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Metro Manila,
Philippines Office
October 16, 2008 | Editor Al Santoli
In September 2008, during a refugee relief
mission to central Mindanao, Asia America
Initiative inaugurated two unique conflict
mediation and prevention programs: Healing
Child Victims of War and Gardens of Peace.
These programs are affirmations of life in
communities plagued by armed conflict and
terror. The United Nations reports that of
500,000 Christian and Muslim refugees in
Mindanao, some 60 percent are children. In
response, AAI is coordinating with local
government agencies and Christian and Muslim
NGOs to implement healing programs to
overcome the trauma the youth and their
families have endured.
During emergency intervention, AAI Director
Albert Santoli and Philippine Program
Coordinator Ms. Rohaniza Sumndad distributed
stuffed animals, infant and toddler toys and
"goodie bags" to hundreds of children who had
lost their homes and had seen family members
or neighbors subjected to violence. In
addition, in consultation with the U.N. World
Food Program and using vegetable and flower
seeds AAI and the provincial government,
Agriculture Department and Department of
Education inaugurated a Gardens of Peace
program to plant and maintain school based
community gardens throughout Marawi City and
in cooperative farming areas in rural areas
of conflict. The Government of the
Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao and the
Presidential Office of the Advisor for the
Peace Process in Manila are advocating AAI's
model programs to be established in each
province of the ARMM where armed conflict is
a threat.
The programs are made possible through
partnerships between AAI and the province
governments of Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte
and North Cotabato. The supplies are
contributions form MedPharm, Inc.,
International Relief and Development,
MedPharm Inc, Unilever Corporation, Biobased
AG, Burpee Seed Co., Franciscan Missionary
Sisters of the Poor; with transportation
donated by Northwest Airlines, the
Philippine Airlines Foundation and the Philippine Marine Corps.
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