Frances initially doubted: “What will I bring to the table?”
Home Buddies founder Frances Lim Cabatuando exemplifies the upright use of communal influence with her recent mission—to open up meaningful conversations about the environment and the coexisting social obligations that people must uphold for the community.
“Mayora,” as she is usually called, has recently ventured into a bigger purpose of joining the esteemed Makesense Fellowship—a “global community and social entrepreneurship platform” that seeks to rally various organizations and entrepreneurs in hopes of creating feasible action plans against pressing social and environmental problems.
Frances has joined the fellowship’s three-day event in Thailand with two other Filipino delegates: LGBTQ athlete-architect Karl Bautista and lifestyle influencer Anina Rubio.
Fronting the title of this year’s fellowship “The Good Chat,” the three representatives, including the seven other delegates from Indonesia and Thailand, had all engaged in “thought-provoking” climate conversations with local climate activists and advocates as they all extensively discussed their individual roles in the global climate mobilization.
The goal stems out of the organization’s mission of mainstreaming “the information and the knowledge about renewable energy” until such a time that its urgency reaches the casual societal conversations between units of the community.
More importantly, constant conversations about it will then prompt many to treat it as a “priority concern,” as said by Makesense Senior Director and Asia Office Founder Lea Klein.
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Frances Lim Cabatuando and the markings of an environmental advocate
Before becoming a full-pledged Makesense fellow, Frances had some reluctance over her eligibility.
In one of her Instagram posts, she shares that the rationale behind her invitation is not at all clear. As she puts it, “I’m no scientist, environmentalist, nor am I a policy maker, what will I bring to the table?”
And while Frances has had some initial apprehensions, her qualification was validated more strongly by the senior director herself. According to Lea, they decided to have Frances for different reasons.
“Frances understands very well the needs of her community and just the essence of it… the idea of creating neighbors that can support each other… And we strongly believe in the power of neighbors because they are the main communities,” says Lea.
They are like the essence even of what we do in Makesense… And the other thing is she was able to establish a very personal and safe space for her community members where… she’s not treating herself as a leader, but she’s really facilitating conversations, organizing them,” she adds.
Another reason for Frances’ inclusion to the fellowship is her initiative to help community members to “organize themselves and improve their living conditions.”
Ultimately, the existing energy hike in the Philippines is a potential entry way for the organization to create a more meaningful and powerful energy transition.
Frances is the founder of Facebook group Home Buddies, which now carries over 3.2 million home enthusiasts. She is currently a talent of NYMA— “a talent agency focused on nurturing trailblazers to break through all media spaces.”
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Banner Art Paulo Correa
