Unite Inter-Faith Children via Education and Water

In October 2017, I was aboard an airplane to the Christian inhabited Panay Island, in the Philippines which is in the fourth year of recovery from massive destruction caused by Super Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan. I was accompanied by public school teachers, including Jamila from Sulu Province, a 5th grade teacher of Muslim heritage.  She nervously cried and voiced her concerns. She feared that ethnic Ilongo Christian teachers and children would fear and consider her a "terrorist" or "bad person" because it would be the first such meeting and skills exchange between Christian and Muslim teachers who are connected through programs created by Asia America Initiative.  I was confident that her fears would be unfounded because all of our schools -- whether Christian or Muslim -- shared a commitment to a better life for their children.  The role of AAI members are peace builders who "bridge between cultures."  The results of our first "bridge" meeting were truly inspiring.

Building peace and preventing hostility between neighbors of diverse cultures and religions in many countries often begins in the public schools, which can become de facto "zones of peace." Although teachers are targeted for murder or kidnapping by terror groups such as al Qaeda or ISIS, in many places the every day struggle is against dire poverty, hunger and lack of social justice. To create neutral environments we incorporate security, effective social progress and fun activities for kids, in order to lure kids away from violence, extremism  and drugs.

In AAI partner schools, as part of the public school system, children of all factions and economic sectors of a community sit in the same classrooms to develop tools that will improve their future. Parents, teachers and students work together to grow school gardens.  And Moms cook daily lunches made of nutritious local fresh foods to strengthen the childen's health and learning capacity. In addition, we purchase water tanks that catch rain to provide clean water for hygiene, including hand washing and tooth brushing.

We have chosen the Philippines as a model because it is a nation of 7,000 islands and numerous cultures with more than 100 languages spoken.  The vast archipelago has pervasive poverty and other social and health issues that create tension among the country's 100 million people. During the past ten years, these picturesque  islands have also been among the hardest hit areas of world by massive natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes and  powerful typhoon rains and wind.  In addition, the southern Mindanao region has the longest standing civil conflict in the world between native Muslim tribes and the mostly Christian national government. 

Beginning in 2002, Asia America Initiative has worked to deter prejudice and violence by demonstrating equal amounts of  humanitarian and educational support to storm devastated Christian and Muslim communities and areas terrorized by lawlessness, armed conflct and martial law in the central Visayas Region and in the southern Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.  We use innovative approaches that involve feeding the hungry, providing hygiene where clean water is difficult to access and modernizing classrooms with shipments of textbooks and school supplies. The children in these areas come from large families with parents earning less than $2 or $3 per day.

AAI has relied upon electronic communication and social media to share and discuss the various techniques and methodologies of full community support in our elementary and high school programs. This brings various families and clans together for the common good of their children's success. This October 2017 in the midst of heavy typhoon rains  AAI Director Albert Santoli had the opportunity to bring a small group of school teachers from Sulu in Muslim Mindanao from the Tausug tribe and language to Cuartero, Capiz in Visayas to exchange views and observe programs with ethnic Ilongo teachers and pupils.  The results have been inspiring and wonderful.

Things that I've learned in creating school and church recovery programs after the Great Typhoon have been applied successfully been applied  in Christian and also Muslim communities in Sulu at schools and mosques. As we walked into the school yardof Cuartero National High School, a nervous Teacher Jamilla and our Muslim delegation from Jolo was pleasantly greeted by traditional Ilongo music and folk dances. Following the colorful folk dances we first created a structured question and answer session for the hosts and visitors to  "break the ice" and get to know each other. 

All of us - Christian and Muslim -- discovered  that our mutual concerns as teachers are universal, as in any place in the world.  In 2018, Asia America Initiative seeks to expand the interaction between teachers of diverse faiths and cultures to be a foundation for peace building that can be replicated in other areas of the Philippines and other regions of the world.

We hope that our loyal donors in the GlobalGiving community and new partners who discover the benefits of our holistic educational programs will extend your support to empower our noble educators.  They deserve our support  to buiild peace in frontline areas and to overcome poverty, hunger and armed conflict.

Links:

• Asia America Initiative Website

In June and July 2017, in the midst of a fierce “war on drugs” across the country and Martial Law declared in the Christian region of Visayas and Muslim Mindanao region of the Philippines, Asia America Initiative Director Albert Santoli made a working visit to AAI-supported communities. The atmosphere of peace and order is being maintained by continuous support of the local schools through extensive community cooperation.  AAI  programs are largely funded by donations from the GlobalGiving worldwide community and the willingness of local residents, school parents and security officials to work together to ensure a “Child Friendly” and safe “Peace Zone” around every school. 

On July 4, a touching and courageous event took place in an elementary school courtyrard on the island of Jolo where ISIS agents are seeking to gain control in Southeast Asia by recruiting children as young as 10 years old into their ranks of terror.  Some 200 children representing 20 local schools, their teachers and parents ignored posted threats by militants and conducted an outdoor celebration of music and dance to express their commitment to a better life without violence and fear.  AAI Director Santoli joined them to celebrate new daily feeding and clean water programs, as well as expanding a Mini-Nurses program designed for children to learn the values of volunteerism and community action.

"Our humble pride is represented by the Munting Mini-Nurses – boys and girls -- who cheerfully serve their classmates in their schools. Life-long friendships will develop with their partners in service to share a lifetime of service together, building stronger and more peaceful communities,”  states Jolo elementary school principal Merhama P.  

“Peace and Progress are a community effort,” she continues. “Transformation of a society begins in the heart of each child.  Their good character has its roots in basic education in the home and in the primary schools. Even during a difficult period like martial law and threats of kidnap by the criminal groups, we can persevere with the help of AAI and other friends from outside of our home area. Teachers and parents are very grateful for your support to these wonderful children who already value their joy in serving others.”

AAI's clean water and nutrition programs have doubled in three years to serve close to 60 schools in Muslim Mindanao and Christian Visayas with a population of more than 50,000 pupils. We are providing books and school supplies for classroom success as well as nutritious food, clean water and basic health needs for thousands of pre-school, elementary and high school students.  By keeping children in school past the age of ten, we prevent them from joining drug gangs, violent communist insurgencies or extremist Muslims who have pledged allegiance to ISIS terrorists.

With your support, we are transforming these communities by being consistent with our presence and providing just enough funding to motivate a "bayanihan" or "communal barn raising" spirit of mutual cooperation.  Each model of success encourages people to believe in their own ability and to take action to transform their communities, no matter if they are Christian or Muslim.  Two trusted leaders of the AAI family, Sulu Dept. of Education Head Nurse Hja. Shareen L. in Jolo and Senior School Administrator Dr. Luz R. in Cuartero, Capiz in Visayas call this process:  Peace-building in Action.  

During International Youth Week 2017, please remember our AAI programs and the brave children and their teachers in our communities, who hold the key to defeating the spread of terrorism, with your prayers and your generosity.

Links:

• Asia America Initiative Web Site