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>View discussions about this entry Country: United States
Organization: Asia America Initiative
Sector Focus - Civil society
Year the initative began (yyyy) - 2002
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Project URL: http://www.asiaamerica.org/index.html
Positioning in the Mosaic of solutions
What is your signature innovation, your new idea, in one sentence? - Through integrating health, education and livelihood support, we create a preventive solution to empower communities in war zones to build the strength and skills to resist exploitation and create a framework for civil society.
Describe your innovation. What makes your idea unique and different than others doing work in the field? - Our approach is community-based to build long-term human security necessary to resist exploitation, where adequate justice or protection does not exist. This approach is innovative and unique because our efforts are not short-term interventions, but they are systematic in which the community builds and maintains a stable environment. We also motivate inter-generational leadership by including talented young people to participate in finding and implementing solutions.
Delivery Model: How do you implement your innovation and apply it to the challenge/problem you are addressing? - We initiate the process through organizing committees of the local social, political and religious leaders. Through these committees, especially where there are limited or no forms of law or civil justice, we identify the vital areas of human security including health, education and livelihood that need to be addressed. Addressing these vital concerns forms the basis of community solidarity against the exploitation of the most vulnerable members. We also galvanize support from outside agencies and organizations to provide resources that will assist in the reconstruction of the community's physical infrastructure and nurture vital attitudes of Hope and strength.
How do you plan to grow your innovation? - Our model Development for Peace in Sulu based in Mindanao, Philippines has a six year record of success. It is in a place where most outsiders believed progress was impossible. Our innovative approach has drawn the interest of many other communities in Asia and Africa where gender and age discrimination holds back innovative solutions. We will continue a gender-balanced and inter-generational leadership structure. We also plan to expand our media awareness and social networking to publicize our success and inspire other communities and organizations. We are also raising funds to expand our organization and the number of project locations. We have many applicants and volunteers who have experience in human rights, education, and rule of law, community development and peace mediation. We intend to grow our innovative capabilities by expanding our teams with talented members of all age groups.
Do you have any existing partnerships, and if so, how do you create them? - We have a number of existing partnerships in the United States and in Asia to support our work in the field through supplying educational and material support and gifts in kind. We also have increased our networking with other organizations who share the same dedication for peace and human development. In the field, we outreach to service providing organizations such as Save the Children and similar local groups. We encourage university students to be involved. Our partnerships with foundations, corporations and individual donors have been created by persistent efforts through our network of Board Members and friends of the organization. We also create partnerships through social networking and attend seminars hosted by organizations such as OneWorld.net.
Provide one sentence describing your impact/intended impact. - We have provided security and deterred exploitation of vulnerable impoverished populations living in armed conflict and terror.
How many people have you served or plan to serve? - We are serving communities with a total estimated population of 1 million people. With proper funding, we intend to serve communities with a total population of over 20 million to eventually include other areas such as southern Thailand, Indonesia, Nepal and Afghanistan.
Please list any other measures of the impact of your innovation? - In our schools, graduation and retention rates are above 95% compared to 40% in the rest of the region. Our project area has not experienced any incidents of terrorism in over five years. The regional hospital is now renovated and recognized as a leading medical facility in the region. More than 120 women have been trained in livelihood skills and have formed cooperatives. We have been recognized by the President of the Philippines for bringing peace, human dignity, social and economic development to communities that have experienced generations of conflict.
Exactly who are the beneficiaries of your innovation? - The beneficiaries are the vulnerable populations in the areas of conflict as well as policymakers who can form more enlightened solutions based on the knowledge gained from our direct experiences.
How is your initiative financed (or how do you expect your initiative will be financed)? - Our initiative is financed largely by foundations, socially responsible corporations, some private donors and health, educational and charitable institutions.
If known, provide information on your finances and organization - Annual budget;
Annual revenue generated; Number of staff: Our annual budget, including gifts in kind is $850,000. We do not generate any revenues as a non-profit organization. We have a total of 12 full and part-time staff. We also have an average of eight interns at any given time. Additionally, community committee participants make up another 100 persons who help plan and implement our projects. What is the potential demand for your innovation? - The expansion of our programs has been requested in at least six other communities in the Philippines and in six countries in Asia and Africa.
What are the main barriers to financial sustainability? - The lack of consistent long-term funding sources is the main barrier to our financial sustainability. In addition, many foundations do not understand the comprehensive nature of our programs. Others mistakenly think we have government funding, which we do not. We have chosen to not take government funds in order to prevent the appearance of being a part of military operations.
What is the origin of this innovation? Tell us your story. - Asia America Initiative was formed by Albert Santoli in 2002 to be a humanitarian alternative to the indiscriminate use of force in the global “conflict of civilizations.” Mr. Santoli experienced war as a teenage soldier in Vietnam. He witnessed the exploitation of vulnerable populations in areas of armed conflict in many parts of world as a journalist, author, human rights monitor, humanitarian care giver and senior Congressional advisor. In Afghanistan, under control of the Taliban, Mr. Santoli learned of the exploitation of refugee children in which they became violent extremists. These extremists also kidnapped young pre-teen and teenaged girls to be forced into marriage, domestic servitude and other forms of bondage. The mission of AAI is to overcome hatred and terror based on cultural and religious differences. In this process we are able to help prevent Taliban-like exploitation of women and children. Sulu, a region in Muslim Mindanao, Philippines, was chosen as the AAI model program area because it is among the most impoverished and feared areas of Asia, having experienced generations of armed conflict. It is also a region targeted by international extremists to recruit young people to conduct terrorism. AAI’s Development for Peace program brings together people of many faiths and backgrounds to assist war-torn communities to build Hope. We include talented young people as part of building sustainable leadership. These components are essential to deterring forms of exploitation that constitute modern day slavery.
Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers marketing material - Al Santoli is president and founder of the non-profit organization, Asia America Initiative. He is the editor of the weekly e-publications “China in Focus” and “Asia in Focus.” Mr. Santoli is the author of numerous books and monographs, including the New York Times best-seller Everything We Had, An Oral History of the Vietnam War. He was a Senior Fellow at Freedom House where he was responsible for the “International Children at Risk Project.” He was a consultant on refugee protection at the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights and also served as a Congressional advisor. He is a member of the Disabled American Veterans for wounds received while serving in the US Army in Vietnam.
Contact Information:
Albert Santoli
President Asia America Initiative (NGO) santoli@asiaamerica.org 1523 16th St., NW. Washington, DC 20036 United States Tel: 202-232-7020 Fax: 202-232-7023 Website: http://www.asiaamerica.org/index.html Discussions about this entry |
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Hello Albert,
Thank you for your work abroad and your role in education in the communities in Asia where you work.
I have a question about the long-term financial barriers you mention as your main problem toward the sustainability of your organization. Have you ever considered adding an independent revenue associated with your organization?
Thank you again,
Sarah McRae
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Current Master of International Management Student, Portland State University
Dear Sarah:
Thank you for your question. As a non-profit organization, it is difficult to create for-profit ventures to support our humanitarian work. In addition, as a small organization who does substantial work, we are at a disadvantage because we don't have the name recognition of larger and older NGOs. However, our dedication and ability to budget very tightly has enabled us to continue our work. Private foundation, relevant institutions and the kindness of friends have been our principle funding sources. Do you have any ideas of how we could add independent revenue sources? Thanks, again for your interest.
Albert Santoli
Hello Albert,
Could you explain in more detail what your teams do? To what do you attribute the higher retention rate in your schools?
Thank you for your response.
Dana Frasz
Ashoka's Changemakers
Sorry, I ran out of room in the other comment box:
The high retention rate in our schools attribute to the fact that our students are eager and willing to learn and we tried our hardest to provide them with the facilities to do so. Not only the students, but we have strong support from the parents, where they recognize the need of education where their children can have a better future. The parents and their children are very much involved in the construction of the schools and the learning process. Where parents helped to build the school buildings, make uniforms for their children, and most important of all they let their children to go to school instead of working. The children are engaged in the learning process and our staff and teachers are doing their best to educate the young. The community also recognize that the key to a peaceful and stable community is to give the children a future, and our organization along with the community work together to do so. The community and the students recognize that the key to a better future is through education, and continue their education. So they are willing to come back year after year so they can escape the cycle of poverty that plague their parents.
Our organization is very busy, so I apologize for the late response. I hope I answered your questions, if there are any other questions about our organization, feel free to contact us through email, this blog or any other way. Thank you for your interest and your time.
Albert Santoli
Asia America Initiative
Sorry, I ran out of room in the other comment box:
The high retention rate in our schools attribute to the fact that our students are eager and willing to learn and we tried our hardest to provide them with the facilities to do so. Not only the students, but we have strong support from the parents, where they recognize the need of education where their children can have a better future. The parents and their children are very much involved in the construction of the schools and the learning process. Where parents helped to build the school buildings, make uniforms for their children, and most important of all they let their children to go to school instead of working. The children are engaged in the learning process and our staff and teachers are doing their best to educate the young. The community also recognize that the key to a peaceful and stable community is to give the children a future, and our organization along with the community work together to do so. The community and the students recognize that the key to a better future is through education, and continue their education. So they are willing to come back year after year so they can escape the cycle of poverty that plague their parents.
Our organization is very busy, so I apologize for the late response. I hope I answered your questions, if there are any other questions about our organization, feel free to contact us through email, this blog or any other way. Thank you for your interest and your time.
Our organization's office in DC and field office in Manila, Philippines, work together on comprehensive community development in impoverished areas. Our projects include schools, hospitals, infrastructure, and agricultural development, that builds hope throughout the community. The goal of our education program is bringing knowledge to the children so they can sustain themselves in the future. Our schools ranges from preschools to high schools, where classes are taught in both Filipino and English. We offer the students not only with comprehensive education but also focus on vocational trainings such as farming and fishing where it is practical. We work with the local population as well as establishing relationship with local government. Our efforts have lauded the president of Philippines as well as many other prominent political personal in the region. Our agriculture project is to utilize 50 hectares of the region's rice production capacity, where it has been crippled by militia fighting, have strong support from the local government, the Hon. Asgar Sani, Sultan of Marawi, who have a prominent influence in the local community, designated 15 hectares of his land for our agricultural project. The goal of our project is to fulfill the region's rice production capacity, which is about 10000 hectares. We help the community with building basic infrastructure such as building drying courts, provide funds to purchase supplies such as seeds, fertilizers, and farming tools. Therefore, our education program is important, as the schools teach the future generation the skills they need for their local community as well as other pursuits.
Hi Albert,
Great to see a project by AAI! Take a look at the other entries for potential ideas and collaborators; it's a great opportunity to talk about what works and how folks in the field are moving forward.
Take Care,
Robert
Thanks, Robert. We are looking at the various projects that are listed. At this time we have a number of various actrivities related to peace building, addressing food shortages and protecting the most vulnerable members of communities in our project areas. We invite you to view our website at www.asiaamerica.org.
Al Santoli