Now that kids are on their summer break, what’s the best way to keep them busy and productive?

 

They can indulge in sports and travel adventures, but, for a change, how about getting them interested in making their own money?

 

Instilling the values of thriftiness, hard work and saving will go a long way toward making kids more self-sufficient, responsible and independent, molding them into becoming enterprising young adults.

 

That’s the basic premise of Junior Preneur, an annual trade bazaar that aims to inspire entrepreneurship and increase financial literacy among kids.

 

Now on its third year, this year’s event will be held on May 4, Sunday, at Greenhills Shopping Center’s Jewellery Center exhibit area.

 

Using a personal experience as inspiration to create Junior Preneur, mother entrepreneur Cherry S. Genato organized the Junior Preneur Org, and held its first bazaar in 2012. It aims to teach kids the value and importance of money and let the kids experience an entrepreneurship selling exercise.

 

This year’s Junior Preneur gets an even bigger push with the support of San Juan Vice Mayor Francis Zamora. Himself a staunch entrepreneur, the hands-on public servant prides himself with engaging in similar entrepreneurial ventures as a kid. Such real-life experiences further honed by a Business and Entrepreneurship degree from New York University gave him the management skills to run his several restaurant businesses such as TGIF Alabang Town Center, Italianni’s Mall of Asia, Banana Leaf Asian Café Promenade, Greenhills, and Goldilocks Greenhills.

 

For Zamora, nothing beats the sheer joy and far-reaching benefits of such hands-on, real-world experience. He says, “It is not Junior Preneur’s objective to generate high sales during our bazaars. In fact, some of them do not even break even, but the kids and parents feel happy after the bazaar because of the values they learn by engaging in business.”

 

The more exciting 2014 Junior Preneur is co-directed by 2003 Bb. Pilipinas World Mafae Yunon-Belasco, a mother, and the wife of PBA player Nic Belasco. With her great combined professional and motherhood experiences, she inspires families to participate, get supporters and attract every individual to be part of Junior Preneur.

 

The Junior Preneur Org aims to give a memorable experience to kids who aspire to be entrepreneurs in the future. With impressive collaborators this year, Junior Preneur makes it possible to put together workshop classes in which kids can learn from.

 

Despite the primary objective of sharpening the kids’ business acumen, the organizers also aim to encourage the nobler spirit of giving and sharing. Proceeds from the bazaar have been earmarked for the Right Start Center in Barangay West Crame, San Juan City, an NGO for underprivileged children.

 

For the past two years, Junior Preneur had also donated to the Cribs Foundation and Tahanan Santa Luisa.

 

Celebrities and their kids are also joining the event, including Venus Raj, Shamcey Supsup; Venice and Lorin, daughters of Ruffa Gutierrez; Danica Sotto-Pingris, Bianca Valerio, Abby Asistio, Dani Castaño, as well as famous pro basketball cagers and sports personalities with their kids and families, such as Kiefer Ravena, Vince Hizon, Patricia Hizon, Doug and Cheska Kramer and their children, and LJ Moreno-Alapag.

 

For more information, visit Junior Preneur’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/JuniorPreneur.