And The Award Goes To --

I didn't get to stay for the entire day of presentation and awarding of I Am a Changemaker, sadly. I had to haul bum to Benguet for the following day's forest-building activity with Cordillera Conservation Trust.

Youth movers and shakers of today rock, man. The energy in the auditorium was surprisingly calm for a venue of competing groups. I think the peace came from the fact that countless possibilities lay in the hands of these people.

NCR contender Belly Happy proposes homecooked meal delivery for workers of Ayala Techno Hub. Women from a nearby Gawad Kalinga village will be employed to prepare the orders.

Rotaract Club of Cebu's Cool Center project proposes to train out of school youth who are technically qualified to work in call center agencies but lack soft skills

Really good speaker presenting their project entitled SUGA - a livelihood project that empowers women and promotes environmentally sound business principles

And the winners are --

• NCR: Good Food Co. - Community Shared Agriculture system where farmers and shareholders are mutually empowered
• Luzon: Isla Cullion Souvenirs - a souvenir items business out of sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of Tagbanuas, an indigenous group living in Calamianes Group of Islands
• Visayas: Team 3G - a youth cooperative engaged in seaweed farming that addresses the need of Pangan-an Island for help in livelihood, education, and employment
• Mindanao: ERSS (Entrepreneurs Responding through Social Service) - a bag-out-of-tarp enterprise employing women of Balulang, Cagayan de Oro
• Starbucks Shared Planet Award: Team 3G again! 

Congratulations!