Portraits of Resilience: Our Land, Our School, Our Future

In the remote village of Han-ayan, Lianga, Surigao del Sur, the Lumad continue to face difficulties to their way of life and right to self-determination. These come in the form of armed conflict, everyday discrimination, and a political discourse that perpetuates the marginalization of the Lumad and their culture.

Education that is grounded in local culture offers a way to better their circumstances and strengthen community resilience.

Through schools built by and for the Lumad, children are given a chance to “deepen their knowledge of what it means to live in and for our land of heritage,” says Richard Campos, a volunteer teacher. As such, agriculture serves as the core subject. The students take up soil management in their first year, animal husbandry the next year, followed by organic pesticides, then forestry in their fourth year. The curriculum aims to enrich not just the students as individuals but also the community in general.

This video also features ACCORD’s partnership with high-risk and disaster-affected communities during the “Children of Peace” Project, in partnership with International Organization for Migration, and with support funding from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).