In 2011, one of the founders had the opportunity to visit Pasay Manila, where he met a woman named Marlene. She had been creating unique handmade crafts, selling them at low prices, and relying on walk-in customers and her small sari-sari store. Despite her efforts, she and her family were only earning about P132 per day. Moved by this firsthand experience, the group was determined to help lift them out of poverty while fostering independence rather than a dependency mindset. They strongly believed in the importance of a gradual, step-by-step approach to improving the artisans' lifestyles, encouraging innovation in their crafts and connecting them to broader opportunities. Embracing social innovation, the group began selling Ate Marlene's creations within their network and slowly expanded by empowering other artisans to showcase their talents in the community.