In many communities across Manila, Philippines, poverty shows up in deeply practical, everyday ways.

Families stretch limited income to cover food.
Children miss school because education costs—uniforms, supplies, transportation—quickly add up.
Parents work hard yet remain stuck because income opportunities are scarce.

Sally knows these challenges well.

She runs a small garment-making business in a neighborhood where every sale matters. She works with skill and determination, but like many entrepreneurs in underserved communities, she didn’t have access to business training or guidance that could help her move beyond survival mode.

That began to change when she joined the Level Up Business Startup Program. Hope Ventures partnered with Extreme Response Asia, a locally-led organization, to launch the program by providing training, mentoring, and support for 18 entrepreneurs, including Sally.

Our training gave her new tools and confidence—helping her understand her customers, refine her products, and see her business through a new lens.

“Through Hope Ventures, I learned the importance of falling in love with the customer’s problem.”

— Sally, FIlipino Entrepreneur

With this shift came a new dream: to design and produce school uniforms for the children at the school right across the street.

It’s a vision shaped by the needs around her—children who deserve a chance at education and families who need steady income. By expanding her business, Sally hopes to provide jobs for her neighbors and create more stability in her community.

Hope Ventures exists for entrepreneurs like Sally. We come alongside organizations to offer training, mentorship, and support to develop business start-up programs—unlocking opportunities that help families move toward long-term flourishing.

Because when entrepreneurs thrive, communities flourish—with more food on the table, more children in school, and more dignity for every family.

Sally's Story | Sewing Hope in Manila