Asia America Initiative is a 501c3 nonprofit supported solely through private contributions.
We do not receive government funding.
Your donation is
100% tax-deductible.
Search AAI Website: Follow AAI On:
Also available:
Japanese Translation
Contact Details
Washington DC Office
1523 16th St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
Telephone 202.232.7020
Fax 202.232.7023
admin@asiaamerica.org
Map of DC Office
Get directions
Metro Manila,
Philippines Office
BUILDING PEACE: ONE SCHOOL AT A TIME
 |
 |
| On July 23, 2010, students from the Islamic Studies, Call and Guidance Center in Manila enjoy meeting their new Christian and Muslim friends from Camp Crame Elementary School at the AAI Peace Caravan in Quezon City. | Asia America Initiative Catalyst for Peace Staff and volunteer facilitators greet arriving 5th and 6th grade students at the Peace Caravan at Camp Crame Elementary School in Quezon City. |
 |
 |
| Asia America Initiative Mission Statement: Building Hope and Sustainable Peace “One Child at a Time.” | A circle of Muslim and Christian new friends get to know each other at AAI Catalyst for Peace Caravan at Camp Crame Elemenrary. |
 |
 |
| A Muslim Child from Islamic Studies, Call and Guidance Center shares prayers with Christian participants from Camp Crame Elementary. | A Muslim child displaced by war and severe poverty in Mindanao shares her story with Christian and Muslim Children at AAI Peace Caravan. |
 |
 |
| Children participating in AAI Peace Caravan give thought to the possibility of lasting peace. | Christians and Muslims share prayers for Peace at AAI Peace Caravan in Quezon City. |
 |
 |
| AAI teachers and mentors lead children to share experiences and work together to create community service projects. | AAI Philippines Country Director Bai Rohaniza Sumndad enjoys humorous games with Christian and Muslim children at Peace Caravan. |
 |
 |
| Christian and Muslim children express themselves through art at AAI Peace Caravan at Camp Crame Ellementrary in Quezon City. | Solidarity in Action among Christian and Muslim children at AAI Peace Caravan. |
 |
 |
| Children create community service projects and publicly commit them to success as part of Peace Caravan goals. | Sharing project commitments with each other at AAI Peace Caravan. |
 |
 |
| Boys will be boys. | Enthusiastic participation at AAI Peace Caravan at Camp Crame in Quezon City. |
 |
 |
| Peace and Friendship Circles continue to grow. | Expressing the joy of peace through art through AAI Peace Caravan experience. |
 |
 |
| Christian Tagalog folk dances shared by students from Camp Crame Elementary at AAI Peace Caravan. | Energy of peace between Christian and Muslim children at the AAI Peace Caravan. |
 |
 |
| On September 1, 2010 AAI President Al Santoli and Philippine AAI Director Bae Rohaniza Sumndad address the Community Service Feeding project at Camp Crame Elementary, created at the Peace Caravan event. | Parents and teachers of 6th grade students assisted with feeding the underprivileged children of Crame Elementary. |
 |
 |
| Malnourished students of Camp Crame brought their younger brothers and sisters to share good provided by their more fortunate classmates at Camp Crame Elementary. | The Little Mayor and Student Council of Camp Crame Elementary raised the funds and organized the feeding of their malnourished classmates, through recycling trash and persistent appeals to their families and neighbors. |
 |
 |
| AAI Philippine Country Director Bai Rohaniza Sumndad helped feed malnourished students at Camp Crame Elementary. | The joy of friendship and sustainable peace strengthened among children of all religions and cultures by the AAi Peace Caravan process. |
 |
 |
| Happiness is a product of peace. | Building Peace between people of many cultures, One Child at a Time. |
May 2010
Apprehension: Children in Maharlika from the local squatters’ shantytown gather in uncertainty as they prepare for a day of activities with volunteers from Assumption College and AAI.
May 2009
In Children’s Cancer Treatment Ward at Philippine General Hospital, Dr. Thomas Hogn, HFK Krebsallianz of Germany and Dr. Bambi Lorica, Asia America Initiative visit with children undergoing chemo-therapy, in part with medicines provided by HFK Krebsallianz- US National Cancer Coalition.
March 2009
For the past decade, the number of cancer patients across Asia have increased tremendously. Due to the expense and lack of proper medication and treatment; lives are easily lost among many financially challenged victims. This concern is now being addressed by AAI and our American and Philipppine partners, with logistical assistance from the Philippine Marine Corps. Other supporting organizations include International Relief and Development, MEDPHARM, Inc. and Brothers Brother Foundation.
See pictures of the trip
December 2008
In November and December 2008, Asia America Initiative joined a small but determined consortium of international, national and local organizations and government agencies in Central Mindanao, Philippines to provide humanitarian support to calm brutalized communities and deter the threat of civil war between Muslim and Christian neighbors. The emergency action followed a series of merciless attacks and counter-attacks that caused more than 600,000 people to become homeless. AAI Country Director Ms. Rohaniza Sumndad organized refugee relief efforts implemented by AAI Catalyst for Peace college student volunteers. In addition, AAI conducted “Family Fun Days” to bring Hope into the lives of child victims of war, and organized and participated in trauma counseling in refugee camps and surrounding towns with Christian and Muslim clergy, psychologists, social workers and community leaders.
In Washington and in Manila, AAI President Albert Santoli raised support for a number of projects or “small miracles” including a Cancer Treatment Program for the Poor, to bring hope to the least fortunate in the Christian north, as well as in the Muslim south of the Philippines. A Gardens of Peace program was created by AAI to counter malnutrition and food shortages. The program’s goal, utilizing 2.3 million donated packets of American vegetable seeds is to transform war zones into life-saving agricultural centers. In addition, in the severely impoverished and violence-torn Sulu archipelago, AAI is working with community leaders and educators to escalate the Development for Peace project with integrated education with livelihood training.
One "small miracle" is Don Jose Godinez Elementary School in Jolo [See lead photo.] The children and teachers at this impoverished institution are among AAI's "small miracles." In 2005, when AAI adopted this school, community schools were on the edge of a decades long war zone, resulting in overcrowded classrooms that lacked books. At the time, AAI had no disposable funds to add new schools to the Model of Excellence Schools program. However, the heart of AAI Director Santoli was touched on that first surprise encounter. More than 1,000 students and their parents -- whose average family salary is $1 per day -- silently waited all day in the hot sun for his unscheduled visit that was organized by the Superintendent of Schools. Today, thanks to the strong support of teachers and parents, Godinez Elementary has surpassed all expectations in national testing and is ranked the Number One academic performer in their region. This is despite the fact that some classrooms are bamboo shacks with mud floors, and classrooms are overcrowded, seating 85 students. The rooms lack lighting, sanitation and adequate study materials. AAI is doing everything possible to help improve conditions at Godinez. However with over 20,000 more students in the Jolo area and no governmental funding, AAI and the students need your support.
See pictures of the trip
See Archived Photos Below:
November 2008 | September 2008 | August 2008 | May 2008 | November 2007 | 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