In 2011, during one of the usual project visits conducted by the Wholistic Transformation Resource Center Foundation, Inc (WTRC) in a poor community in Metro Manila, it struck WTRC’s President, DAVID BUSSAU and his companions that there seemed to be an inordinate number of idle men in the communities that they visited, especially when contrasted against the women who were engaged in some productive activity.  Many of the men were sitting around chatting with their neighbors in the middle of the day, a few were fiddling with motorbikes or helping their wives in their  sari-sari stores.  Quite a number were drinking alcohol as early as 11 in the morning!  

 

The discussion that ensued following the visit gave birth to an experiment.  WTRC piloted a project in partnership with the Center for Community Transformation, headed by Ruth Callanta designed specifically to test the theory that men in slum communities need empowerment programs to restore them to their rightful place as heads of their families and leaders in their community and that this could be done through wholistic programs that provide skills and entrepreneurship training, values formation, discipleship, spiritual formation, business coaching and hands on assistance in helping the male beneficiaries find employment.  We called this the Men’s Project.