by Claire R. Gigje
MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)–Looking back on how the previous firefights have taken a great toll on the lives of the affected residents, a project was recently launched to help advance a conflict-free environment.
Dubbed “Promoting Efforts Addressing Conflict through Education in Mindanao (PEACE) Mindanao,” World Vision Philippines and Ireland, with the funding of the European Union (EU), are set to bring vital interventions to the cities of Cotabato and Marawi.
Rommel Fuerte, World Vision Philippines’ national director, said this would show how important peace education and community unity are to the growth and well-being of children and young people.
“This project is to promote efforts addressing conflict through education in Mindanao. The most important of all is that through this project, the concerted efforts of partners will allow our children and their families to thrive more productively and responsibly as citizens of our country,” he said.
Fuerte stated that his organization sees this project as responsive to the current context, especially in Marawi and Cotabato City, in promoting humanitarian efforts to counter extremism in these particular places.
Furthermore, World Vision Ireland Programmes and Policy Director Maurice Sadlier expressed his organization’s appreciation for the positive work done by the Bangsamoro and Philippine governments for the Mindanao peace process, as well as their interest in working with the local government units of Cotabato and Marawi to advance the started peace actions and contribute to peaceful societies in the country for at least three years.
“Peace is difficult to build and takes time, so we are willing and want to be partners with World Vision Philippines and the local government units for three years of this program. The particular project is calling for interventions working on peace processes and a safe and secure society,” he said.
Sadlier said that part of their project would be education, and that they would take part in peace education that is already going on in the schools in the areas they would be working in.
World Vision Philippines Operations Manager Elizabeth Delgado underscored that the PEACE Mindanao Project shall manifest the commitment of her organization and its allies to attain a peaceful, safe, and healthy environment not only for themselves but for children as well.
“As long as you are there, we can do something different for our children for them to live peacefully and have a healthy environment to be future leaders of BARMM,” she said.
Through this time, the World Vision Development Foundation, Inc. has been recognized as a child-focused organization that has been working with its partner stakeholders for over 65 years to achieve hope, joy, and justice for all children through their holistic community programs that address the welfare and well-being of children in the Philippines. (CRG/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)
####