About Us

YouthWorks Inc. began with three underprivileged youth needing start-up capital for their enterprise. Its founder sought family and friends who understood the potential of these three young individuals and their business plans and the social relevance of providing them with economic empowerment ad its effect on their human development.

YouthWorks Inc. began with three underprivileged youth needing start-up capital for their enterprise. Its founder sought family and friends who understood the potential of these three young individuals and their business plans and the social relevance of providing them with economic empowerment ad its effect on their human development.
It was initially conceptualized as a cooperative. But meager resources as well as differing views led its founder to limit the number of people working on YouthWorks to those who aligned themselves with the vision and mission of the organization. Thus, YoutWorks registered itself as a non-profit organization in November 2006.

YouthWorks believes that true commitment to supporting the development of any individual means empowering them. Thus, while YouthWorks would gladly accept donations and grants, any donation or grants are given to borrowers as loans to ensure it will reach more underprivileged youth.

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Mission

YouthWorks Inc.’s ultimate goal is to be the premier mobile microfinance institution providing credit to underprivileged and grassroots youth and women entrepreneurs using ICT for development as a sustainable and practical solution to poverty and its corresponding social ills at the community-level in the Philippines.

Vision

YouthWorks envisions a society where economically independent youth entrepreneurs become catalysts so positive social change.

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Board of Trustees

Audrey E. Codera, Chairman and Founder.
A consultant on youth employment and entrepreneurship, Audrey served as Executive Director and then Chairman of the Philippine Youth Employment Network (PYEN) where she advocated and influenced the inclusion of youth employment in Philippine policy and the Asia-Pacific Region. She helped set-up and train grassroots youth on enterprise development with the use of information and communication technology as tools. She served as the Youth Employment Summit - Philippine Country Coordinator. She is a graduate of Political Economy at the University of Asia and the Pacific, a visiting scholar at Columbia University and is currently taking up Law at Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

Carolina Espinosa, President
For more than 20 years, Carolina has worked in the packaging industry as Purchasing Manager. She has also invested on microfinance for more than 5 years and has ventured into small businesses. She brings to YouthWorks her experience in the administration of microfinance. Carolina is studied Commerce from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

Ma. Victoria Esguerra, Finance Officer
An Accountant at one of the biggest shipping companies in the Philippines. She has served as finance officer at a microfinance institution for more than 5 years. previous to YouthWorks, she has served as an accountant at international air and shipping companies.

Haydee Detera, Administrative Manager
Haydee served as an administrative officer at an International shipping company previous to joining YouthWorks.

Eunicelle Codera, IT Manager
A graduate of Business Administration major in Computer Application at the De La Salle University, Eunicelle served as marketing and account officer at a national glass manufacturing company before joining a global company providing off-shore technical support. She managed and enabled the growth of one division before joining YouthWorks.

Kay Ann Detera, Partnerships and Marketing Officer
kahdetera@youthmicrofinance.com
Kay Ann is a Multimedia Arts student at the Asia-Pacific College.

Aura Bantasan, Program Officer

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Board of Advisors

Simon Healy, Managing Director of OutsourcingTo.uS
Curtis DeBerg, Founder of Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship.
Atty. Claro Garcia, former Governor of Surigao del Norte and President of Allegria Bank.

Our Values

(1) Youth entrepreneurship. YouthWorks believes that youth are catalysts for positive social change. A reasonable way of pursuing that change is through the promotion of youth-led small and medium business that will enable youth to be economically independent and contribute to their communities.

(2) Youth volunteerism. YouthWorks cultivates the habit of giving back to the community among its youth volunteers using their knowledge and skills.

(3) Responsible Citizenship and Social Responsibility. YouthWorks is driven by the fundamental principle that an business entity has rights as well as duties to the community. The fulfillment of these rights and duties assures the sustainability of the business itself.