To celebrate and uplift women during Women’s Month, foodpanda logistics has launched a groundbreaking initiative, Ka-pandaBIZ: Women on Wheels (WoW), providing comprehensive livelihood training and packages exclusively for women in their Ka-panda delivery fleet.
Officially introduced on International Women’s Day, the Ka-pandaBIZ: WoW program aims to empower selected women to kickstart their own small businesses. These beneficiaries will not only undergo training but will also receive a substantial business capital amounting to PHP100,000.
“With Ka-pandaBIZ: WoW, we are not just celebrating women, we are actively working to enhance their productivity, income, and living standards. Similiar to these Ka-pandas who have also undergone an extensive training curriculum, these women are poised to become thriving micro-entrepreneurs, and we hope they will also drive positive change within their communities,” according to Ron Sanders, Rider Experience Lead of foodpanda logistics Philippines as he underscored the company’s commitment to supporting the success and enhanced livelihoods of their delivery partners, particularly the women Ka-pandas.
Sanders proudly shared the positive impact of this focused effort, citing a remarkable threefold increase in the number of women within the expanding fleet of foodpanda logistics delivery partners as of 2023.
To ensure the success of the Ka-pandaBIZ: WoW initiative, beneficiaries will partake in a comprehensive program comprising online training sessions, mentoring, on-ground retail store visits, and regular catch-ups with mentors. These activities will be spearheaded by foodpanda logistics’ official partner organization, HAPINOY.
“Learning from all these aspects will serve as the foundation of their journey as happy, growth-oriented, and socially responsible microentrepreneurs,” said Hapinoy’s Mark Ruiz as he shared that this initiative will be anchored under their training and mentoring program, HapiSkwela, designed for sari-sari store owners. This program provides education, business tools, personal development training, and values formation.
The November 2023 Labor Force Survey (LFS) revealed a decline in the participation of women in the labor force, dropping from 57.8% to 55.4% this year. Factors such as family responsibilities, schooling, and age-related considerations contributed to this decline, resulting in a lower participation rate compared to men, which currently stands at 75%. Responding to this trend, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has set a target under the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) to increase female labor force participation from 2023 to 2028 by creating more economic opportunities for women.
The Ka-pandaBIZ: WoW initiative is an integral part of foodpanda logistics’ broader livelihood program, Ka-pandaBIZ, designed to empower delivery partners and their families through sustainable economic opportunities.
Highlighting the success of their approach, three Ka-pandas successfully graduated from the Ka-pandaBIZ program last year. They received startup capital and comprehensive business training for their sari-sari stores, where they acquired skills in various business management areas, including store setup, financial management, product marketing, and business expansion. The initiative not only empowers women but also contributes to the broader goal of fostering economic growth and gender equality.