A few weeks ago, I sat in on the Community Development class at EarthRights School Burma (ERSB). The class was facilitated by Mr. Benjamin D. Abadiano, a young hero for indigenous people in the Philippines and the president of the Assisi Development Foundation. According to his presentations during the class, the Assisi Foundation is helping hundreds of thousands of people adversely affected by the Philippines’ civil war to return home and rehabilitate their lives. Before he worked with the Assisi Foundation, he was working with poor communities in the Philippines, helping them establish community learning centers for young indigenous people. Currently, his community learning centers provide educational opportunities for hundreds of young indigenous people.
After he graduated from Xavier University, he went to the indigenous communities with an exposure trip organized by a missionary group, and later he found himself happy there and decided to work for indigenous people in Mangyan communities. He started an education program for indigenous youth providing training in literacy, livelihoods and leadership. He started the program with little help from his friends in Manila and said, “the only thing at the time I had was my passion and blessing from God, and I am satisfied with it.”
Mr Abadiano discusses alternative education with ERSB students
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