For Estrellita Godwino Tuan — fondly called Jie — the rhythmic weaving of t’nalak cloth is more than art. Born and raised in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, Jie belongs to the T’boli indigenous people, one of the Philippines’ most culturally rich ethnic groups known for their intricate weaving traditions.

T'nalak is a sacred, traditional cloth woven from abaca fibers. For Jie, designing it is a prayer, a memory, and a promise to keep the spirit of her ancestors alive. Through her enterprise, Jie T’boli Design, Jie has turned her creative heritage into both a livelihood and a legacy — proving how cultural conservation and entrepreneurship can beautifully intertwine with the help of microfinance.

Jie’s journey began when her family relocated to Davao. While studying, she worked part-time at her mother’s workplace, learning the art of combining colors and patterns, as well as how to design and craft t’nalak dresses. Though she did not imagine it then, this passion would later define her life’s purpose.

After working overseas for five years, Jie returned home in 2016, determined to build something meaningful back home. She and her husband, Jomel, first considered opening a restaurant, but her heart pulled her back to her roots — to the handwoven fabrics and beadwork of her youth. That same year, with an initial capital of ₱150,000 and the support of her family, she founded Jie T’boli Design.

The small enterprise started humbly, with five family members working together to weave and craft traditional T’boli dresses, brass jewelry, and headdresses. Jie envisioned giving these traditional garments a modern touch — keeping them relevant to contemporary fashion while staying faithful to their cultural significance. Her designs soon caught attention, supplying to boutiques such as Kaayo Modern Mindanao and participating in trade fairs and festivals across Mindanao and Metro Manila.

By 2019, Jie began using social media to market her products. Through Facebook and Messenger, she reached customers nationwide and built relationships with buyers beyond her province. Online platforms and digital payment channels helped her cut transaction costs and streamline communication — tools that became essential to small entrepreneurs like her, especially in remote communities.

But behind Jie’s success story lies another, often unseen enabler: microfinance. Since 2021, she has relied on a local microfinance institution (MFI) for additional working capital. The flexible financial support she received — often inaccessible to indigenous or rural entrepreneurs from traditional banks — allowed her to purchase raw materials, expand production, and hire more workers.

In 2023, Jie’s perseverance and innovation were recognized when she received the Digital Financial Inclusion Award from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. This recognition did not just celebrate her business; it also underscored how access to financial services can empower women, micro-entrepreneurs, and indigenous peoples to grow enterprises rooted in cultural identity.

Today, Jie T’boli Design employs 150 individuals across nine barangays in Lake Sebu. Most of them are fellow T’boli artisans — seasoned craftsmen, mothers, even working students — who sustain their families while preserving their heritage. Jie’s creations have become staples in local pageants and tourism events, and she is often invited as a resource speaker in Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) programs and other events. Jie has emerged as a successful entrepreneur and a cultural ambassador for her community.

Her growing recognition also led to national and international invitations. Recently, Jie joined the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples’ (NCIP) week-long celebration, “Himig at Kultura ng Katutubo,” at Ayala Malls Feliz as a representative of the Tribal Communities Association of the Philippines (TRICAP). Soon, she will take the stage globally — representing the indigenous peoples of the Philippines at YAMAN NYC 2025, a three-day cultural marketplace and festival in Times Square New York, organized by Friends of the Philippine Society USA, Inc. She will also participate in “NAWA: Movements of Our Roots,” a celebration of Filipino American History Month that honors indigenous weaving, dance, and storytelling.

Through the sponsorship of the Filipino-American Society in New York, Jie has also been invited to teach t’nalak weaving and bead-making at the Fashion Institute of Technology, a public college under the State University of New York — bringing Philippine indigenous art into one of the world’s most prestigious design schools.

Jie carries a message of hope and continuity. “I’m doing this not only for my business,” she says, “but for my people and community.” Her story shows how microfinance — by reaching those unserved or underserved by formal banking institutions — can nurture entrepreneurship that uplifts lives while safeguarding cultural traditions.

In places like Lake Sebu, where ancestral art meets modern innovation, microfinance does more than fund small enterprises. It sustains a way of life. It ensures that the hands that weave t’nalak will keep weaving — passing down not just fabric, but their people’s dreams and dignity.

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“If we are to preserve culture we must continue to create it.” -Johan Huizinga