Emergency Relief for Inter-Faith Filipino Children

Dear Friends,

In the Philippines in mid-2023, peoples of many ethnicities, religions and languages cope with typhoons, floods, earthquakes, viral outbreaks.  In addition, lingering physical and mental health traumas of Covid-19 and food shortages take a considerable toll.  Asia America Initiative and our local grassroots partners remain active conducting relief in multiple provincial communities, emphasizing good nutrition and hygiene practices in the schools we support.

Electricity is scarce and wifi for inernet connection is unreliable. "When children cannot attend school, they are denied face to face classroom learning," says Nurse Faith, AAI coorddinator in Visayas. To address this barrier to social and economic development, Asia America Initiative continues to provide hygiene and medical supplies to school age children, teachers, and volunteers. In addition we have been supporting and supplying Reading and Math outdoor learning camps for dozens of schools.

Since the New Year, our programs assist at least 5,000 children in hard-to-reach villages and tribal areas  in the  Philippine regions of Luzon, Mindanao and Visayas. The impact of two-year school closures has been dramatic in under-served communities where extreme poverty and communal violence are rampant. Thanks to our GlobalGiving donors and local Lions Club chapters, parent-volunteers, Returned Overseas Workers and police and military veterans, we are continuing to make a substantial difference. 

Dr. Yolanda our volunteer groups coordinator says, "Children and their parents are invigorated through literacy, livelihood skills, and health support programs and special events. We are determined to continue to facilitate these programs through non-biased school communities."

In Lugmah, Sulu, we inteface with a hard working young school head, Principal Nash, who is headmaster at a newly renovated public school for Muslim, Christian and Badjao sea gypsy children.  "Before the pandemic," he says, "we created a social media network for Muslim and Christian educators and children to share their new skills, hopes, and dreams.

"Mothers and fathers of pupils assist teachers to cook daily meals.  Inter-faith cooperation teaches students the value of teamwork and unity.  AAI has provided face masks, basic food, clean water, and other hygiene products. But its the parents, teachers, and school children who provide the energy and enthusiasm needed for our efforts to succeed."

If you would like to add to your support or begin a monthly donation, please click through this report and GlobalGiving will instruct you in how you can assist in this worthwhile endeavor.

Covid-19 Relief for Inter-Faith Filipino Children

Your contributions have made a true difference.  We are deeply grateful to you all. 

Sincerely,

Albert Santoli,

AAI Director

Links:

• Asia America Initiative website

Dear Friends,

Worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic and school closings have had a tremendous psychological and emotional impact on children and youth. Reverting to electronic classrooms is especially seen in rural and remote areas where electronic and cyber infrastructure is seldom adequate. The effects of isolation and limited classroom engagement cannot meet the educational needs and social development of young children and adolescents. 

In schools fully open for in-classroom learning, the effects persist. Many young learners are having difficulty concentrating and focusing their attention. In addition to grades and test scores declining, many teachers report a substantial increase in shyness, anti-social behavior, and a lack of joy normally seen in children in their age groups.

AAI is supporting many and various activities to promote student involvement in group activities with great success. Our programs are a natural fit to heal the isolation that has been experienced in the school communities. We are supporting reading and math camps, school gardens, lunch programs, story telling, as well as arts and music programs to name a few.

"As educators," says Principal Merhama, of Jolo Island in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, "our greatest challenge is meeting the psychological and emotions needs of our elementary school children after two or three years away from classrooms. We are developing new strategies, working with parents and community leaders to help the children to feel comfortable and to open their minds to enjoying learning through a holistic approach of re-socializing and building self-confidence. Our reading camps utilize the school library which is stocked with fun and interesting AAI text books and story books. The students become very involved and doing team learning as an "ice-breaker." 

At the high school level of re-engagement, Cuartero National High school, located in the primarily Christian region of Visayas is a success story. The assistance that AAI has provided with funding the multi-faceted arts program at the high school has been a center piece for overcoming teenage loneliness and social dysfunction through the spirit of creativity. The Director of the program, Teacher Ramie, has emphasized a "fusion" between the young gadget-oriented generation with their traditional Ilongo ethnic culture.

"The support provided by AAI and local business people and local government officials has empowered our arts program and lifted the students’ morale by fun and creative teamwork," says Teacher Ramie.’

Asia America Initiative serves as a bridge for action. Our social media facilitates transparent communication and dispels fear and myths that alienate communities who feel alone and abandoned. Starting with children, positive interaction and equal treatment of various cultural groups by AAI facilitate mutual respect and inspiration. We could not do this without the assistance and care of GlobalGiving donors from around the world.

If you would like to add to your support or begin a monthly donation, please click through this report and GlobalGiving will prepare that for you to assist in this worthwhile endeavor.

Covid-19 Relief for Inter-Faith Filipino Children

Your contributions have made a true difference.

Sincerely,

Albert Santoli,

AAI Director

Links:

• Website