Dear Friends,
In March 2021 despite an increase in COVID19 cases nationwide, some of our AAI-supported nursing scholars in the Philippines have begun returning to classroom studies [depending on school policies]. We are increasing our scholarship support and are fortunate that GlobalGiving has chosen our Support 50 Muslim Girls to Become Nurses as part of the International Women's Week campaign, Monday, March 8 to Friday, March 12. This allows us to expand our budgett for fees, protective materials and cost of living support to nursing students, whose families have been financially struggling due to the pandemic.
Asia America Initiative has provided upgraded lap-top computers and wifi equipment to effectively participate in online classes and to assure they can participated in mandatory quiz and exam activities. Especially in the Philippines, where doctors are scarce, it is an important time for new nurses to join the frontline of medical providers. In Sulu, located in Muslim Mindanao, there are less than 24 doctors in total to serve close to 1 million people. The role of nurses in all elements of public health is vital.
"The benefit of the AAI scholship and training support goes beyond the funding," says current nursing scholar Azeezah. "It's the kindness and selfless example that the AAI staff and their donors provide for us future medical service providers, They show us how to care about our community and to help each other." Although Azeezah is from a Muslim family, she now attends the Nursing School at Our Lady of Fatima College in Manila, which is highly regarded in Southeast Asia. Her dream is to first achieve her Nursing license and then continue her education to become a medical doctor.
In Sulu we have stepped up pre-nursing and emergency first response training to high school seniors and out of school youth, in partnership with the Sulu Bureau of Fire Prevention. Instruction is taught by professional fire fighters, many of whom re licensed nurses who also provide Emergency Response support to local residents. And at the elementary school level, we have trained close to 1,000 4th to 6th graders in how to assist their school nurses in support of their classmates. Some of these bright and energetic children inspired by this training, will become the nurses and doctors for their community in the future.
Your contribution will assure that young women from financially struggling families can have the opportunity to become nurses. We seek to provide them with the tools necessary to succeed and thrive.
Thank you for your support of AAI programs and especially this essential program for young women who want to serve their communities.
Support 50 Muslim Girls to Become Nurses
Wishing you peace,
Albert Santoli
Director, Asia America Initiative
Links:
Dear Nursing Student Sponsors,
Asia America Initiative is continuing to support nursing students even during this global pandemic crisis. The need for qualified nurses and front-line health providers has never been greater. Now is an important time in the training of nursing students all over the world. This is especially true since the Covid19 infection rate is most dangerous in hospitals and clinics where many 2nd to 4th year nursing students receive instruction. Most are now restricted from doing adequate experiential field training. Their challenges surpass the normal rigors of higher education and training. Hands-on instruction, observation, and patient interaction are crucial in making skillful and caring nurses in their future careers. Virtual learning is not enough in this field of study.
We are now preparing for nursing students and their instructors who we support in Sulu, Muslim Mindanao, and in Manila, Philippines to return to the classroom and hospital-based training. We are providing protective materials [PPEs] to help protect them from illness. In addition, we are sending additional new textbooks to reinforce their professional studies. There is talk of extending the requirements to graduate which may be necessary, but can be a significant financial burden for the students. We will extend scholarships where possible.
AAI continues to support at least 50 female nursing students with their basic educational needs, classroom materials, graduation fees, and the cost of licensing exams. We are also providing additional PPE for the students as well as technology to enhance their learning experience. As health care providers, the nurses are providing vital services to all community members and expanding the employment base in one of the most economically deprived areas of the world. In addition, they continue to be positive symbols for local youth.
These young women demonstrate the potential success for Muslim women around the world. Muslim females of all ages are being denied the opportunity to receive a quality education and to develop professional skills to remedy the health, social, and economic needs of their communities. They know local areas the best and know what is needed the most.
As of December 2020, AAI has helped support the successful licensing of nearly 400 new nurses in Sulu. In addition, we are sponsoring females in other medical professions. We sponsored a medical doctor in the country of Bhutan, who is now a traditional medicine practitioner. In the Philippines, we are sponsoring two future doctors and one psychologist specializing in trauma counseling. The challenge is to sustain this success.
If you would like to continue your support of these frontline defenders, please click the link below.
Support 50 Muslim Girls to Become Nurses
Wishing you peace in the coming year,
Albert Santoli
President, Asia America Initiative
Links:
Muslim females of all ages around the world are often denied the opportunity to receive a quality education and to develop the professional skills needed to remedy the health, social, and economic needs of their communities. However, the potential for success is unlimited. One shining example of the untapped potential is Miss Zee, a formerly homeless Muslim girl from a remote island in the Mindanao region of the Philippines. A brilliant student but abandoned by her family at age 14. Zee's dream is to become a doctor. She is currently on a scholarship from the Asia America Initiative and Notre Dame College in Jolo to study nursing at Our Lady of Fatima College in Manila.
Beginning in 2016, AAI has helped support the successful licensing of more than 350 new nurses in Sulu Province. The ability to sustain this success has been due to the generosity of our donors in the GlobalGiving community. Today, Zee is beginning her second year of college after earning a more than 93% [A level] grade point average in her first year. Due to the COVID19 pandemic lockdown, remote classes are challenging without adequate technology, electricity, or wifi access. However, Zee is determined to not give up her studies. "Like many students, I lacked a proper laptop or tablet computer to take the electronic classes," she said. "My old computer made it difficult to see or communicate with professors during and after online sessions. It is very difficult to try to work with 30 other students on a Zoom computer or cell-phone screen."
To remedy these matters, Zee's benefactors at Asia America Initiative and Notre Dame have increased her scholarship to include grants for upgraded learning technologies. AAI is making sure she gets proper nutritional sustenance to keep her energy high and immune system strong to ward of the COVID virus. "Zee is a bright light who we would never wish to abandon," said Father R of Notre Dame. "It is difficult for all of us educators to keep promising children from impoverished and unemployed families in school during this pandemic. We must rely on the kindness of good people of all backgrounds and religions who have big hearts and strong faith. Peace is a product of mutual support among diverse people."
If you would like to continue to support nursing students facing these challenges, click the link below to make a donation with GlobalGiving. We thank you for supporting AAI’s great projects and we will continue to send you inspiring progress reports!
Support 50 Muslim Girls to Become Nurses
Wishing you peace,
Albert Santoli,
Director, Asia America Initiative
Links:
AAI is participating in GlobalGiving's Little by Little Campaign THIS WEEK - March 23-27.
Donations up to $50 will be matched at 50%. Click through this report if you would like to continue your support of this important project. Thank you!
Dear Friends, thank you for supporting this program. Asia America Initiative is currently coordinating with nurses in at least five provinces of the Philippines as the numbers of Covid-19 victims is inreasing daily.
With your support, Asia America Initiative sponsors female nursing students so that they will receive basic educational needs, classroom materials, graduation fees, and the cost of licensing exams. These young women demonstrate the potential success of Muslim women around the world. As health care providers, the nurses are providing vital services to all community members and expanding the employment base in one of the most economically deprived areas of the world.
Due to the Covid-19 Virus pandemic, the capital, Manila, and most of the country's 7,000 islands are "locked down." We are among the relatively few organizations able to provide support in some of these areas. We were fortunate to have a large donated shipment of food, clean water, and medical supplies, including sterilized gloves, face masks, and anti-bacterial soaps and sprays ready to ship in January and February.
We were proactive due to our more than 20 years of emergency relief experience. Our ongoing relief for typhoon survivors funded by GlobalGiving donors has enabled us to pre-position supplies from abroad and purchase scarce essential goods from local markets. To maintain our inter-cultural focus, we are also donating food to child feeding programs in the Washington, DC - Northern Virginia area.
As you know, for the past six years, Asia America Initiative has been committed to supporting the education of Nurses in areas of natural disasters and man-made conflict. Your support is critical now as medical personnel, equipment, and supplies are urgently needed.
AAI sponsored nursing students are working with local health workers to distribute hygiene and other supplies to families in their local areas. This emergency has created a real-life opportunity for students to experience service in their chosen field. In coming months, we are hoping to support additional young women who will now seek to become nurses.
Our mission is to stabilize the medical and social systems of impacted communities. Our strength is in our multiple partnerships with local, national and international organizations. Your donations especially matter to keep our network in place in order to be able to respond to events as they happen.
Thank you for all you have done to help this cause.
Wishing you peace,
Al Santoli,
Director, Asia America Initiative
Links:
Yes, every nurse matters, especially when your community is impoverished and most residents live well below the poverty line. On the island of Sulu in the Philippines, 19 districts are subdivided into 410 barangays [villages] serving a population of close to 1 million people. There are fewer than 16 medical doctors. Nurses are the framework of public health.
Globally, Muslim women have been denied educational opportunities that could benefit their communities. AAI began this program in 2015 to provide 50 female students in Sulu, Philippines a quality education in order to launch their nursing careers. With your support since then, AAI has helped more than 225 young women to become nurses.
We support female nursing students with their basic educational needs, classroom materials, graduation fees, and the cost of licensing exams. These young women demonstrate the potential for success of Muslim women around the world. As health care providers, the nurses are providing vital services to all community members and expanding the employment base in one of the most economically deprived areas of the world. They also are positive symbols for local youth.
The nursing programs in Sulu are a beacon of hope for the entire community. With support from AAI, Sulu State College and Mindanao State University nursing students are performing among the top 20 percent of all such schools in the Philippines - compared to just a 30 percent student pass-rate in the national nursing exams four years ago.
The challenge is to sustain this success.
If you would like to continue to make a difference to these nursing students in 2020, please click through the project report and select the orange Donate Now button. With your help, we can continue to support young women to become nurses who are vital for a community's survival. (If you are interested in a monthly donation, GlobalGiving is offering a 100% match!)
Support 50 Muslim Girls to Become Nurses
Thank you so much for your past contribution.
I wish you peace throughout the holiday season and in the New Year.
Albert Santoli
Asia America Initiative
Links:
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