In September 2023, the Tindahan ni Rizal (Store of Rizal) officially opened its doors to the José Rizal University (JRU) community, offering monay and dishwashing liquid soap for sale.
These products are sourced from partner communities, providing a direct link between the university and local residents.
The initiative directly addresses local unemployment and poverty by providing livelihood training. Participants from Brgy. Daang Bakal received training from the Department of Trade and Industry, while JRU faculty volunteers from the Junior and Senior High Schools trained residents on making dishwashing liquid soap. The program expanded in November 2024, when Social Orientation and Community Involvement (SOCI) members invited a TESDA trainer to teach peanut butter-making to some unemployed and interested residents of Brgy. Bagong Silang.
The Tindahan is a key component of the Community Development Office’s Sustainable Integrated Community Advancement Program (SICAP), which aims to foster community empowerment and self-reliance. Beneficiaries who applied their new skills reported significant improvements in their social welfare and economic well-being, contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty in JRU’s partner communities. This program demonstrates that providing access to skills training is a powerful tool for community development.
Beyond supporting livelihood initiatives, the program also has an environmental component. The entire JRU community actively participates in collecting empty plastic bottles for proper disposal and recycling in the partner communities. This effort helps to maintain a clean environment, and in exchange, customers are offered a reduced price on their purchases, creating a mutually beneficial exchange that boosts both environmental and community social security.