Dipolog City, Zamboanga Del Norte – From being a beneficiary of the sponsorship program to leading a cooperative in their community, Vivian Bali has undoubtedly shattered barriers for the women in her community.
Vivian is the mother of former sponsored child Darwin Jerome Bali. She and her son were one of the pioneering families supported by the Sponsorship Program implemented by Lihok Bata Development Center and ChildFund Japan. Since then, Bali has always been an active participant, attending center and cooperative activities.
Today, Vivian Bali has served as the Board of Directors Chairperson of Bidlisiw sa Kalamboan Multipurpose Cooperative (BKMPC) since 2018 and was re-elected again in 2024. She is also the first woman to hold this position in their community, which just shows the cooperative members’ trust and confidence in her leadership.
As she continues to challenge the norm as a woman leader, Bali’s direction for the cooperative proved instrumental, especially during the challenging time of the pandemic. Under her guidance, BKMPC achieved significant milestones. One of these is being awarded the Certificate of Recognition as Guardian Cooperative, solidifying BKMPC’s influence in its community.
Moreover, Vivian’s strategic leadership facilitated the acquisition of vital assets, including a parcel of land where essential infrastructure for the cooperative, such as a solar dryer and a rice and corn mill warehouse, was constructed. Additionally, collaborative efforts with esteemed partners like Mindanao Resource Institute for Community Empowerment (MINRICE), Inc., Lihok Bata Development Center, and COOP NATCCO Partly List further propelled the cooperative’s progress as they secured a 5-million-peso grant for the construction of a three-storey cooperative building.
These achievements did not go unnoticed by the government because the Cooperative Development Authority of Region IX awarded BKMPC the 2nd Place Most Outstanding Cooperative (Small Category) in 2019.
Vivian has four more years to serve as Chairperson, and we are sure that she will surprise us again with milestone after milestone. May her story serve as an inspiration to mothers, women, and girls because she proves that women can lead with excellence and leave an enduring legacy.
*Story and photos courtesy of Lihok Bata Development Center.
