INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AMONG TWO MANDAYA INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES BEGINS

We have started a six-month program composed of Peace and Reconciliation (PAR) Training Series, farmers association enhancement, mentorship on social entrepreneurship, and quality coffee technical training. This program is being done by the invitation of the Mandaya Community Association, Inc. (MCAI), through the Tri-Peoples Development and Services Foundation (TDSF), in partnership with PeaceBuilders Community Inc. (PBCI) and Coffee For Peace (CFP), to develop a sustainable PAR-framed coffee production and to coach champion Mandaya farmers in Pantuyan and Pichon communities.

The members of the Inclusive Development and Farmerpreneur Seminar Series document their initial session of a 6-month training program. Pichon, Mandaya Homeland. 09-10 November 2021.

THE PROGRAM

The training and engagement of PBCI starts with relationship-building through listening and socio-cultural engagement as its central focus. PAR is the core value that is being introduced. PAR community will be formed, and the core value summarized in:
:: Harmony with Creator  (Spiritual-Ethical Transformation)
:: Harmony with being  (Psycho-Social Transformation)
:: Harmony with others  (Social-Political Transformation) 
:: Harmony with creation (Economic-Ecological Transformation) 

This program respects inter-religious and inter-worldview similarities and differences as expressions of equality and inter-cultural cooperation among Indigenous People (both Christianized and those practicing Natural Spirituality), Bangsamoro (mostly Muslim), and Settlers (mostly Christians in various sects and denominations).

The participants in this program will abide by the customary laws of the Mandaya people, the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, especially the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA), and United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

Participants in this program agrees to pursue social change as well as justice-based peace and reconciliation, through active nonviolent approach.

Our venue for the Inclusive Development and Farmerpreneur Seminar Series in Pantuyan, Mandaya Homeland, Davao Oriental, Mindanaw. 12-13 November 2021.

OBJECTIVES

  1. To develop a contextualized Peace and Reconciliation Community among the Mandaya tribe in Davao Oriental.
  2. To train 20 farmers per community and develop champions in coffee quality production and processing.
  3. To identify the Mandaya leadership system and values that will be the basis of the PAR Community and other programs the community would like to implement. 
  4. To support the tribe in the advancement of their Mandaya identity and culture. 

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Mandaya Community

  • The Mandaya Community is the lead entity who defines, determines, and the final assessor of this inclusive development initiative.

Tri-People Development and Services Foundation, Inc.

  • The Tri-People Development Foundation will take the lead while in the field, in accordance with the Terms of Reference, and in respectful coordination with local tribal leaders and concerned councils.
  • The Tri-People Development Foundation shall cover the transportation, meals, and accommodation of the PBCI team during the training.
  • The Tri-People Development Foundation will coordinate with the Mandaya leaders on the ground in accordance with the agreed training schedule.

PeaceBuilders Community Inc. (PBCI) & Coffee For Peace Inc. (CFP) 

  • PBCI shall provide facilitation on Peace and Reconciliation and Coffee Quality training to the partner farmers of the Tri-People Development and Services Foundation. 
  • PBCI shall schedule the training of activities with farmers and will advise the Tri-People Development and Services Foundation
  • PBCI will directly build and develop good relationship with the Mandaya Tribe in coordination with the Tri-People Development and Services Foundation.
  • CFP, in consultation with PBCI, shall buy 1 ton of coffee cherries per community during their first harvest. 
  • CFP shall have their coffee graded by the licensed graders of Coffee Quality Institute. A coffee grade report shall be given to the farmer which will be used as a benchmark to determine coffee quality mentorship program.
  • When the quality and quantity of supply is sustained, CFP shall link the farmers to local, national, and international markets.

MODE OF OPERATION

Funding. The Tri-People Development Foundation will assume funding for the mutually agreed logistical needs to accomplish the agreed objectives of this program within the period of six months, October 2021- March 2022. 

Partnership. Both PeaceBuilders Community and the Tri-People Development Foundation will continue to seek ways to greatly enhance the partnership, seeking to meet each other’s goal and objective including transparency, unity, and cooperation.

Security. CFP and PBCI will operate in accordance with the PBCI Field Operations Protocol contained in the PBCI Operations Manual. A copy of this manual will be made available to the Tri-People Development and Services Foundation upon request.

Non-Adversarial Preference. In case of conflicting interpretations, both PBCI and the Tri-People Development and Services Foundation will give preference to solving problem together in transparent negotiation, avoiding abrupt legal and judicial approaches as much as possible, as both parties seek fairness and justice.

Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2021/11/inclusive-development-program-among-two-mandaya-indigenous-communities-begins/

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