Solar-Powered Livelihood Center for 1375 Filipinos

On May 26, Global Peace Foundation and the Office of the Municipal Agriculture and Fisheries of the Local Government of Palompon in Leyte, Philippines co-organized a capacity development seminar for officers and members of All Lights Village Association in Buenavista. The activity was organized to enhance the participants’ problem-solving capacities and community participation as members and officers of the association.

Ms. Maria Suganob, a technician from the Office of the Municipal Agriculture and Fisheries, gave a presentation and reminders on guidelines provided by the Department of Labor and Employment for local organizations such as the Buenavista All Lights Village Association. Officers actively took note of the guidelines for effective compliance.

Afterwards, the participants were engaged in activities designed to reinforce their teamwork and collaboration skills. Simulating community participation while divided into teams, the members and officers of the association were able to put into practice the design process which involved thinking, doing, prototyping, and iteration. The activities also assessed their level of commitment and creativity, bringing them into many educational realizations which further pushed their determination to move forward as an association.

Organizational management was also presented in the seminar which is a component of the leadership development phase of the project. They were also inspired by the organization’s core values which is perceived as a universal code for successful, moral living. At the end of the activities, participants were all grateful in being able to develop practical skills through capacity development; they believe that these skills are necessary so they can pursue the ideas they initiated for the development of their community.

The Global Peace Foundation Philippines in collaboration with the Local Government Unit of Palompon and Barangay Local Government Unit of Buenavista conducted a visioning workshop to support the Buenavista All-Lights Village Fisherfolks Association in developing a shared vision of their future. The goal of visioning is to develop their written and visualized statements of their Association’s long term goals and strategic objectives in the field of sustainable livelihood  and area development. 

There were team exercises and focused-group discussion on the current challenges they face as fishermen, with their families and their community in continuation of the previous workshops held.

An interactive discussion on how to resolve their challenges followed. The role and responsibility of each officer and member were identified and discussed as well.

The Core  Values  of All-Lights Village were also presented, anchored to GPF's vision of "One Family under God" as the underlying aspiration to peace building. As empowered stakeholders, the Core Values serve as their guide in strengthening their association where each officer and member are expected to take ownership and become a team player.