By Albert Santoli | Project Leader
We are pleased to announce to our Global Giving donors that Asia America Initiative’s holiday micro-project ,“Provide Clean Water and Hygiene to 100 Children” in the southern Philippines, is fully funded. We aim to promote peace and civil cooperation by our equal care and support of Christian, Muslim and Indigenous Tribal peoples in one of the most impoverished and disease-plagued area of the world. The 500 gallon aqua blue water tanks, colorful plastic wash basins and lunch bowls bring joy to each school day. The kindness and love shown through these gifts assure traumatized children and their teachers that they are not alone in the world at the mercy of the drought, typhoons and callous political overlords.
This action provides the most essential source of life – clean water. It was created as a micro-project under the AAI umbrella program, “Uniting Inter-Faith Children Through Education and Clean Water” , which is still eligible to receive funds on Global Giving’s website.
The program provides care and comfort to children regardless of their culture or religion. It builds their health and provides meaning to their education. But more dynamically, each water tank is a symbol of peace. At a time when extremist and terrorist groups are seeking to recruit young children, exploiting their lack of hope and their anger, we continue to promote good health and a positive attitude. School gardens are nourished with the captured rainwater that is stored in the tank. In turn, the vegetables provide nutrition for school lunches cooked by mothers of students and caring teachers.
Dr. Lux Mayo Roxas is principal of Angub Elementary School where more than 100 children benefit each day from the clean water stored in the new bright blue tanks. Each day the children enthusiastically line up for wholesome lunches of soups and stews containing vegetables from the school’s garden. “Parents and children of Angub Elementary school are very happy for the gifts they received from Asia America Initiative,” she says. “The 3.6 hectares around our school is now colorful from the vegetable garden area they are planting. Our students and parents are cooperative and happy to work together.
“Thank you AAI very much for the great help that you and your donors have extended. Although a simple act, it is a good motivator and a starting point for our renewed progress. For the children, clean water prevents illness and improves school attendance. Hand washing is now a routine activity. They are very excited each day when we home cook their midday feeding."
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