How this philanthropist is shaping the next generation’s leaders

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the chaos, doubt and disillusionment surrounding the issues we all face today, the preservation and creation of opportunities for the next generation are truly paramount.

While it may sound cliché, the youth truly are the hope of the nation. They are the future shapers and movers of the industry, and investing in them will definitely initiate a ripple effect of positive change for our country.

Siklab, a non-stock, non-profit organization under Filipino social entrepreneur Saje Molato’s leadership, has been working for many years now to unlock the full potential of the youth. Social innovation, civic participation and, more importantly, providing education are what drive this organization to push forward with its goal—transcending what society has dictated as the limitations most of our youth should settle for.

Molato, Siklab’s CEO and founder, carries with him the profound impact that changed his life forever. Just like most of our youth today, there is still uncertainty and a sense of being in the shadows, unaware of what the future holds for them until Saje had his eureka moment that led him to where he is today.

In an interview, he shared: “I was the first Filipino to win the Social Venture Challenge during the Harvard World Model United Nations Summit held in Rome, Italy, back in 2016. Winning the competition jumpstarted my career in the startup space—a journey I never expected to be part of but one that continues to inspire me to keep going to this day.”

Siklab was started with the vision of empowering young Filipinos to have the ability to choose their own path in life. After four years of lobbying, one of their flagship programs, the Pathways Fellowship, was launched in partnership with UNICEF, ING Group and the National Youth Commission of the Philippines.

The fellowship is designed to empower young founders in creating more financially sustainable startups, programs and organizations. It operates through an online learning platform designed with courses co-developed with established industry experts.

The Pathways Fellowship is a 10-week online program that is designed to offer emerging young leaders a chance to gain knowledge in the fundamentals of advocacy development, acquire essential skills for effective advocacy and refine these skills to translate ideas into tangible action.

The program is facilitated by a diverse group of instructors, comprising both local and international mentors, industry experts and nonprofit leaders.

Siklab draws further strength from its partners who are driven by the same goal. As it aims to create the best opportunities for transforming the next generation into valuable members of society; it has forged tie-ups with the United Nations, USAID, The Asia Foundation, UNICEF, ING, YMCA, World Scouts, The Roddenberry Foundation, the National Government of the Philippines and various local government partners.

Recently, as a testament to Molato’s leadership and commitment to sustainable development, he was elected to lead the Peace, Security and Governance sectors within NEDA's Stakeholder Chamber on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The chamber is composed of the largest corporations operating in the Philippines. In line with his goal to forge partnerships in order to achieve the goals, he looks forward to creating further accountability in the private sector leading to significant contributions to the SDGs.

All these initiatives and engagements stand as significant precedents that continue to benefit the leaders of the next generation—substantial proof that Saje and his team are catalyzing a brighter future for young Filipinos, one young leader at a time.