The  Center for Small Entrepreneurs, Inc.  (CSE) is a non stock, non-profit entrepreheurial center whose main thrust is the development of business management skills of individuals engaged in micro and small-scale businesses. It was established in Manila on February 1996.

It is an expression of a vision of some Filipino individuals who saw in the micro and small entrepreneurs the capability to become a potent economic force and share in the task of nation building. This view is shared by the Belgian AARON Group which helped in the operationalization of the vision.

The Center wants small entrepreneurs to be recognized as significant contributors to economic growth by developing their knowledge, skills and attitude to run successful businesses through trainings/seminars, management consultation,  marketing assistance, technological information, supervised credit facility, legal assistance, organizing and advocacy.

History

In October 1996, a contract of cooperation was signed between the Association for Technical Co-operation (ACT) and the Center for Small Entrepreneurs (CSE), which supported the implementation of the project “Center for Small Entrepreneurs in the Philippines.” This has resulted in the establishment of CSE, which will support existing and new enterprises through training, technical and management assistance, and credit, with the end goal of uplifting the socio-economic conditions of the people and economic empowerment. CSE was formally registered as a non-profit, non-stock organization (a non-government organization) on January 22, 1997. The project was a result of the close collaboration of the Asian Social Institute (ASI) and ACT.

From 1998 to 2002, ACT has supported CSE in its program for micro and small entrepreneurs in Metro Manila, Philippines, with the objective of reducing insecurity of existence of the enterprising poor and stimulating entrepreneurship under the theme “Livelihood Security and Entrepreneurship.”

Our Vision

A viable and sustainable entrepreneurial canter building a society that is responsive to the development needs of entrepreneurs towards justice, peace and prosperity.

Our Mission

The CSE Board of Trustees, Management and Staff have comitted to work for the development of micro and small enterprises by providing holistic programs in function of a socially effective and efficient practice of enterprise building in selected areas of Metro Manila and the Philippines as a whole.

Our Goals

1.   Continually provide entrepreneurs with the formative/educational services to enhance their knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship and enterprise development.

2.   Develop the socio-economic situation of the small entrepreneurs and the organizational condition of their enterprises, thus promoting entrepreneunal paradigm.

3.   Assist the entrepreneurs to be financially stable.

4.   Establish the structure or mechanisms appropriate for promoting  among entrepreneurs a profitable, good working and acceptable business exchange relationships.

5.   Facilitate the formation of associations of small entrepreneurs for the promotion of their rights and welfare.

6.   Promote entrepreneurship as a means of poverty alleviation.

7.   Ensure that CSE will attain its financial and viability and sustainabitity.

Target Group

The main target groups of CSE are the growth-oriented micro, cottage and small enterprises in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. They are very vulnerable to external factors like economic crisis and political events, which negatively affect their enterprises easily and sometimes even cause them to ship back to poverty. And because they are poor, they have inadequate access to the needed financial services and resources. CSE wants to reduce this insecurity of existence.

Within 5 years from 2003 to 2007, it is envisioned that the program will have an estimated outreach of 2500 small & micro entrepreneurs.

It is also expected that those assisted by the supervised credit program will have increased their income by 20% after the loan, have increased their business assets by 25% and 90% of those given individual financial coaching’s and record-keeping services will be maintaining their financial books. It is also hoped that those who have attended the business trainings will have enough skills and capacities to manage their business well.

Board of Trustees and Management