlings of the Pawikan (Philippine turtle).
Solar solutions is a social enterprise that provides technical and expert advice on the design and deployment of renewable energy. It designs solar energy systems to homes and communities, solar-powered waste water treatment. It also undertakes research and development on solar systems. The main goal is to make renewable energy available and affordable to more people and communities.
SSEVI currently provides support services to 12 start up social enterprises all over the Philippines. Support services include assistance on business registration; setting up of accounting system; external audit support; facilitation of strategic planning; social enterprise advice; access to funds and market linkaging. It hopes to grow social enterprises to become part of its growing development portfolio