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

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.

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