There's not a lot of women's support groups regarding business and entrepreneurship. Or at least they're not as visible. Yes there are ones that are modeled for the general public but they don't "get" the nuances of being a woman and subsequently a woman entrepreneur and may lack the appropriate mentorship, nudge and training some women need.

That's the number one goal of WINGS — to meet like-minded women entrepreneurs and create a positive dynamic team within a nurturing group of professionals for personal growth, business benefits ...and more.

Ava De Guzman - Founder and Director of Bridge of Hope and Wings. Based in California.

WINGS (Women's International Network Giving Support) is an organization of empowered women entrepreneurs and professionals locally and abroad that understand the values of collaboration for enhancing business acumen for financial prosperity and personal fulfillment.

WINGS organization as a whole aims to provide foundational and authentic support to all members including five important resources: Community, Recommendations, Mentorship, Team Support, and Power Partners. As a program of Bridge of Hope - World, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization helping single mothers, abused women, and orphans in the poorest communities worldwide, WINGS will impart and teach the values of philanthropy or charitable giving for common good-will as well as the business credibility edge it brings.

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http://www.wingsupport.org/
https://www.facebook.com/WINGS4Philippines

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"You wear too much makeup."

It was about three years ago, give or take, when we were introduced to the "wonder" oil after the Maracuja phenomena —the Argan oil. Seemingly out of nowhere this oil became the highly "lemmed" beauty elixir that promised a myriad of things from the understandable moisturization to a remedy for skin allergies etc etc etc.

WHAT IS ARGAN OIL?

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Argan Oil is one of the rarest oils in the world. It's a plant oil produced from nut kernels of argan trees which only grow in Morocco. The oil can be ingested and applied topically (which is how it's popularly used today).


KNOWN BENEFITS

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• Heals and repairs acne marks, dark spots, cracked heels, dry skin and elbows.
• Heals skin allergies such as psoriasis, eczema, and skin asthma.
• Maintains skin elasticity which prevents stretch marks during pregnancy.
• Prevents scalp problems such as dandruff, dry hair and hair loss.
• Reduces fine lines and wrinkles (anti-aging).

ABOUT WELLSPRING OF MOROCCO ARGAN OIL

I saw this YouTube video and I completely agree with everything here. Catcalling serves no good purpose for any party. And these disgusting men need to be called-out.

But when I looked at the comments I was appalled. These people think that women dress the way they are to GET cat-called at. As if that's what women's main purpose in life — get the attention of men. These people (boys mostly) think they are entitled to give lascivious comments about them and their body and think that's ok. That that is acceptable. And that THAT is their right. Because why wear clothes that accentuate your female silhouette if not for wanting men to harass you on street? Right? RIGHT?

WRONG.


So wrong. Girls, yes I use the term girl not woman, because girls as young as 10. TEN. Get harassed. And do you think they wear provocative clothing? It's these pedophilic people who sexualize young girls. They're the ones who have a problem with girls, going about their day being girls. These people think that we should fix girls. We should teach these girls to be afraid of their bodies and cover them up and if they get harassed it's their fault not the harassers.

Another thing. Clothes. Women, regardless of what they wear. Hijab or not. T-shirt and pants or not. Dress or not. Still get harassed and/or raped the same. Why can't women wear whatever the hell they want whilst not being branded as a whore or a slut? Why can't we respect women and their decisions with whatever they want to do with their body?

Next is men thinking that they are entitled to catcalling, name-calling and harassment because a woman is right before them. They believe that it's the woman's fault that men react like that. As if women have a sign over their heads or on their clothes that says

"PLEASE HARASS ME TODAY! I NEED CATCALLING TO VALIDATE MY FEMININITY AND QUALITY IN PEOPLE ESPECIALLY IN MEN'S EYES."



They feel like these women compel them to act like beasts. No brains. No conscience. No decision-making capability of their own so they're swayed by their animalistic urges by what they see. Which makes them no different from plain animals.

Not only does it put the few good men out there in bad light but it assumes that they have no thinking capacity of their own. It teaches other people (men and boys) them that this is acceptable behavior. This is what men do to become men. This is what women and girls like. They act coy but they like it. Silence means yes. No means maybe. Pakipot lang yan. Ganyan talaga babae. Sa una ayaw pero magugustuhan ka rin nyan. Nyan. Like a thing. Like a thing to be whistled at if you what they see pleases them and put them down when it doesn't.

To people think it's just a normal greeting on the street, it's not to most women. People think most women are paranoid but when the odds are always against them who wouldn't?

When one goes about her day a complete stranger greets her or comments on any part of her is it supposed to feel welcoming? Would that be a compliment?

Because when a woman tried to respond to the greeting by saying thank you — since people think it's JUST a compliment — the stranger followed her, because he thought that because she responded, she was interested.

Tell me, how fucked up is that? She wanted to think positive. She thought it WAS just a compliment according to what people keep telling her. To just "take" the compliment.

If you don't respond = Prude, Ingrate, Paranoid, Bitch, Stupid.
If you respond = Interested, Slut, Whore, Asking for it, Stupid.

Either way you run the risk of still being harassed, mugged, raped, killed in any which combination if the attacker decides so.

It makes me so angry and so upset that people ,and not only men, who think like this. And then I see posts saying...

I'm so sick of people saying they're feminists.
You're gay because you're a feminist.
Only gay men support feminists.
Femenazis are everywhere.
Ugly women made feminism.

And then I saw this comment.

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Now, listen me out.

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To be honest I have been weaning myself from sugary drinks, but Coca Cola's latest campaign of women entrepreneurship through small to medium businesses like sari-sari stores is hard to ignore. Especially since I like to think of myself as an empowered  woman and I sincerely believe that sari-sari stores shouldn't be called as such unless they carry this quintessential beverage that has been around since the first patented engine. (Yes, I did my research)


Now while I do find it a little cheesy, I find the video cute too and it actually isn't far from the truth. I mean, we've seen it before. These stores build a community. And these stores help families and individuals as well, who've been looking to be their own bosses.

I might not want a sari-sari store of my own, but I do respect the fact that these women don't want to work for someone, they want their blood, sweat and tears to be for them, from their hard work. They are entrepreneurs whether they know it or not. Through this Share Sari Saring Happiness campaign, we all know Coca-Cola realized this too - that these small stores and most often than not, women owners are what helps keep Coca- Cola alive and thriving.

Training courses, business advice, financial services are the only starting points they're willing to share so no other obstacles can come in the way of empowering 5 million women by 2020 or 5by20 one of the goals of the Share Sari Saring Happiness.

Christmas is definitely over and done with, but the spirit is very much alive through this gift  - it is still technically the Christmas season, and what better gift to receive than the opportunity to better yourself, support you and the people you love and become part of a growing community of women entrepreneurs who know what they want and have the support and whatever they need to achieve it.

What do you think of women entrepreneurs, women bosses or just women being women doing business like every other person out there. There are a lot of prejudices and glass ceilings, inconsistencies and unfair treatment when it comes to women in the workplace. I for one do not stand for gender inequality in this day and age.

Thoughts?