Overseas Filipino and Women Center, Green Valley Subdivision, San Francisco, San Pablo City, Philippines
(049) 521 2194
admin@atikha.ph
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Atikha Overseas Workers and Communities Initiative, Inc.
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about us
Who We Are

Atikha is a non-government organization that provides economic and social services to overseas Filipinos and their families in the Philippines. The organization aims to help minimize the social cost of migration and maximize the development potential of migration.

Atikha was initiated in 1995 by a group of migrant returnees, advocates and religious leaders in Laguna. It was established based on a Bread for World-funded study on the impact of migration on women. The study revealed the social cost of migration, especially on the children left behind. It also showed that many migrants are unable to save due probably to a crisis in the work site, in the family, or the migrant herself. Many come home ill prepared to face the future. Often, life has become more miserable. They are much older and have few skills. They cannot be employed nor do they have funds to start their own business.

In the initial years, Atikha focused its work on addressing the social problems brought about by the separation of the Overseas Filipinos and their families. Atikha organizes communities of migrant families by providing psychosocial intervention to enable the community to respond to migration-related issues. It gives focus on the children of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and women. It conducted value formation, summer arts and crafts workshops for the children of overseas Filipinos in San Pablo City, Laguna. It also helped form self-help groups among the children of overseas Filipinos. Atikha believes that the social preparation of the families and the community is an important component for an effective reintegration program for migrant workers.

Atikha started as a community based NGO in the Philippines and currently working in 4 sub-national regions: Region III (Central Luzon), Region IV- A (CALABARZON), Region V, (Bicol) and Region VI (Western Visayas). It is also working with government and migrant organizations in Italy, UAE, Qatar, Hong Kong and Singapore. It has also conducted training of trainers for migration stakeholders in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, Lao PDR and Cambodia.

Vision and Mission
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Vision

The communities of migrants are economically and socially developed through investment of migrant earning in productive and viable economic activities that stimulate the local economy and provide jobs and alternative sources of income for migrants, their families and the entire community.

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Mission

To lead innovations in implementing migration policies into concrete actions in minimizing the social and economic cost of migration and harnessing the full potential of overseas migrants for development.

Our Objectives
  • Help migrants to be financially independent upon their return to their home country that will allow them to retire comfortably, be employed utilizing skills gained from work abroad and/or manage their own business.
  • Assist migrant families and the children to be self-reliant that would make it easier for the migrants to come home the soonest time possible to arrest the worsening social problems brought about by prolonged separation due to migration.
  • Advocate for mainstreaming of migration in governance and help create an enabling environment that provides economic opportunities for migrants, their families and communities.
  • Build the capacity of migration stakeholders to provide economic and social services that ensure safe and fair migration, gender- responsive and development- oriented reintegration.
Our Strategy / Approach
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Step Ladder Economic and Social Program
– provide integrated social and economic interventions from pre-departure; on-site and return
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Migration Corridor
– parallel interventions involving stakeholders in origin as well as destination countries reaching both migrants and their families
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Multi-stakeholder/s
– involves national and local government, migrant organizations, NGOs, faith based organizations, private sector and other migration stakeholders in migration and development initiatives
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Gender Responsive
– mainstreams gender equality, gender sensitivity, need for shared responsibility in all its information and training program among migrants, families and migration stakeholders
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Rights Based
– empowers migrants and families including children as partners in migration and development initiatives
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Development Oriented
– interventions ensure that migration contribute to the long-term development of the migrants, their families and communities