Our Class of 2023
Rural Leaders Training ProgramThis year, as we celebrate our50th anniversary, we welcome
27 participants to the Rural
Leaders Training Program and3 graduates to the Advanced
Training Course, representing
14 countries.

Nepal

Sierra Leone
Sangita Chaudhary

Aminata Conteh

Sister Home Organization (SHO)

Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Sierra Leone

Assistant to Director and Secretary(Sangita) After being confronted with the patriarchy in
my community, I strive to empower young womenand give the youth the opportunities in life they deserve. The ‘Sister Home’ provides education to orphan
children and classes to women group to inform about
the marginalization of women. At ARI, I want to hone
my leadership and engage in many discussions.

Cameroon

Field Officer(Ami) I am involved in a program teaching mycommunity income saving and investment methods. Our aim is to make the church and families
sustainable and build an opportunity for their kids
to go to school. We also offer empowerment classes for women and extracurricular activities. At ARI,I want to enhance my management skills.

Ecuador
Veranso Benjamen Litika

Claris Suinyuy Buhven

Joselin Carolina Coyago
Tallana

Rural Transformation Center

Rural Women Development
CenterSociedad de Amigos Nino
Ecuatoriano (SANE)

Field Worker

Field Monitor, Assistant

Project Coordinator & Field Technician(Ben) I want to improve the livelihoods of my community members. I work in the areas of beekeeping,natural medicine and sustainable agriculture, specifically teaching farmers on the merits of being free ofagrochemicals. At ARI, I want to experience othercultures, religions, and to gain agricultural knowledge on disease control in crops and livestock.

(Claris) I want to increase women’s self-sufficiency
and financial stability. I provide administrative support in the area of preparing financial requests formy organization, represent my organization in meetings and help on the farm. At ARI, I look forward toincreasing my knowledge in organic agriculture,mushroom cultivation, and plant propagation.

(Joselin) I help children and teachers build school
gardens for lunch programming. I use this data tomonitor compliance with state institutions. In myhome garden, I sell fruit pulp and give agricultural
advice. At ARI, I hope to learn how to lead ruralequity projects, promote cultural exchange, andcreate sustainable business models.

India
Tamreichan Zimik

Amorsing Basumatary

Meidinlung Gangmei

Community Educational Center
Society

Boro Baptist Church Association

Indigenous Women and Children
FoundationCounselor, Farm Manager(Zimik) With my dual roles to students, I provide
counseling and spiritual guidance, in addition to
helping them plant, weed, and water the crops. I
help my students manage their time, access agricultural technology, and deal with natural calamities. My goals at ARI include gaining time management, farming, and use of local resource skills.

Progressive Farmer(Amor) I want to motivate the people to adopt better methods of farming. I prepare the ground forseeding, weeding, and tilling along with making
office visits to network with government officials.
During my time at ARI, I would like to strengthen
my farming methods, leadership skills, and engage
my community.

Case Worker(Meidin) I strengthen my community throughself-sustaining agriculture techniques to lessen
dependency on imported products. Our vision is tocreate a just society where all enjoy human rights.
Through ARI, I plan to learn more on food processing, capacity building, and how to build a healthy
and peaceful world through the love of Christ.

Indonesia
Yohanes Ali

Angela Ratna Sari Biu

Yeni Eria Togatorop

Bernadus Palus Church

Sant Maria Immaculata Parish

Huria Kristen Batak Protestan(HKBP)

Farm Coordinator

Community Developer(Yohanes) I am responsible for cultivating plants,
improving yields, and eliminating insect and environmental stressors. Plant propagation, cultivation, yields, nutritional value, and environmental
stressors are priorities in my work. I would like tostrengthen my farming leadership and community
building skills while I am participating at ARI.

(Angel) I collaborate with local farmers and youth
to leverage innovative techniques mitigating climate change through organic farming. As a strong
connection to my community, I strengthen relationships with those members. At ARI, I plan to expand my leadership and organic farming skills to
help my community preserve its cultural heritage.

Secretary on Gender Justice(Yeyen) My passion is to serve my community to ensure everyone’s strengths are shared. As a Gender
Justice Team Member, I work to empower womenby organizing workshops on gender and equality issues. While at ARI, I plan to expand knowledge inorganic farming to help under-privileged children
sustain themselves and their families.

Haiti

Indonesia
Jakob Siringoringo
The Indigenous Peoples Allianceof the Archipelago
Communication and Social-Economic Organizer(Jakob) I maintain my organization’s web and social media
sites to promote farmers’ land rights and income-producing strategies. My passion is to promote the developmentof indigenous traditional farming skills. In my ARI participation, I want to learn best practices in organic farming
and leadership development in order to strengthen mycommunity members, leaving no one behind.

Jontra Martua Purba

Louis-Taire Pierre

Gereja Kristen Protestan
Indonesia (GKPI)

Haiti-no-kai (Association Haiti)

Pastor & Farming Assistant(Jon) I lead Bible studies, manage church finances,
lead worship services, and make home visits toyouth, elderly, and sick members along with managing a catfish farm. During my participation at
ARI, I hope to expand my skills in organic farming,community development, livestock management,
and seed saving.

Agricultural Coordinator(Pierre) “An effective leader understands and responds to the needs of the community.” As a teacher
since 2018, I impart knowledge on poultry farming, coordinate farm activities and livestock management. At
ARI, I want to increase my agriculture proficiencies,
leadership skills, understand more about effective
communication and the value of respecting others.

Liberia
Darkpon Dolokelen

Helena Koko Ben
Voinjama Free Pentecostal Church
Health Center

Restoration of Educational
Advancement Programs

Agriculture Project Manager,
Health Center Volunteer

Agricultural Promoter(Dee) My community needs to build a system where
young people are empowered to self actualize. I do
this as their teacher, by giving my students skills inagricultural theory and vocational practice in running the school’s farm. During my participation at
ARI, I plan to learn organic farming techniques, growdiverse crops, and enhance soil quality.

(Heley) “Unless we work to become self-supporting, it is practically impossible for us to gain selfhood.” I play a role in self-sufficiency by working
with the community to grow four acres of cassava.
At ARI, I am interested in servant leadership, how
to use local resources without chemicals, and interact with different races, colors, and religions.

ZambiaNigeria

Mary S. Ylatun
United Methodist Rural andAgricultural Development Program
Field Supervisor(Mary) I am responsible for planning and supervising all farming activities within the challenges of
my community. Those challenges involve shortageof schools, roads, and medical resources. At ARI I
want to be educated in organic fertilizers, pest
management, plant diseases, servant leadership,rural development, and sustainable agriculture.

Geofrey Mbewe

Kaliyat Bilkisu David

Pwadadi Raymond

Ecumenical Development
Foundation

Evangelical Church Winning All(ECWA) Women Fellowship

Catholic Church Women
Fellowship Group

Program Manager & Mechanic(Geofrey) My passion is to help develop my community in technical aspects of farming. I help local farmers maintain their machinery and operate their farms
efficiently. In addition, I have trained formerly incarcerated women to develop incomes in agriculture. At
ARI I plan to learn techniques to maximize efficiency
and self-sufficiency in raising livestock.
2023 Rural Leaders Training Program

Teacher(Kally) It is my passion and luckily my job to inspire
and teach younger generations about the importance of sustainable farming. Besides my occupation I also engage in poultry farming, managing resources. I hope to deepen my knowledge throughthe ARI training program, focusing on cultivation
methods and organic fertilizers/pesticides.

Assistant Women Leader(Ray) I work with families and orphans. My responsibilities are resource management, including toiletries, organizing workshops on the importanceof women’s education, and liaising with experts totrain women on using farming implements. That is
why I would like to improve my resource management and look for creative problem resolutions.

Myanmar
Gu Tar Hu

Saw Hser Moo

Waing Maw Lisu Baptist Association(WLBA)

Rev. Dr. R. L. Pokey Memorial
Theological School

Director of Development, Minister

Farm Manager, Teacher(Gu Tar) I am a minister working to improve thelives of those in my farming community throughdevelopment projects and emergency relief efforts. I hope to learn more about nature-positive
agriculture, environmental conservation, andcommunity leadership and bring new ideas backto my home in Myanmar.

(Hser) I would like to improve the health systems
and agricultural techniques of low-lying rural areas.
Serving in our school, I can teach students how toserve our human society as a holistic mission. At
ARI, I want to learn more about livestock and integrated farming to conduct practical vocational
training for students to lead their communities.

MyanmarUgandaPa Maung Lia
Community Association for Rural
Development (CARD)
Livelihood and Training Coordinator, Pastor(Pa Maung) As a pastor and farmer, I understand the problems of my area, one struggling to make a living from thesoil. I manage emergency relief and recovery, teach agricultural techniques, and environmental awareness. At ARI,I want to discover strategies for women’s empowerment,hone my leadership skills, and acquire innovative agricultural techniques to boost community development.

Fung Kyaw Set

Aron Nebin Otim

Richard Tumwesigye

Naga Public Organization (NPO)St. Jude Children’s Home

St. Patrick’s Center for Integral
Development (SPACID)

Farmer and Church Studio Sound
Engineer

Farming Assistant & Health Coordinator(Fung) I engage mainly in experimental damson
farming, trying new cultivation methods to increase our yield and widen our customer range.
Besides selling to local wineries, we pickle our
products. At ARI, I want to learn about seed saving
and broaden my spectrum on food processing, as
well as agricultural methods.

(Otim) At St. Jude’s farm, my responsibility is to assist with planting crops, feeding animals and otherfarm work. At the Home, I help children with hygiene, feeding, motivating, and teaching nutrition
classes. Other projects are reforestation and coordinating first aid operations. At ARI, I seek to enhance
my leadership and communication skills.

(Richard) I work with refugees from neighboring
countries, sharing their sorrows. Together, we engage in animal husbandry, firstly to educate andgive a solid platform for their rehabilitation. I want
to improve my management related to farmwork,and communication skills to make our program
more accessible.

Bangladesh

Advanced Training
Course (TA)India

Mithun Boiragee
Somaj Kollan Jubo Songho (SKJS)(Social Welfare Youth Association)
Secretary, Coordinator of Youth(Mithun) I consult with local farmers to aim forcost-effective and sustainable agriculture. We alsooffer free classes to develop entrepreneurship andidentify the roots of problems. At ARI, I seek to finda deeper understanding of what it means to live
together and share my knowledge more fruitfully.

Advanced Training
Course (GI)Training Assistant (TA):ARI invites graduates who have demonstrated
outstanding leadership and accomplishment intheir communities to a year of advanced studies.

Project Manager

Mario John Paul Rebelo
Missionaries of St. Francis Xavier,
Society of Pilar
Priest & Farm Manager(Mario, 2014) I am involved in my local church
leading charity events and youth programming. In
my farming responsibilities, I teach organic techniques to promote ecological diversity, green manure, and integrated pest management. At ARI, I
hope to expand my knowledge in livestock reproduction and sustainable agriculture techniques.

Japan
Ayu Suda

Nozomi Nakashima

Graduate Interns (GI):After their first training year, Japanese graduates
are eligible to continue their studies to gain
more experience in an area of their choice.

(Ayu, 2022) I majored in international relations andpedagogy and found a disconnection between foodand youth. ARI campus and training give me the resources to investigate and create a program to bringthese together. Through organic farming, I want tomake space for local youth to have dialogs withothers to understand more about healthy living.

(Nozomi, 2022) I wanted to learn more about creating a sustainable environment to live in peace.
Every moment at ARI was a learning experience.
Food and life are connected in our human life. At
ARI for a second year, I want to improve goat management and myself as a leader, increasing my
self-confidence and decision-making ability.
2023 Rural Leaders Training ProgramRural Leaders Training Program
ARI provides powerful leadership training
for grassroots community leaders: theannual Rural Leaders Training Program.

Our Rural Leaders Training Center
empowers some of the most marginalized
communities on earth, so that they canenjoy and share the wealth of food, land,and community.

Servant
Leadership

Communityof Learning

Foodlife

Every year, we invite rural community
leaders from grassroots organizations in
Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Pacificto our campus in Japan. The 9-monthtraining is guided by our motto, ‘That We
May Live Together.’

Graduates around the world

Bangladesh (84)
Myanmar (91)

Bhutan (3)China (1)

Nepal (38)South Korea (59)Japan (100)India (230)

Hong Kong (1)Taiwan (19)Pakistan (12)Cuba (1)Haiti (3)South Sudan (1)Central African Republic (1)The Gambia (1)Guatemala (2)Nigeria (11)Guinea Bissau (1)Guinea (1)El Salvador (4)Sierra Leone (16)Trinidad & Tobago (1)Liberia (30)

Ecuador (1)Ghana (32)Togo (1)Brazil (3)Laos (5)Benin (2)Madagascar (2)Cameroon (30)Zimbabwe (4)Zambia (18)South Africa (3)Cambodia (7)Philippines (126)
Palau (1)Samoa (2)Fiji (4)East Timor (6)Tonga (2)Indonesia (94)

Swaziland (3)Papua New Guinea (11)Lesotho (2)Solomon Islands (5)* includes one stateless refugee1399 graduates from 62 countries

It’s Time to Invest in Rural Community Leadership!
The costs needed for Rural Leaders to participate in our training are mainly financed
by donations. Tuition and board amount to US$ 17,850, and the average airfare is around US$ 2,500.
We provide financial assistance for these leaders to take part. It is an investment in people who willbring about lasting community change.
For detailed information, please visit our website or call our office.

Visit ari.ac.jp/en/donate/ to find out how to contribute!
*ARI’s domain name has been changed from ari-edu.org to ari.ac.jp

F.S. Micronesia (4)Kiribati (3)Malaysia (24)

Mozambique (1)D.R. Congo (5)Vietnam (5)Eritrea (2)Uganda (19*)
Ethiopia (8)Kenya (35)
Rwanda (2)Burundi (1)Thailand (89)
Tanzania (23)Malawi (12) Sri Lanka (91)

info@ari.ac.jp
ari.ac.jp