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May 2008
In mid-May, reports of food shortages, especially rice, in many areas of Asia intensified. At the same time, the Peace Process in Mindanao, one of the potentially most productive farming areas in the region, began to unravel because of issues involving land ownership between Muslims and Christians. Asia America Initiative Director Albert Santoli traveled to Sulu and to the Lake Lanao farming areas in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to help get the peace process back on track through increasing livelihood capabilities of local farmers. As a result, AAI is working with local governments and community leaders in three key provinces to find solutions.
The expansion of AAI’s Development for Peace Program to the Lake Lanao area, located on the big island of Mindanao, around 400 miles north of Sulu, incorporates the hallmark of DPIS: a community-based approach to building peace through the integration of health, education and related livelihood activities – especially farming. The ability of a community to become self-sufficient is the basis for human dignity necessary for conflict resolution and building a culture of peace.
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November 2007
In November 2007, following the success of the conflict area based farm to market project, Fruit of Hope, Asia America Initiative Director Albert Santoli and Program Coordinator Rohaniza Sumndad visited the war zone of Sulu in Muslim Mindanao, to move forward the integration of education and livelihood as a means of conflict resolution. Programs include coffee and cocoa growing, as well as fisheries. AAI is acting in partnership with local government to coordinate projects being planned with major international corporations and local cooperatives. The facilitating institution is the Fisheries College at Mindanao State University.
The visit also involved visits to AAI’s Model of Excellence Public Schools and to over see the progress of 37 Community Service College Scholars at Notre Dame College, Mindanao State University and Sulu State College. In addition, the AAI team began the creation of A Healing Center for Children Victims of War.
The Center focuses on 200 Muslim children between the ages of 3 and 8 years old, who were born and currently live in the area of conflict and terror. The emphasis is on people-to-people peace building. AAI seeks to create and sustain the center on private contributions from ordinary people as a statement of human solidarity among peoples of many Faiths and cultures. The Center is being created in partnership with local educators, religious leaders and the Governor's office which is donating the land but does not have the funds to build and operate the center.
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August 2007 | July 2007 | March 2007 | June 2006 | January 2006 | October 2005 | June 2005 | April 2005 | February 2005 | December 2004 | September 2004 | June 2004 | March 2004 | December 2003 | May 2003 | December 2002 | August 2002