Impact stories

March 2023

  1. Overcoming adversity, embracing innovation: Filipino entrepreneur “flips” her businesses

    01 March 2023

    ILO’s Flip Your Biz programme taught Cathy Turvill to look beyond her passion and evaluate the financial viability of her business, which she nearly lost during the pandemic.

February 2023

  1. Small but fierce

    11 February 2023

    A Thai woman entrepreneur tells the story of how she resisted the temptation to give up on her business and instead committed to improving her skills and adapting her business strategy during COVID-19.

January 2023

  1. Shoring up the foundation for a safe, inclusive learning environment

    31 January 2023

    Training to create a convenient platform to report sexual harassment on campus and a capacity-building exchange to the UK made a huge difference in one Indonesian woman’s life.

  2. Growing businesses beyond their hometown

    17 January 2023

    The ILO-UK Skills for Prosperity Programme has helped Malaysia’s local Sabahans supercharge their entrepreneurial, marketing and food processing skills.

November 2022

  1. Upskilling women migrant workers for the future of work

    21 November 2022

    Evelyn spent almost half of her life as a migrant domestic worker. Thanks to a training scholarship, Evelyn acquired digital skills, secured a decent job locally and fulfilled her longing to be with her family.

October 2022

  1. Employing digital strategies to honour, care and respect the elderly

    31 October 2022

    As the co-owner iElder.asia, Olivia Quah is committed to ensuring elders can live life to the fullest through her medical service e-commerce platform. Always on the lookout for opportunities to pursue new digital marketing strategies, Olivia participated in a programme delivered under the ILO’s Rebuilding Better project which inspired her to transform her business website.

  2. Glass half-full: Social entrepreneur embodies optimism & hope through COVID-19

    31 October 2022

    Susan Zamora Olarte is the co-owner of Vino Arsan Enterprises, a small agribusiness producing local wine in the Philippines. Determined to take her 100% Filipino handcrafted wines and spirits to the next level, Susan is promoting the livelihood of local farmers and pushing the market towards environmental sustainability in the post-pandemic, ‘new normal”.

  3. Resilience and growth aided by digital tools and inspiring female friendships

    19 October 2022

    Sirintra Jittrawong is a Thai entrepreneur juggling not one, but two separate businesses. Always looking to expand her skillset and help those around her, Sirintra demonstrates the powerful role women play in their business communities.

  4. Occupational safety and health enhance the business resilience of Indonesian SMEs

    10 October 2022

    The risk assessment service provided by the ILO’s Enhancing COVID-19 Prevention at and through Workplaces has helped Indonesia small- and medium-sized enterprises survive the pandemic. Two resilient businesswomen shared their survival journeys.

September 2022

  1. Rejected and discriminated: From toilet cleaner to business owner

    26 September 2022

    Zee never gave up on her dream to start a business despite rejection, discrimination, a pandemic and a super typhoon. A hybrid trade fair organized by the ILO and the Women's Business Council Philippines, with the support of J.P. Morgan, gives Zee more chances to grow her business.