Capacity Development

Mangrove Restoration and Conservation Training with Tagbanwa Community

admin_samdhana — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 15:16:42 +0000

Mangrove Restoration and Conservation Training with Tagbanwa Community admin_samdhana Mon, 11/05/2018 - 22:16

The Mangrove and Beach Forest Restoration and Conservation Training was conducted with the Tagbanwa community in Coron, Calamianes Islands, Palawan, Philippines. It aimed to provide the basic skills to Tagbanwa women and youth for a community-based mangrove rehabilitation and conservation project. Participants included the Tagbanwa women and youth Manig-amlig or caretakers under the SGP-UNDP-funded project â€œCapacitating Tagbanwa Women and Youth as Ancestral Domain Caretakers and Conservation Leaders.â€

The training is the continuation of initiatives to revive community led conservation in Tagbanwa ancestral domains across the Calamianes landscape. In March and April this year, a technical assessment was conducted in selected ancestral domains to determine the feasibility of a Calamianes-wide mangrove restoration and conservation project. The technical assessment report found eight species of mangroves in the municipalities of Coron and Busuanga, as well as excellent grade of regeneration of mangroves. What was more interesting, during the training, participants were able to identify two more species, making the mangrove biodiversity in Calamianes as significantly hight. Immediate restoration and conservation was recommended. This validated the needs that were expressed by Tagbanwa communities, that protection of their remaining mangrove areas and bringing back the old mangrove stands to help protect their coastlines and continue providing subsistence for their families.

Typhoon Haiyan had greatly damaged a wide spread of mangrove areas in year 2014. These areas have slow natural recovery and hence, an assisted natural regeneration. It has been observed that various restoration efforts by government in the last 3 years proved futile, leading to high mortality of planted mangrove seedlings.

The trainees came from the 5 communities, which shared contiguous mangrove and beach forest areas. Samdhana staff, who attended the Training of Trainers course for Mangrove & Beach Forest Rehabilitation and Conservation conducted by the Zoological Society of London - Philippines in Iloilo City last June, facilitated the training with community. Samdhana developed localized modules, and translated relevant materials for better understanding by the community. The topics included Biology and Taxonomy, Nursery Establishment, Outplanting, Monitoring, & Maintenance, and Rehabilitation Planning for both mangrove and beach forest species. It was emphasized that the main objective for restoration and conservation of mangrove and beach forest areas is to establish a coastal greenbelt that will secure better livelihoods for coastal communities through increased resilience against natural disasters and higher fisheries productivity (ZSL).

Participants enjoyed identifying mangrove species, collecting wildlings and doing hands-on activities for skills building. Based on the pre- and post-test results, the training participants demonstrated good grasp of the concepts and practicum activities. Each community crafted their Rehabilitation Plans incorporating their learnings from the training. Samdana has already sourced out funds for the implementation by some communities, and is already planning on conducting a training for a 2nd Batch of other Tagbanwa community partners. ###

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Capacity Development

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The Mangrove and Beach Forest Restoration and Conservation Training was conducted with the Tagbanwa community in Coron, Calamianes Islands, Palawan, Philippines.

Posting Date

Thu, 08/03/2017 - 12:00

Grantees meeting in Laos on February 9th, 2017

admin_samdhana — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 15:16:42 +0000

Grantees meeting in Laos on February 9th, 2017 admin_samdhana Mon, 11/05/2018 - 22:16

Women weavers, village farmers, bee-keepers and volunteers were some of the participants in the Partners' meeting, which Samdhana held last February 09, 2017 in Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR. They were grantees which Samdhana supported in the last two years. The Partners' meeting aimed to glean lessons from the experiences of the Partners in implementing their small grants projects. It also aimed to provide opportunities for networking amongst local groups and associations in Laos. The meeting also served as a capacity needs assessment for grantees. Some Partners had a common story to tell: that of a simple life, dependent on the natural resources in their community. But over the years, environmental degradation and the changing climate also brought about difficulties, like annual drought, and the loss of important trees and medicinal plants. The grants supported simple projects, such as the construction of water weir and repair of irrigation systems to help villagers secure a supply of water over the drought period. This year, villagers were able to continue planting even while the dry season has begun. Having better access to water helped them save energy, especially the women from having to haul water a long way off, and increase their production.

Some of the women villagers during a workshop in the Partners' meeting

There were four women weavers among the Partners. They weave the traditional Lao skirts, sinh, as well as mats. Through the grant support, they were able to organize the women weavers in their villages, to weave and sell their products as a group, and establish a savings mechanism. They gained an opportunity to travel outside of their villages for the first time and learn about the weaving trends and variety of designs. The women villagers also learned from other women weaving groups' experience on how they self-managed their savings group.

The small grants support is but a point in time in the villagers' lives. With the very modest amount, it is only able to support a part of their needs. But it is a very good start for villagers to learn new and practical skills, such as making compost and raising earthworms for organic farming, and to organize themselves around a common project, such as adopting community policies for regulating harvesting and hunting, and protecting the local biodiversity.

Identifying capacity needs of Partners

Partners wished to continue learning new skills and gaining more knowledge which they can apply to everyday concerns they face. Many of the Partners expressed that they wish to improve their endeavors, such as improving weaving styles and techology, and increasing their production for honey and organic vegetables. Some of the Partners also wished to continue the initiatives they have started to continue building a movement in Laos, such as the increasing awareness and interest for local environmental conservation and healthy living.

Samdhana aims to provide more capacity building support to Partners, to enable them to carry on the small yet significant achievements from their small grants initiatives. ###

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Capacity Development

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Posting Date

Thu, 05/04/2017 - 12:00

Resilience Building Calamianes Group of Islands Northern Palawan

admin_samdhana — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 15:16:42 +0000

Resilience Building Calamianes Group of Islands Northern Palawan admin_samdhana Mon, 11/05/2018 - 22:16

The existing poverty conditions and high vulnerability of Tagbanwa communities in the Calamianes islands were aggravated with the impacts of STY Haiyan, especially in the recovery of basic food, water and income sources; and loss of shelter and valued possessions such as paddle boats and fishnets.

Samdhana facilitated early recovery for Tagbanwa communities, by providing direct livelihood assistance and small grants to the local Tagbanwa associations in their respective ancestral domains. The small grants approach enabled communities to determine and decide their priorities for recovery through community projects and provided more opportunities for the affected families and individuals to participate directly in the activities.

However, the local Partner Associations knew they needed more capacity-building to enable them to sustain their initiatives, and more importantly, to assert their rights as Indigenous Peoples and address the issues they face. They continue to be challenged by issues on the recognition of their right to their ancestral domains, the lack of capacity to assert land ownership, and accessing and controlling resources. They are continually at risk of getting pushed off from their residences and production areas if they are unable to secure formal government recognition of their ancestral domain especially in the face of aggressive tourism development and mariculture expansion.

Within Tagbanwa communities, intrinsic vulnerabilities due to unequal power relations between the tribe and non-IP communities and institutions, between women and men persist and manifest in access of opportunities, division of resources, allocation of labor and in decision-making on matters related to the management of their ancestral domains. This must be properly understood for the integration of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into ancestral domain sustainable development and protection plans to be more inclusive. Disaster risk reduction and community adaptation can be vehicles towards addressing the basic issues and vulnerabilities of the Tagbanwa in the Calamianes.

For the whole project, we covered nine (9) Ancestral Domains, with a total of 17 Barangays, with three where only the sitio level only is involved. Total locations encompass three (3) municipalities.

Some of the significant outcomes are the following : Capacities of Tagbanwa communities are strengthened with tools of analyses that enable them to assess their own vulnerabilities, identify their capacities to prepare, respond, mitigate identified risks and adapt. Tagbanwa communities are able to develop appropriate DRR-CCA and/or Community Disaster Preparedness Action Plans, informed by their own analyses of inher.

Mapping as a result of the Participatory Vulnerabilities and Capacities Assessment (PVCA). Photo by Samdhana

There were a total of 17 DRR-CCA Action Plans completed, from each of the community partners. These DRR-CCA Action Plans were formed, from a thorough series of conducting PVCA, community analysis of PVCA results and community planning. The whole process was community led, under the facilitation of PVCA Community Facilitators. Samdhana provided the localized PVCA training, and closely mentored the Community Facilitators.

The community DRR-CCA Action Plans identified the important steps to ensure their preparedness to any natural disasters. In particularly of high priority is the need to increase local capacities for basic life support, establishing early warning systems, and understanding the phenomenon on climate change and strategies for climate change adaptation.

Formulation of the Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan (ADSDPP) are informed by community DRR-CCA Plan in at least 3 Ancestral Domains

Revisiting the Calawit ADSDPP to integrate the DRR-CCA community plans. Photo by Samdhana

With indigenous peoples rights as handle, Tagbanua of Calamianes are able to articulate and assert their basic human rights and collective rights as IPs especially in rehabilitation projects that are implemented in their ancestral domains i.e. relocation and rehabilitation programs, water and sanitation, hygiene projects, livelihood, reparation of damages and losses, documentation and registration.

The Paraigu was the first ever Calamianes-wide gathering where all the recognized leaders and Elders of all the Calamianes Tagbanwa communities came together to discuss the situation of the Tagbanwa in the current context and challenges. This meeting reinforced the sense of identity among the Calamianes Tagbanwa and strengthened the resolve to continue their pursuit of formal recognition of their ancestral domains and strengthening of Indigenous governance. Community working groups on governance and justice system, on natural resource management and disaster preparedness, and on women and youth empowerment were created.

Orientations on Indigenous Peoples Rights are done in the communities

Samdhana has contributed to the discourse of making humanitarian response and humanitarian agencies more sensitive to IP rights and culture.

Tagbanwa associations are recognized by the local government units. Avenues and platforms for Tagbanua representatives to engage with local actors and institutions are available and accessible leading to increased and active representation of Indigenous Peoples in Local Governance Special Bodies, especially in the barangay and municipal disaster risk reduction councils.

Meetings with Barangay Local Government Units (BLGU). Photo by Samdhana

Tagbanwa youth participate in assessment and planning activities. Photo by Samdhana

Category

Capacity Development

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Active

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Samdhana facilitated early recovery for Tagbanwa communities, by providing direct livelihood assistance and small grants to the local Tagbanwa associations in their respective ancestral domains

Posting Date

Tue, 05/02/2017 - 12:00

PAHAON-HAONAN, PABATON-BATONAN : Indigenous Peoples Local Leaders Stewardship Program (LLSP)

admin_samdhana — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 15:16:42 +0000

PAHAON-HAONAN, PABATON-BATONAN : Indigenous Peoples Local Leaders Stewardship Program (LLSP) admin_samdhana Mon, 11/05/2018 - 22:16

Pahaon-haonan, pabaton-batonan is a Higaonon term that means to help those who are fallen or who are down, and to help those amongst the tribe who are in need

The essence of the Local Leaders Stewardship Program is social investment - to support exceptional, passionate, and resilient indigenous community leaders, who have made it their life's mission in working with communities to secure their life space. It attempts to work with the community without involving a project intervention and seeks to ensure the productivity of the local leaders in order to remain focused on running the change agenda to realize their community/ society vision. The LLSP is a form of social investment in building up the human capital of Southeast Asia Forest Peoples, and a step towards enhancing and strengthening grassroots leadership and cultural traditions, nurturing second-liners and future leaders, and promoting solidarity. For the Philippines' first salvo of the LLSP, Samdhana was supported by EarthAction, through its Save Our Spirits (SOS) Program.

Gaining ownership for Local Leaders' Stewardship

In the Philippines, we kicked off the Local Leaders Stewardship Program by inviting long- time community partners of Samdhana and Indigenous Peoples leaders in a gathering set for a comfortable and intimate conversation on their experiences and challenges, their ideas, and aspirations for the continuity of dynamic and genuine leadership in their communities. The LLSP gathering was hosted by the Higaonon community of Pamalihi Ancestral Domain, located in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, Philippines. The Pamalihi community generously welcomed Samdhana and IP Partners, beginning with a powerful and solemn ritual that intended to symbolically bury the worries and baggages of the participants, so that each one is able to fully participate in the meetings. We were further welcomed into the tribe's territory, with the gifting of brass bracelets to each of the guests, as a symbol of their acceptance of our presence into their territory, as part of the opening ritual asking of blessings from the spirits and Magbabaya (God). The tribes represented in this gathering were the Higaonon, Erumanen Menuvu, Teduray, T'boli, Talaandig, Bukidnon, Matigsalug, Mansaka, Ata, and Subanen.

In the two and a half days of conversation, the idea of LLSP was crystallized into what the Higaonon people call â€œpabaton-batonan, pahaon-haonanâ€ or the principle of members helping those among them who are in need. This is a value that resounds with the Indigenous Peoples - lending a hand to those who are drowning and pulling them out of their difficulties. It speaks of help and support, primarily as a neighbor to another, and sharing what one has to others that are in need. After having identified the various roles and forms of leadership in their community, having exhausted the endless challenges that leaders face in their community role and in the personal lives, and looking back at the extensive experiences of various engagements or partnerships, the participants realized that the greatest asset of the Indigenous Peoples are their own strengths, rooted in their cultural values and spirituality. The principle of pabaton-batonan, pahaon-haonan highlights the internal strength and dignity of the Indigenous Peoples and promotes the culture and practice of helping one another. Datu Kailingan or Datu Cesar, the leader of Pamalihi community, said that pabaton-batonan, pahaon-haonan is an element of the Higaonon leadership.

Reflections on Leadership

Amongst the participants, we invited three senior leaders to serve as â€œHarvestersâ€ to capture the insights of participants and further reflect or give depth to these.

From the participants' sharing, the Harvesters' reflection on leadership is the following:

It is innate with Indigenous peoples that we give value to any person, this goes with our beliefs and the value that we give on our own lives - the respect of human dignity. It is human dignity that we recognize in giving respect to ourselves and to our fellow tribespeople. Indigenous peoples do not dissociate themselves from their environment and from their society. An Indigenous leader does not hold themselves above others, but is gives more value to companionship. They have clear responsibility and accountability to their people. Leaders also enjoy certain privileges because they are able to travel and they are given recognition in many places. However, at present, identifying who is an Indigenous leader has become a gray area, because we have started using borrowed terms not of our own language. We should go back to our basic and customary laws and rediscover ourselves. We should rediscover our direction based on our history and tradition.

Working and growing with the community - leaders cannot dissociate their individual selves from the community they serve.

A leader needs expertise and skills, among these are time management, to be able to balance family and community work; and skills for conflict settlement for the various issues and problems that the leader encounters. One needs to have unconditional commitment to keep active at their work. Being a leader cannot be disconnected from the person's spirituality. Being an IP leader is rooted in their work or responsibility within their ancestral domain.

The leaders present among us have very commendable achievements: such as being able to establish a process of decision making within the tribe, availment of various projects, attaining their ancestral domain titles and ADSDPP, maintaining the peace and security of their community. There is also a good representation of the women and youth leaders here.

If we are able to convert the challenges to positive things, these will greatly contribute to the aspiration of the Indigenous Peoples and enable us to uplift ourselves and our communities.

The values that we uphold as Indigenous Peoples leaders are: Unity, Respect, Love and Mutual Assistance. As leaders, we have a clear direction of our life's work and mission, based on our customs and traditions. Three things that we need to master to be effective leaders: Communication, Coordination and Cooperation - with other tribes, non-government organizations and government agencies.

The Local Leaders Stewardship Program is a challenge to all leaders - to be able to sustain the present generation, and to nurture and bear the secondliners and the next generation. How do we build on our achievements, how to make the challenges into opportunities and access the available resources and support - not only monetary, but in terms of mutually assisting each other - from one family to another, one community to another, from one ancestral domain to another, from one tribe to another.

Participants of the meeting in the ancestral domain of the Higaonon tribe in Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao, Philippines.

The whole process was an affirmation of Samdhana's aspiration - in seeing tribes and communities sufficient in themselves, able to determine their own course and lives. It was an affirmation of the simple yet genuine partnerships we have built with various communities and people in the course of doing our own institutional mission. Deputy Director of Samdhana, Edtami Mansayagan said that through LLSP, Samdhana hopes to continue to assist in line with the traditions of the tribe. LLSP is going to be based on the principle of pabaton-batonan, pahaon-haonan, it will aim to bring back this tradition and principle for Indigenous Peoples to stand on their own. Their identity as Indigenous Peoples is woven to one another, even as they are different tribes, they need to come together as one peoples and bring back the respect for one another and for the Indigenous Peoples as a whole. The contribution of Indigenous Peoples to society is much more than they realize. Their ancestors and elders have proudly lived through the ages without having to depend on outsiders to help them; they need to restore their recognition of their identity and their dignity. Samdhana Fellow, Ambrosius Ruwindrijarto, who has been key in forming the LLSP concept summed the movement initiated during the meeting as â€˜a mental revolution to restore the dignity and respect of the Indigenous peoples; to break free from the cycle of dependence.'

The needs of IP community leaders are endless, from personal needs to community demands. As well, there is still so much more being demanded from community leaders, from leading the community in its self-sufficiency and livelihoods, to facing against big and grave threats to their ancestral domains. Indigenous communities and their leaders continue to strive every day in living decent lives, defending their territories and maintaining their culture and integrity as Indigenous Peoples. Samdhana hopes to remain as a support mechanism in the background, helping IP Leaders where it can be strategic and contribute to the IP social movement.

Category

Capacity Development

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Active

Short

Pahaon-haonan, pabaton-batonan is a Higaonon term that means to help those who are fallen or who are down, and to help those amongst the tribe who are in need.

Posting Date

Mon, 10/05/2015 - 12:00