Super nanays. (L-R) Kimberly Gumaling, Rhiza Mae Macalos, and Angelie Verde took the opportunity presented by Elevate AIDA to undertake digital skills training and eventually pursue flexible careers in the digital space, enabling them to still have time with their growing kids.

Three moms from Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon shared stories of delicate balancing acts and rewarded commitments as they recounted their experiences in Elevate AIDA, a program that empowers women by teaching them remote work skills and basic professional and computer abilities.

Elevate AIDA — which stands for artificial intelligence (A.I.) and data annotation — was developed by social impact startup group Connected Women with the support of Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower) and the Aboitiz Foundation. In Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, Hedcor, a renewable energy arm of AboitizPower, led the initiative together with the local government. 

“Before I joined Elevate AIDA, I was a plain housewife, always at home, cooking, cleaning, and taking care of my child. Sometimes, I would wish for a job I could do from home, so I could still look after my child and help add to our income,” shared Kimberly Gumaling, a mother to a growing daughter who also volunteers at her local nutrition office.

“I have been a stay-at-home mom for 10 years, taking care of three children,” added Rhiza Mae Macalos, a breastfeeding mother and advocate, who helps moms like herself. “I saw [Elevate AIDA] as a great opportunity for mothers to have jobs while staying at home and still taking care of their kids, which is really what most moms want.”

“When I told my husband that I was going to train for this, he was amazed and asked, ‘what’s that for?’ I explained that it’s a career path where I could work from home, so I wouldn't need to leave the house. Since our family is always our top priority, he became very supportive and started helping me even during my training.”

Like Rhiza, Angelie Verde is a mother of three. A barangay nutrition scholar, she also leaned on her family to balance her responsibilities as a mom and student.

“On joining Elevate AIDA, when I told my husband, he was surprised. He said, ‘you just gave birth a month ago and you’re joining already?’ I told him it was okay because we have an internet [connection] at home so I could always [attend remotely],” she recounted. “I also asked my mother-in-law to help watch my baby while I was doing the virtual training. It was really challenging because I had to split my time carefully.”

While their whole batch in Manolo Fortich completed their coursework and graduated, Kimberly, Rhiza, and Angelie admitted their initial impressions of Elevate AIDA, particularly their worries of learning and adapting to something new.

“Initially, I was hesitant about A.I. [But] in my training and now in my work, A.I. made our tasks easier and faster. We now have more time for our kids and even for community work,” Rhiza said. “Now I see that A.I., when used responsibly and properly, actually helps make our work smoother and easier.”

“At first, I wasn’t sure if I could handle it, and I was worried I might leave my child behind. But I still joined because I wanted to learn new skills, and there was a chance I could work from home. That’s why I joined Elevate AIDA,” Kimberly added. “I was really happy after graduation because I got hired by Connected Women. I currently have two projects and I’m using what I learned like using Google Docs, Google Drive, and Google Sheets. Now I’m a busy working mom.”

On further reflection, the moms looked inward, finding validation, personal resilience, and a sense of satisfaction, all thanks to the new doors opened up by Elevate AIDA.

“The most important thing I learned from Elevate AIDA was time management and commitment — finishing what we started despite all the challenges we faced, even while breastfeeding our babies during the training,” Angelie declared.

For Kimberly, it was proving to herself that she can finish the training. “At first, I wasn’t sure if I could do it, but during graduation, I realized I could. You just have to try, believe in yourself, stay focused, and commit to it.”

“This opportunity is a huge blessing for moms like us who have been out of work for many years because now we have a chance to learn about new technologies, help our families financially, and even help our community,” Rhiza added. “Now that I am working, I see that [Elevate AIDA] really has compassion and a real desire to empower women to realize their role not just at home, but in the community too.”

Beyond providing training and endorsing them to work in  both local and international companies, Elevate AIDA also instills in its women beneficiaries the value of pursuing continuous learning and upskilling to further boost their competitiveness in the digital workplace.

“We are very thankful to AboitizPower, Aboitiz Foundation, and Hedcor for giving us this opportunity,” Rhiza expressed. “Since we were the first batch here, they trusted us to meet their expectations. I'm proud to say that when the Aboitiz Foundation said they needed a 100% graduation rate, we really worked hard to achieve it, so that more mothers can have the same chance we were given.”

“Thank you so much to Aboitiz Foundation, Hedcor, and our local government of Manolo Fortich, especially the Manolo Fortich Nutrition Office, for programs like these that have a huge impact on our lives, empowering us to help our families, especially our growing children, to have a better future,” remarked Angelie.

“Thank you so much to AboitizPower, Aboitiz Foundation, and Hedcor. Because of Elevate AIDA, I was given the chance to work from home without leaving my responsibilities as a mother,” echoed Kimberly.

The Aboitiz Foundation is the corporate social responsibility arm of the Aboitiz Group, while AboitizPower is the holding company for the Aboitiz Group’s investments in power generation, distribution, and retail electricity services. Hedcor, an AboitizPower subsidiary, operates 22 run-of-river hydropower facilities and multiple solar power plants across the Philippines, with two of the former located in Manolo Fortich.