Support the First Steps in Rural Leaders' Training

 Thanks to your support, we were able to welcome all participants to the ARI campus in the last week of March. Despite flight disruptions due to the war in the Middle East, everyone arrived safely and in time to start the program. We deeply appreciate your support in our efforts.

Before traveling, the participants also conducted three rounds of pre-orientation to prepare their minds for what to expect at ARI upon their arrival. It was a good opportunity for us to also reflect on what are or could be considered as challenges for participants and present it to them as transparently as possible. 

Growth note and planning note 

We want to promote a more independent approach to managing deadlines and personal schedules among participants. For this, we introduced an additional notebook besides the growth note. It is a monthly and daily schedule notebook. We encourage them to note seemingly mundane things like the weather - and later convey the importance of record keeping in farming practices. 

Key concepts illustrated 

This year, thanks to the participation of several staff members, we could form small groups where people discuss one key concept. They came up with their own definition of what they think the word means, shared a real life example of how this key concept can be lived or experienced, and finally shared an illustration of the key concept. We hope to set the display up in the classroom. The session concludes with the key concepts connecting to the three pillars which then helps us to live the motto “That we may live together”. 

Learn more about our Key Concepts here.

Livelihood and entrepreneurship 

It was the first trial for the Livelihood and entrepreneurship class which focused on acknowledging that generating income is a necessary task for sustainability. This was a result of participant feedback we received for a few years. Here is an excerpt from the handout:

Entrepreneurship and livelihood skills are about turning ideas, talents, and local resources into sustainable ways of earning or supplementing a living. It is not simply about making businesses that generate profits. It is about thinking creatively and acting proactively. Practicing these skills helps to build confidence, responsibility, and resilience. For communities, entrepreneurship has the potential to create small jobs, and encourages innovation among people. It is important to keep the ideas rooted in real needs. Developing livelihood skills is therefore not only about income generation but it is also about empowerment, dignity, and autonomy. 

The emphasis was on recognising potential in all practical field study learning. Participants are encouraged to observe and reflect through an entrepreneurial lens. It includes asking oneself questions such as: 

• How does my business idea respect the soil/ people/ environment?
• How will you balance profit and purpose? 
• What simple improvements are possible using local materials? 
• What price would make sense? 

Our sessions included elements of social business and cooperatives/credit unions, which we will discuss in greater detail throughout the year. We also hope to increase some food processing sessions and include some skills such as natural dye - among other ideas. Hopefully this aspect can be further improved in the years ahead, along with continued cooperation of all foodlife staff. 

Indonesian graduates 

4 Indonesian graduates visited ARI along with their colleagues. During their short time at ARI we were glad that we could have a morning gathering from a graduate and a sharing session. In the session, each graduate shared a 15-20 min presentation of their work - working for people with disabilities, coffee production and eco-tourism, marketing - all to support their community members - where the majority are farmers. In the remaining time they answered many questions they received from participants. An important message from

the graduates was - collaboration. This is key to all work. They learned to work together at ARI and applied the same spirit back home. They also mentioned social business and entrepreneurship and how they applied it - which was a helpful addition to the previous class held on the same topic. 

Foodlife Managment Activties (FMA) -- Grouping and Orientation 

Each year, we separate participants in to FMA teams to manage farmwork, with each participant having a 2-week period of leading the group.

This year, we tried to create balanced teams in terms of personality and working style preferences. Through a short self-evaluation survey, participants shared what their approach is to a task and to potential conflict. This helped us to recognize that this year’s group overall leans towards collaboration and support. Key areas where they may need input from staff is in defining deadlines and encouraging them to reach a conclusion within the deadline. However, it is encouraging that many are process oriented and are caring for one another. 

During orientation, each FMA group that was newly formed discussed their group name and also completed a task. The task? Create their own community system transformation cycle. The cycle is a representation of their approach to managing foodlife work. Their implementation in foodlife, reflects back onto their participation in the community. 

Monthly reflection and appreciation 

Some positive highlights that participants shared: 

• Entrepreneurship - the perspective of looking at a problem as a source for the solution, therefore leading to achievement was inspiring. (turning problems into strengths and opportunities) 
• Several comments on teamwork, unity, humility demonstrated by staff, volunteers and all community members. 
• Animal feed mixing was interesting and a valuable learning for many
• Spending time together with people and cooperating with each other has been a good experience for some participants. 
• Well organized schedules, planning, systematic flow of various activities were recognized as valuable things to use ahead, but also to take back 
• They identified things such as compost brooding, garbage sorting, and creating networks to collect local resources as creative approaches to various issues. 

Some struggles that showed up were: 

• Language and communication. Difficulty in understanding pronunciation showed up as a repeated concern. We later spoke a little about how to support each other regarding that. Participants agreed to: 

1. Speak more slowly 
2. Not take things personally when asked to repeat 
3. Not be shy to ask people to repeat themselves 
4. Join events or communal activities to enjoy natural conversations 

• Inability to speak Japanese also came up as a difficulty since they could not speak with local people or buy what they needed at the store since they cannot read the contents. 
• Food. Adapting to a different diet has been a challenge for some. Many mentioned that they are slowly getting used to it and adapting. In the kitchen, however, both Yukiko san and I noticed that they are quite accommodating regarding ingredients and can think of substitutes or compromise well. 
• Some shared personal struggles which consultants and other staff are checking in on and following up with. 

Other Highlights: 

• Personal budgeting was added to independent learning. Thanks to Joella for leading that portion. 
• Participants played a significant role in Easter services. Thanks to the Chaplains for guiding them. 
• Most participants joined cake baking with Kathy! A wonderful tradition.
• We moved a house during campus beautification as part of the new ARI Bee Project, and we felt the power of community. More information and photos here.
• Bonfire night was emceed by our two youngest participants this year, Atomba and She Rah.
• Despite lower volunteer numbers they have been a stable and encouraging presence for participants. We are grateful for their presence! 
• Participants shared a skit during the opening ceremony after party and also performed in other ways. It was a great party! 
• UNO is extremely popular this year. 

Staff shared reflective morning gatherings, making it a meaningful time for all community members and being a good example for participants to follow. 

Thank you for your support as we get the training program underway! We hope to continue fostering the collaborative spirit which seems to be forming and we welcome you to continue engaging with us.

Links:

• ARI Website

• Class of 2026 Roster (PDF)
  

Thanks to your support, Asian Rural Institute's Class of 2025 completed their training in December, and returned to their home communities to implement their training knowledge into successful lifegiving and uplifting programs and projects.

What did they learn through their training? ARI's curriculum coordinator, Manosi Abe Chatterjee, provides overall reflections from theirtraining -- what they traveled across the world to learn and practice.

Asian Rural Institute Class of 2025 Program Reflections

Through the abundant blessings of God and the continued support of all well-wishers of ARI, we have successfully completed another academic year. We are proud to celebrate 27 new graduates from 16 different countries.

We began the year with 28 participants; however, due to a family emergency, we sadly bid farewell to one participant. Over the nine months, many participants faced serious family hardships. Though their hearts longed to return home, they remained committed to completing the program. This resilience was sustained by their faith in God and by the care and encouragement of the ARI community, both in Japan and in their home countries.

In April, during orientation, participants reflected on the question, “What is community?” Responses included working together, respect, listening, caring for one another, and sharing food. Participation lies at the heart of ARI’s community-based learning. While “participate” means to take part, its Latin root participare means to share something in common with others. Through daily life together, participants discovered both shared values and meaningful differences.

We also asked ourselves more challenging questions: Are we truly living together, or simply tolerating one another? Are we accepting differences, or avoiding discomfort? While clear answers may not yet exist, these reflections extend beyond nine months at ARI and invite us to reconsider our roles within our wider communities.

Participants engaged deeply with social issues in Japan, learning about discrimination in Minamata, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Ashio, as well as the declining farming population, reduced youth involvement, and the impacts of climate change. While these realities can appear overwhelming, participants also encountered hope through communities working toward justice and renewal.

Participants delivered three major presentations using the blank sides of old calendars, encouraging creativity, clarity, and reflection in an increasingly digital world. Presenting in English - often a second, third, or fourth language - strengthened participants’ confidence in communicating across cultures.

This year was the first year for former farm manager Osamu Arakawa to work as Director of ARI. This presented a wonderful opportunity to highlight the connection between farming and leadership more concretely. He reminded us that it is not just farming - but organic farming. It is not just leadership –  but servant leadership. Both are rooted in a deep appreciation and understanding of God and Soil - the source of all life.

In fact, participants spent about 77 hours picking up skills in the classroom related to leadership capacity building. 75 hours in relation to sustainable agricultural practices or management. And 445 hours of practical experience - on the farm, in livestock, and in the kitchen. In addition, participants learned about development issues, had regular reflections, presentations, observation and study tours, amounting to 1937 curriculum hours - all opportunities to demonstrate their leadership and learning. 

Participants also completed individual projects focused on issues relevant to their communities. These included food processing, alternative livestock feeds, black soldier fly production, banana stem silage, community project planning, interviews, translation, and educational material development.

While the program continues to grow, participants also identified areas for improvement, including entrepreneurship, income generation, and deeper exploration of climate-resilient agriculture. These gaps reflect the reality that learning does not end at ARI.

Many of our graduates return to communities that are disproportionately affected by conflict, disaster, and inequality. Yet they rise to the occasion as leaders who are willing to dedicate themselves to their people, even in the most difficult times. In their own words, they are committed to being leaders who seek to uphold the dignity of people, deeply listen to the needs of others, and leave nobody behind.

As the Class of 2025 returns home to implement their training, ARI prepares for the Class of 2026 to travel from their home organizations to begin their training.

Links:

• ARI Website