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Community support is an integral part of our social responsibility ethos. As part of our community building efforts, we focus on projects that promote sustainable development, encouraging employees to roll up their sleeves and participate directly in the work that we do.
Following the success of a previous collaboration, Deriv partnered with TECHO again in 2025 to improve infrastructure in the San Francisco settlement and help open new doors for local families.
Building a community centre together
This year, the partnership focused on constructing a community centre in San Francisco.
In September, the Deriv team joined local residents on-site to assist with the construction. Using materials provided by Deriv, volunteers worked alongside community members to build the structure. It was a collaborative effort that brought the team and residents together for a shared goal.
By October, final touches were added, including fresh paint, working lights, and air conditioning. The centre is now a safe, welcoming hub for workshops, training programmes, and community gatherings. Importantly, it’s a space designed to help people connect, learn, and grow together.
Practical skills training
A primary goal in re-partnering with TECHO was to help women from the settlement become more self-sufficient. Just a week after the centre’s completion, Deriv helped launch the community centre’s first initiative, a Baking and Confectionery Workshop specifically designed for the women from San Francisco.
Over three intensive weeks, nearly 30 women completed more than 90 hours of hands-on baking and pastry-making training. Deriv volunteers played an active role throughout the programme, organising sessions, supporting participants, and encouraging their progress. With their new skills and official certificates, participants are now better equipped to start home-based businesses or pursue employment in the culinary industry, empowering them to build greater independence and confidence for the future.
Celebrating milestones: big and small
The project concluded with a graduation ceremony at Deriv’s office to recognise the participants' hard work. Receiving their certificates was a significant milestone for the graduates. As one participant during the event noted, “It’s the first certificate I’ve ever received in my life.” For us, it is a powerful reminder of continuing our support in communities where we can make a direct impact.
For Deriv, effective community support relies on consistent partnerships, and tangible results. By helping to build this centre and funding vocational training, we are working to provide the tools for long-term improvement in the San Francisco settlement. We are grateful to the families and TECHO for the opportunity to contribute.