AAI has always been an advocate for the good health and well-being of the thousands of students in our rural elementary and high schools throughout the Philippines. We emphasize clean water and hygiene, especially in impoverished mostly-rural communities. During this difficult year of the Covid19 pandemic, our emphasis is to prioritize group and individual anti-virus protection in our schools, especially for teachers and pupils.
Poverty, hunger, communal violence, and limited public health plague Muslim Mindanao, Philippines. In the Sulu Province archipelago of more than 150 islands, a school-aged population of some 350,000 children are mostly impoverished and suffering from hunger. Female students are often most affected. We have provided resources to assist three schools with a total of 500 girls and an equal number of boys. Our focus is to build clean water systems and WASH facilities. This is to assure adequate hygiene and nutrition for improved health and education.
At Mukammali Elementary, we worked with school parents, who are carpenters, to construct a beautiful new water system and WASH station. "Despite the lockdown in Sulu," says the Principal of Mukammali Elementary, "we started on October 16 to build a handwashing facility. Thanks to AAI's donor family and our volunteer craftsmen who are PTA parents, the handwash station was completed within one month.”
"We are so blessed to have you and AAI donors as our partners. I could purchase a large water tank and other basic needs of our handwashing facilities. It was a wonderful blessing. Thanks again!"
During the coming weeks, our AAI field team will continue our community-based WASH program in Sulu and other areas of the Philippines. We intend to purchase the materials needed for handwash stations in at least 6 additional schools. The target is for the 6 systems at a total cost of $3,600 to be completed by the time school is scheduled to begin on-site classes in mid-January 2021.
Our heartfelt thanks to all of you who have helped. We have succeeded in providing enhanced health for more than 1,000 children cared for in this program during the past three months.
Giving Tuesday is Tuesday, December 1. If you would like to continue to support this program, your contribution will receive a match from GlobalGiving if made before midnight. Click the link below:
Clean Water, WASH & Nutrition for 500 Muslim Girls
Wishing you peace in the coming year,
Albert Santoli
President, Asia America Initiative
Links:
Dear AAI Supporters,
Relief care packages are continuing to be delivered to families displaced in the Philippines. We are making our best effort, with the assistance of local service providers, to overcome logistic obstacles due to the COVID Pandemic. Volunteers in the field for Asia America Initiative work together to sort relief supplies sent from the US. "Care packages" are prepared and distributed to displaced families who are still living in makeshift homes and tents.
It's been a year since a series of devastating earthquakes erupted in the province of Mindanao in the Philippines, causing the displacement of more than 200,000 people. Their suffering has been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. At present, heavy rains during the typhoon season are adding to difficult road conditions.
"Fr. Luk, a parish priest in Paranaque, is very thankful for donations made to suffering families in the area," says Auntie Chitt, an AAI volunteer. "He did not expect that the boxes of food and clothing would be so huge. He kept repeating, "Thank you." He gives his heartfelt thanks to AAI for the great help. The local community is also grateful and they thank you for interceding."
Families that are homeless due to natural disasters need access to educational materials as well. AAI provides school supplies, books, and other learning materials when possible. AAI and partner volunteers coordinate the delivery to children unable to attend school. We are very proud of their efforts. Our worldwide donors are a bridge of concern for mothers, fathers, and children without a home. We all work together to make a big difference in their everyday life. We have ongoing relief support for 5,000 families, especially for those in hard to reach areas.
Thank you for helping us to serve those in the most serious need. We could not do this without you.
Albert Santoli,
Director, Asia America Initiative
Links:
Dear AAI Supporters,
COVID-19 has presented many challenges to conducting school programs. AAI is continuing to provide supplies and books to homeless students regardless of pandemic-based school closings and lockdowns in these difficult times. Throughout the world, students are doing their best to interact with their teachers with mixed results. Education programs have also seen mixed results. Electronic classrooms largely utilize teaching by WIFI whether on a home computer or cell phone. In most areas we serve, access to electricity and WIFI is inconsistent or nonexistent. Our goal is to get educational materials to students, wherever they may be living. Despite the obstacles, we are doing well thanks to our long-standing relationships with teachers, religious, and social leaders, good planners, and great parent-volunteers. Our volunteer teams include many teachers who have not yet taken their license exams.
Donors in the United States have been super in providing us with books and other educational materials. New shipments arrive in the Philippines every month and we distribute them to the major regions of the country. We provide care packages of study materials, personal protective masks, and food and other nutrition to families in need. We are sensitive to the needs of female students, especially those made homeless by natural and man-made calamities.
"The efforts of AAI have been a blessing," says Principal Melda of Mukammali Elementary School in Indanan, Sulu. "When we have fallen short of school-based needs for our pupils and students, AAI and their donors have never forgotten us."
Homeless families have even more difficulties continuing to learn with access to school facilities not allowed as COVID cases continue to rise. AAI volunteers prepare packages and coordinate delivery of hygiene supplies and learning materials to the families even where conditions might be risky.
We are very proud of their efforts and the incredible generosity of our donors. Principal Melda reminds us, "During times of crisis we all must help each other. To help even one person is an important step toward assuring we can all be safe and remain healthy. We can count on you always. Thanks again."
Thanks to our GlobalGiving community for your support,
Albert Santoli,
Director, Asia America Initiative
Links:
