PEACE HEROES AWARDS 2018

TPBPM is a volunteer-based organization, and our programs would not have been possible without all the love and support of our dearest peace heroes.

This year we recognize three volunteers who have been “EXTRA” last 2017 through the PEACE HERO AWARDS. The award honors their invaluable commitment, selfless service, and dedication to helping Teach Peace Build Peace Movement achieve its mission of Making Every Filipino Child and Youth a Peace Builder.

Ate Sheyna, Ate Chloe, and Kuya Glendford have selflessly shared their time, talent, effort and resources for the realization of TPBPM’s vision of a peaceful society.

 

Sheyna is part of the Secretariat Team taking the role as the lead documentor during TPBPM Activities. In 2017, she has volunteered in several Peace Missions in Manila, Maguindanao and Cagayan de Oro during the Psychosocial First Aid for Marawi Teachers. She has been utilizing the power of photography in relaying the important message that peace is possible even in conflict-affected areas.

 

 

 

 

Glendford started as a member of the Artists for Peace Team, creating peace murals and conducting sketchpad workshops for different TPBPM Communities. He is also part of the TPBPM Communications Team creating posters for social media and documenting TPBPM Activities. He is also involved in conceptualizing I TEACH PEACE LEARNING RESOURCES such as the “Tara Na Game Board” and the “Ako ay Tayo Educational Kit”.

 

 

Chloe is part of the first batch of Peace Hero Child Ambassadors and a member of the Musicians for Peace creating peace songs such as the TPBPM Theme Song “Tara Na”. She is also part of the TPBPM Training Team specializing in children and youth. Chloe is also responsible for the different TPBPM Posters uploaded in social media and the I TEACH PEACE LEARNING Resources for the Schools and Communities of Peace Heroes Formation Program.

 

 

In behalf of all the schools and communities that we serve, THANK YOU SO MUCH and may you inspire more youth like you to be peace builders.


Special Thank you to our dear Ate Chloe Lumang for designing our first set of PEACE HERO AWARDS-TROPHY!

Close Encounters: Paul Formaran

Being part of the Communications Team that is responsible for communicating TPBPM’s mission, message and other campaigns, I want to relay a message that advocating for peace is what matters most at this very moment – it is both timely and relevant, and is not meant to be cliché nor vague. Experience wise I am helping the movement in producing text and photo-essays, and short videos documenting the program’s activities with the goal of promoting the project and peace advocacy that we have. Based on this context, I get to experience SCPHFP by interviewing the children, parents, and teachers. As I speak to them, I realized that SCPHFP has given them tools for cultivating inner peace, and hope for their future.

The communities SCPHFP serves have often felt neglected and forgotten. Ever since I started to interview, a lot of testimonials and stories were shared with me, of how they struggle in facing the different kinds of conflicts in their community. In Maguindanao, there was Saad, who at 14-years old was shot and severely wounded, and while recovering from life-saving surgery, showed great empathy for his assailant. There was also Saad’s schoolmate, a girl whose name escapes me right now, who made me realize that understanding and acceptance between Muslims and Christians should go both ways; elder leaders in both religions have a lot to work on regarding the biases and negative stereotypes they impart to children.

Then what is it for TPBPM? Our movement then set up the Kapatiran Program, which generates the idea of ‘It is not one-size-fits-all’ – this basically describes the TPBPM’s SCPHFP; wherein the program’s design is contextualized and localized depending on the needs to of the communities. More importantly, this program is not one-and-done training and seminars rather, the program lets community-members feel that volunteer facilitators really care for them. The  community members in Maguindanao, shared that the only ties they received help, in the form of relief goods and public infrastructures, is after the tragedy strikes. After they disappear from the national news, aid organizations and the national government forget about them. After the first time TPBPM visited, they thought it was the last and only time we’d ever visit. Since then, they act less like they are isolated; they know we are looking out for them, ready to help. And since the formation sessions, they seem more lively, and their stories tell me they’re better emotionally equipped to handle a crisis.

Teachers say more students go to school regularly, more parents enroll their children. It seems they are less afraid of violent conflict interrupting their daily lives, although still aware of it.

Through the SCPHFP may we have more schools to serve and in the long-term ordeal, the institutionalization of peace education programs in our country. These stories and   little  victories within the schools and communities that we serve gave me hope. Before I end, I would like to leave a message of appreciation and recognition to Hadji Salik Kalaing Elementary School, Tatak Elementary School both in Maguindanao; Mahalika Elementary School in Maharlika Village, Taguig City; and, Sapang Uwak Elementary School in Porac Pampanga, we are all proud of you. Thank you and may you continue to support us in helping your school become a real peaceful place, and until then you too can share it with each and everyone.

Homeless but not Hopeless: A Peace Mission Reflection

Peace Mission Reflection by Glendford Lumbao
Got a chance to visit 3 evacuation centers (2 in Iligan, 1 in Lanao Del Norte) last weekend.
When we arrived at the first evacuation center, I was stunned. The population was overwhelming. As a facilitator, my task was to gather the kids, sing, clap, play with them, and teach them art, but there’s a voice inside of me saying “Mag docu nalang kaya ako” because the place was overcrowded and I personally don’t know how and where to start. Also, I’m a bit scared to start a conversation with the kids because of the language barrier; I can’t understand Maranao or Bisaya.
A few minutes later, heaven shed tears.
The sound of heavy rain hitting the metal roof echoes and we have no lapel microphones or megaphones to amplify our voices. We prepared several games for kids, unfortunately, there’s a limited space for us in the gymnasium and we can’t go out in the field because of the current weather condition. We struggled. But under any circumstances, my excuses are nothing compared to what these people went through. These people are displaced, with insufficient food, water, and clothes. These people are in pain, sadness, loneliness, or in fear. Who am I to complain about inconvenience?
So we walked inside, gathered and kids, and started our psycho-social activities. A few hours later, the sun smiles, like the smile on their faces, as they receive our gifts – a piece of Hope.
A rainbow appeared that day.On our second day, We visited another evacuation center, located at Balo-I, Lanao Del Norte (just 18km away from Marawi), and there, I met a child named Jonn Jonn, around 7 to 9 years old. Before the incident, he lives near Mindanao State University. Now he’s living in an empty field-turned-evacuation center, together with the other victims of the Marawi siege.
On our second day, We visited another evacuation center, located at Balo-I, Lanao Del Norte (just 18km away from Marawi), and there, I met a child named Jonn Jonn, around 7 to 9 years old. Before the incident, he lives near Mindanao State University. Now he’s living in an empty field-turned-evacuation center, together with the other victims of the Marawi siege.
As part of our psycho-social peacebuilding activity, we ask the kids to draw their answers to the questions we’ve prepared. There’s this one question from the module I was using; “Ano ang nagpapawala ng takot mo/nagpapalakas ng loob mo?” Jonn jonn drew himself, lying in a bed. He explained to me that whenever he’s afraid, he goes to his bed and hides under his blanket… Now, he is sleeping on a cold and concrete floor. Sack of rice as his pillow, tarpaulin as his blanket. The siege took away his refuge, his comfort zone, but definitely, not his hope.

“Gusto ko maging pulis!” Homeless but not hopeless.

After distributing stuffed toys, bracelets, peace notes, art kits, hygiene kits, and some snacks, Jonn jonn saw empty carton boxes from our van and asked for it;
“Akin nalang po, gagawin kong higaan”
When we are about to leave the center, he asked me another question; “Babalik pa kayo bukas?” “Dito nalang po kayo matulog kasi ma-mmiss namin kayo” he added. My heart, shattered.
On our last day in Iligan, we visited another evacuation center. A Madrasah – with two halls, two rooms each – the new home of 180 families (originally lives in Gimba, Marawi City). We distributed the remaining goods we had.
Our brothers and sisters affected by the siege are in need of food, clean water, shelter…and especially, prayers.
Here are some of the shots I took on our memorable trip! © https://flic.kr/s/aHskXKjR78
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