Leading at the Grassroots:
A Study of the Influence of Asian Rural Institute Graduates on
Communities
Beverly E. Abma
Steven S. Cutting

Asian Rural InstituteA STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIESii

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIESiii

Acknowledgements
We are deeply grateful to the following people and organizations, without whose encouragement
and support this project would not have been possible:

















United Church of Christ, General Board for Global Ministries and the General Board of
Global Missions for the Methodist Church for the financial support that made thisproject possible.
Rev. Kenichi Otsu for the passionate story of how “servant leadership” guided his time
as Director of ARI that was the inspiration for Bev’s involvement in the project.
Tomoko Arakawa, for guidance as Principle Project Manager, even after a busytransition with increased responsibilities from Assistant Director to Director in the
middle of this project.
Yukiko Oyanagi, Curriculum Coordinator; Kathy Froede, Admissions and Graduate
Outreach Coordinator; and all ARI staff members for assistance in providing graduate
and curriculum information and responding to endless questions.
ARI graduates and families who gave so much time in hosting and caring for us soadmirably, often in challenging situations. We are deeply grateful for all of theinterviews, meals, accommodations, travel arrangements, translation, contacts provided
for us, and especially the fellowship.
Staff of sending bodies and employers of ARI graduates for valuable time and wise
feedback to researchers.
Dr. Phillip Grabowski, Research Associate, Michigan State University as Academic
Consultant for the project, for recommendation of Nvivo software, proof-reading, andastute observations and questions that contributed so much to the data analysis.
Research Assistants: Hannah Borst, Calvin College student, for comparative analysis of
dreams and plans with reality in section 5; and Benjamin Thapa, Goshen College
student, for website design of graduate profile pages for ARI.
Judy Dayton for patient proof-reading and endless encouragement to Bev throughout
the study.
Fujishima Thomas, Freelance Media Designer, for assistance in photography editing anddesign layout for the upcoming book of stories.

May each of you be blessed in the same rich measure you have blessed us in the process oflearning so much from each of you!
Bev and Steven

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

iv

Executive Summary
The Asian Rural Institute (ARI) in Tochigi, Japan has focused for more than forty years on
training rural leaders, mostly from Asia and Africa. The curriculum provides leadershipskills on an organic farm with the motto “That we may live together”. This study waslaunched to learn how the now more than 1300 graduates have influenced theircommunities and organizations following their nine-month experience living in communityand focusing on the connection between food and life. The goal of the study was to provide
recommendations for future curricula as well as to provide a model for ARI for ongoingassessment of graduate influence on communities.
Researchers traveled to eleven countries and visited 229 graduates, 32% of graduates inthose countries. Unstructured interviews were used to obtain qualitative information from
graduates about their experiences. Thematic analysis with Nvivo software was used tosystematically analyze the transcripts of 202 recorded individual interviews and theextensive field notes taken from visits to graduates, their sending bodies and communities.
Key concepts at ARI were explored: serving the marginalized, the value of rural life,
foodlife, rural leadership, servant leadership, community building, community
development, and spiritual growth.
Visits also included organizations called sending bodies that make referrals of potential
participants to ARI with the expectations that they will accept the graduate back into theirorganization upon graduation. Deeper understanding by ARI of these organizations, andvice versa, is needed for more satisfactory integration that meets both organizational andgraduate needs and aspirations, especially in a global climate of donor interest in projectfunding.
Participants with a basic proficiency in English are referred to ARI from faith-based andsecular NGOs as well as from graduates. The primary source of referrals has changed frompredominantly faith-based entities in the beginning to more recently NGOs and graduates.
The percentage of women participants has increased from 10% to 47%.
While on campus, the major emphasis on “learning by doing” combines experiential andclassroom learning by living in community and rotating leadership. This was key to a
deeper understanding of and appreciation for other cultures and values, including time andresource management. Challenges, especially during the first three months, of cultural andlanguage adjustment were surpassed by the benefits of skills in engaging with a wider
world in terms of economics, culture, religions and cross-cultural relationships.
Graduates are given an opportunity to return to ARI for further training. Japanese
Graduate Interns may continue for one year to deepen learning, while international
graduates may return after five years as Training Assistants. Managing the balance
between work and learning for the latter continues to be a challenge.
Graduates leave with a written dream or plan for how they will implement their learningon return home. Comparison of those “reflection papers” with field data showed that 53%

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIESv

were able to implement their plans in whole or in part; however, that does not include thesignificant impacts all graduates have had in their communities but had not envisioned
during their time at ARI. Their ability to do so depended on the practicality of the plan in
addition to the context they were returning to. The most important factor determining if
the plan was implemented or not was how the plan fit into the vision and financial capacityof their sending body.
Graduates’ ability to implement plans also depended on geographic, political and social
factors. For this reason, information on each geographic region visited was documented forthe following locations: East Africa, Indonesia, Northeast India, Malaysia, Myanmar,
Nepal, Sri Lanka, Western Africa and Japan. The context of each was briefly described andthen graduate activities explained in terms of their relationship to a faith-basedorganization, secular development organization, government or independent activity. It
was evident that the highest graduate satisfaction as well as the ability to effectsustainable change happened when there was a good relationship and congruity between
graduate and organizational aspirations but in all cases interventions had to be developed
to specific contexts.
Numerous factors affect what graduates are able to implement when they return to theirunique home settings. Social structures of family and community especially impacted
women, who hold the key to food production along with household and childcare
responsibilities in contexts with fewer opportunities than men in access to capital, land,
education and leadership roles.
In contrast to Japan, graduate contexts were often described in terms of “lacks” ofinfrastructure such as basic commodities, communication, health care and education. Road
access is the first and most influential change, making these accessible in addition toagricultural inputs and marketing opportunities. Land availability for smallholder farmers
is increasingly challenging with increasing prices, urban expansion, generational
subdividing and multinational purchases of large tracts, supposedly intended to increase
food production but rarely benefiting local communities.
The combination of these challenges and farmers’ desire to meet their immediate felt needs
makes it more difficult for graduates to promote organic practices where the benefits tend to belong term. Acceptance of organic practices is further complicated by widespread promotion andsubsidization of chemical inputs, which often have short term benefits but may not besustainable over the long term. When livelihood needs are not able to be met people migrate,youth for better opportunities without the labor of farming which many consider a last resort,and women in desperation to feed their children. War and corruption lead to further
devastation in the wake of trafficking of drugs, arms and humans. Government policies
can help or hinder specific groups of people with internally displaced people often
continuing to be at the mercy of those who caused them to be displaced in the first place.
Signing of agreements may mean that “the war is over but the conflict continues” if basic
needs for human dignity are not met.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIESvi

Even the best intentions of foreign institutions often create unintended challenges. The
chemicals of the “green revolution” leaching into rivers and ground water in Sri Lanka have
led the government to ban glyphosate because of the prevalence of kidney disease in rice
growing areas. Relief interventions have disrupted community mutual support systems
and many survivors have learned to wait on handouts. Trees such as eucalyptus, in spite of
their use in construction, are being uprooted in many places because of their adverse effects
on water tables and hence agriculture.
Graduates returning home from ARI are faced with many community expectations of gifts
and interventions that will bring income much sooner than occurs with needing toexperiment with practices from ARI to learn which are applicable in home contexts.
Graduates faced many challenges in organic agriculture practices and livestock raising,often feeling guilty if they were unable to replicate the ARI model of a demonstration farm.
Those that adopted models such as farmer field schools in communities had more physicalresults and positive community relationships.
Graduates were significantly more effective in leadership than in implementing
agricultural skills. This is in keeping with ARI’s desire to be a leadership training
institution using organic agriculture as a means to that end. Effective leadership did notseem to depend on whether or not a graduate lived in a particular community as long as
they had captured the importance of being like the people. Those servant leaders who usedparticipatory models of community mobilization and followed them up with support andmonitoring contributed towards positive long-lasting development in a wide variety of
unique aspects.
Some of the diversity of achievements of these servant leaders is reflected in graduates’
diverse roles. For example, one graduate promoted peace between pastoralists and farmers
by introducing night paddocking of animals in farmers’ harvested fields. Another, who
introduced conservation agriculture has helped families feed themselves and orphans. Yetanother introduced a reflexology practice that brings physical healing. Advocacy ofgraduates with communities and governments have resulted in a wide range of benefits:stable pork markets in one remote area, death benefits to families of deceased migrants inanother area, and communities being supported in advocating for their rights withgovernments in several countries.
There was wide recognition that the roles of graduates in “rural” areas have necessarilychanged over forty years in a changing world. Some now describe little difference between
rural and poor urban communities with both being poor and marginalized as well as
needing food security and dignity.
Recommendations to help ARI shape a response to these changes and challenges as it heads
into the future were developed based on graduates’ and researcher perspectives.
Recruitment and preparation of potential participants:


Choose participants who have commitment and vision for communities wherever they
are working.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES




vii

Develop deeper relationships with sending bodies and potential candidates.
Accept two, but not more, participants from any one organization, area or language
group at any one time.
Develop teams of two to three trusted graduates in geographic areas to assist in
screening applicants.

ARI participant experience:











Strengthen the leadership component beyond rotation of leadership roles to providing
tools that support development of leadership and transformational community activities.
Prepare participants for group facilitation.
Prepare participants for leadership in gender equity.
Understand and respect participant contexts.
Go beyond working with hands in agricultural and livestock aspects, to teaching thescientific method and practical cost-effective methodologies that graduates can translate
to their own contexts with fewer or significantly different resources.
Present curriculum material step by step with repetitive, frequent cycles of action andnew information.
Include marketing, adding value and microfinance components in the curriculum.
Be aware of, and include aspects on changing world trends.
Take whatever steps are possible to formalize certification for graduates.

Post-graduation monitoring by ARI:

Organize ARI staff visits to graduates, sending bodies and communities for purposes ofdeepening relationships and learning.
Explore opportunities for ARI graduate internships near their local contexts.
Explore feasibility of seed money for projects to sending bodies.

ARI continuity:Provide continuing education opportunities to equip staff to provide the optimum quality
training for participants.
Clarify the role of Training Assistants and recruit accordingly.
Develop a strategic plan for long-term sustainability that responds to changing world
realities.
Clarify roles and relationships of staff levels, governing bodies and American Friends of
ARI (AFARI) and find an appropriate place for sending body participation.

General:

Respond to graduate suggestions and give reasons when ideas are not implemented.

“That we may live together’” has been the guiding principle at ARI for more than forty years.
The journey to continue toward that goal over the next forty years has begun well with thefortieth anniversary theme “Transformation at the Grassroots: walking with grassroots
leaders” and the efforts of staff in already implementing some of the recommendations proposedhere.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

viii

Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ..............................................................................................................................iii
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................ iv
Table of Contents ...............................................................................................................................viii
Acronyms ............................................................................................................................................... x
Appendices ........................................................................................................................................... xi
Tables ................................................................................................................................................... xi
Figures.................................................................................................................................................. xi
Glossary .............................................................................................................................................. xiv
Leading at the Grassroots: A Study of the Influence of Asian Rural Institute Graduates on
Communities
1. Introduction and purpose............................................................................................................... 1
1.1. Mission and vision .................................................................................................................. 1
1.2. History ..................................................................................................................................... 2
1.3. ARI studies .............................................................................................................................. 3
2. Methods and procedures ................................................................................................................ 5
2.1. Respondent selection .............................................................................................................. 6
2.2. Data collection......................................................................................................................... 7
2.3. Data analysis........................................................................................................................... 9
3. Core ARI concepts ........................................................................................................................ 11
3.1. Serving the marginalized ..................................................................................................... 11
3.2. Value of rural life .................................................................................................................. 11
3.3. Foodlife .................................................................................................................................. 13
3.4. Rural leadership ................................................................................................................... 14
3.5. Servant leadership ................................................................................................................ 14
3.6. Community building ............................................................................................................. 15
3.7. Community development ..................................................................................................... 16
3.8. Spiritual growth .................................................................................................................... 17
4. ARI experience.............................................................................................................................. 18
4.1. Participant referrals ............................................................................................................. 18
4.2. ARI learning .......................................................................................................................... 18
4.3. Challenges ............................................................................................................................. 20
4.4. Benefits .................................................................................................................................. 21
4.5. Training Assistant (TA) and Graduate Interne (GI) experience ....................................... 21
5. Dream/Plan ................................................................................................................................... 23
5.1. Demographics of graduates with dreams/plans ................................................................. 23
5.2. Achievement of dream/plan ................................................................................................. 24
6. Sending bodies .............................................................................................................................. 28
7. Context .......................................................................................................................................... 31
7.1. East Africa ............................................................................................................................. 32
7.2. Indonesia ............................................................................................................................... 41
7.3. Northeast India ..................................................................................................................... 48
7.4. Malaysia ................................................................................................................................ 55
7.5. Myanmar ............................................................................................................................... 58

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

ix

7.6. Nepal ...................................................................................................................................... 65
7.7. Sri Lanka ............................................................................................................................... 70
7.8. Western Africa ...................................................................................................................... 78
7.9. Japan ..................................................................................................................................... 87
8. Factors contributing to successes and challenges...................................................................... 90
8.1. Situational factors ................................................................................................................ 90
8.2. Integration of ARI learning with context.......................................................................... 101
9. Recommendations ...................................................................................................................... 113
9.1. Recruitment and preparation ............................................................................................ 113
9.2. ARI participant experience ................................................................................................ 114
9.3. Post-graduation monitoring by ARI .................................................................................. 120
9.4. ARI continuity ..................................................................................................................... 111
9.5. General ................................................................................................................................ 123
10. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 124

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIESAcronyms
ABCD

Asset based community development.

AIDS

Autoimmune Deficiency Disorder.

ARI

Asian Rural Institute.

ASEAN

Association of Southeast Asia Nations.

CSA

Community supported agriculture.

FAO

Food and Agriculture Organization.

GI

Graduate intern.

GIS

Graduate impact study.

GDP

Gross Domestic Product.

HDI

Human Development Index.

HIV

Human Immunodeficiency Disorder.

KNF

Korean natural farming.

ICA

Institute of Cultural Affairs.

IPM

Integrated Pest management.

IPPM

Integrated pest and production management.

IDP

Internally displaced person.

INGO

International non-government organization.

LTTE

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

NGO

Non-government organization.

SACCO

Savings and credit cooperative.

SB

Sending body.

SALT

Sloping agricultural land technology.

TA

Training assistant.

TZS

Tanzanian Shilling.

UN

United Nations.

UNDP

United Nations Development Programme.

VAT

Village action team.

VDC

Village development committee.

WWOOF

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms.

x

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIESAppendices
Appendix A.

ARI philosophical level.

Appendix B.

Key concepts update diagram.

Appendix C.

Study time line.

Appendix D.

Staff questionnaire.

Appendix E.

ARI graduates by country, gender and year.

Appendix F.

40th anniversary resolutions.

Appendix G.

Key concept descriptions.

Appendix H.

ARI admissions brochure.

Appendix I.

Plan/dream content samples.

Appendix J.

Potential internship partner organizations.

Appendix K.

AFARI board responsibilities.

TablesTable 1.

Summary of visits to graduates

Table 2.

Satisfaction in meeting personal aspirations and family needs.

Table 3.

Graduate work with livestock.

Table 4.

Graduate role in the change in communities visited.

FiguresFigure 1.

ARI sign.

Figure 2.

ARI philosophy prior to April, 2016.

Figure 3.

Dr. Takami.

Figure 4.

Numbers of graduates visited compared to total number ofgraduates.

Figure 5.

Gender of graduates visited shown by country.

Figure 6.

Decade of graduation of graduates visited.

Figure 7.

Morning gathering at ARI.

Figure 8.

Koinonia at ARI.

Figure 9.

Morning gathering at ARI.

xi

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

xii

Figure 10.

Participant recommendations by location.

Figure 11.

Participant recommendations by decade.

Figure 12.

ARI greenhouse.

Figure 13.

Demographics of graduates with dreams/plans visited by country.

Figure 14.

Demographics of graduates with dreams/plans visited by year.

Figure 15.

Achievement of dream/plan.

Figure 16.

Graduate achievement of dream/plan by year of graduation.

Figure 17.

Reasons for incompletion.

Figure 18.

Factors impacting achievement of dream/plan.

Figure 19.

Organic practice implementation.

Figure 20.

Community meeting in East Africa.

Figure 21.

Faith-based organization visits.

Figure 22.

Secular development organization visits.

Figure 23.

Organizational achievements.

Figure 24.

Organizational plan.

Figure 25.

Graduate employment.

Figure 26.

Map of Africa.

Figure 27.

East Africa roadside scene.

Figure 28.

Map of Indonesia.

Figure 29.

Graduate models.

Figure 30.

Map of Northeast India.

Figure 31.

Urban scene in Northeast India.

Figure 32.

Map of Malaysia.

Figure 33.

Organic and recycling shop.

Figure 34.

Map of Myanmar.

Figure 35.

Roadside scene in Chin State, Nepal.

Figure 36.

Inle Lake, Myanmar.

Figure 37.

Map of Nepal.

Figure 38.

Roadside scene in the Terai, Nepal.

Figure 39.

Gathering animal feed.

Figure 40.

Map of Sri Lanka.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIESFigure 41.

Devastation of war.

Figure 42.

Tea plantation.

Figure 43.

Map of West Africa.

Figure 44.

Ghana coffin.

Figure 45.

African hoe.

Figure 46.

Map of Japan.

Figure 47.

Rural Japanese village.

Figure 48.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

Figure 49.

Practical skills application.

Figure 50.

Application of agricultural skills.

Figure 51.

Leadership skills application.

Figure 52.

Planning and monitoring cycle.

Figure 53.

ARI curriculum sample.

Figure 54.

Community support circle.

Figure 55.

Community group meeting.

xiii

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

xiv

Glossary
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic life-threatening condition caused by
the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Agarwood is the soft dark resinous heartwood produced by various Southeast Asian evergreen
trees when they become infected with a fungus or mold develops and bores into the tree. Thisfragrant resin is used to produce incense, perfumes and traditional medicines.
Al-Qaeda is a radical Islamic group organized by Osama bin Laden in the 1990s to engage interrorist activities.
Al-Shabaab is an Arabic phrase meaning "the Youth", often used to refer to a Somalia-based
militant Islamist group aligned with Al-Qaeda.
Artemesia is an aromatic or bitter-tasting plant of a genus that includes wormwood, mugwort,and sagebrush and used in herbal medicine for the treatment of malaria.
Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) is an approach to community based
development, based on the principles of appreciating and mobilizing individual and community
skills and assets (rather than focusing on problems and needs). It is community-driven
development rather than development driven by external agencies; and builds on appreciativeinquiry, social capital, and participatory approaches to development, community economic
development models and efforts to strengthen civil society.
Asian Rural Institute (ARI) is a registered vocational institute for agricultural training locatedin Nishinasuno, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.
Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) is a political and economic organization offifteen Southeast Asia countries with a goal of accelerating economic growth, social progressand sociocultural evolution among its members, alongside of protecting regional stability andopportunities for member countries to resolve differences peacefully.
Biosand filter (BSF) is a simple household water treatment device, which is an innovation of
traditional slow sand filters specifically designed for intermittent use. A BSF consists of aconcrete or plastic container filled with specially selected and prepared sand and gravel.
Bokashi is the Japanese word for fermented organic matter and is one of the fermented
fertilizers made at ARI by mixing organic materials such as rice bran and chicken manure withsoil (clay soil or sub soil from the forest) and other materials including rice husks and wood
charcoal.
Brown zone is one of three zones designated by the Burmese government: white are those areas
under total government control, brown are contested areas, and black are areas over which thegovernment has no control (Eubank, n.d.).
Community-based organization (CBO) is a public or private non-profit entity (including churchor religious) that is representative of a community or a significant segment of a community, andis engaged in meeting human, educational, environmental, or public safety community needs.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

xv

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a concept describing a community-basedorganization of producers and consumers. The consumers agree to provide direct, up-front
support for local growers who will produce their food; growers in turn agree to do their best to
provide a sufficient quantity and quality of food to meet the needs and expectations of theconsumers.
Conservation agriculture is any system or practice which aims to conserve soil and water by
combining surface cover (mulch) with reduced or zero tillage to minimize runoff and erosion, as
well as improve the conditions for plant establishment and growth.
Cover crop is one grown for the protection and enrichment of the soil.
Cronyism is the appointment of friends and associates to positions of authority, without proper
regard to their qualifications.
De facto capitol is a capitol existing in actuality, especially when contrary to, or not establishedby law.
De facto single-party state is a dominant party state that, unlike the single party state, allows(at least nominally) democratic multiparty elections, but the existing practices or balance ofpolitical power effectively prevent the opposition from winning the elections.
Diaspora includes people who are living outside the area where they or their ancestors have
lived for a long time.
Denmark style pig raising is an intensive form of raising pigs where grower pigs are housed
indoors in group housing and pregnant sows are housed in gestation pens and give birth in
farrowing crates.
Digging is a term used for manual farm work such as hoeing.
The “Do No Harm” principle is combined with values of humanitarian imperative, neutrality
and impartiality to guide the Sphere Project code of conduct adopted by UNICEF andinternational NGOs for their humanitarian work.
Earth University (2014) is an agricultural university in Costa Rica with an innovative
curriculum where “You will develop and run your own business while at EARTH. In your firstyear, you will form a company with four to six classmates and create a business plan thatanalyzes financial, social and environmental factors. Once the project is approved, theUniversity will grant your company a loan to operate the business during your second year. In
the third year, you will close the business and formally evaluate its profitability andeffectiveness. After repaying your loan with interest, you share the profits among your group.”
Ebola virus (filovirus) is a virus that causes an infectious and generally fatal disease marked byfever and severe internal bleeding.
Ecotourism is tourism that is directed toward exotic, often threatened, natural environments,
especially to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife.
Eden is the garden where according to the account in Genesis, Adam and Eve first lived, or aplace of pristine or abundant natural beauty.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

xvi

Eucalyptus is a fast-growing evergreen tree native to Australia that has been widely introduced
elsewhere. It is valued for its timber, oil, gum, resin and as an ornamental tree.
Farm, Meal Service and Income Generation (FAMSIG) is a monthly meeting of representatives
from farm, meal service, and income generation sectors at ARI to discuss needed outputs anduse of farm produce.
Farmer Field School (FFS) is a group-based learning process that has been used by a number ofgovernments, NGOs and international agencies. A “school without walls”, it was originallydeveloped to promote Integrated Pest Management (IPM) but is now used to aid in solving avariety of agricultural problems.
Faith-based organizations are of three types: congregations; national networks, which include
national denominations, their social service arms and networks of related organizations; andfreestanding religious organizations, which are incorporated separately from congregations andnational networks (Vidal, 2001).
Fetzer Institute is a foundation based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, established by broadcast
pioneer, John E. Fetzer (1901-1991) that uses its philanthropic resources to help build thefoundation for a loving world.
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a United Nations agency that works oninternational efforts to defeat hunger by helping developing countries modernize and improve
agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices.
Foodlife is a word coined by ARI founder, Dr. Toshihiro Takami to represent the inseparable
connection between food and life.
Golden Triangle is one of Asia’s two main opium producing areas, an area of around 950,000 sq.
km. (367,000 sq. mi) that overlaps the mountains of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. The other is
the Golden Crescent encompassing Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan.
Graduate Intern (GI) is a Japanese ARI graduate who stays on for an additional year at theinstitute to deepen learning in a specific area.
Graduate Impact Study (GIS) is a study for ARI to give a picture in time of what ARI graduates
are doing and how their organizations and communities experience them.
Green manure is fertilizer consisting of growing plants that are plowed back into the soil.
Green Revolution describes the large increase in crop production in developing countries
achieved by the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and high yield crop varieties beginning in the
1960s.
Green village is a designation given by the Indian government to a community that preserves
its ecosystem while sharing it with tourists.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is one of the primary indicators used to gauge the health of acountry's economy. It represents the total dollar value of all goods and services produced over a
specific time period and can be thought of as the size of the economy.
Gun Widow is a woman widowed because of the armed conflict in Manipur, Northeast India.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

xvii

Gurkhas are Nepalese soldiers from various hill areas who served in the British and Indianarmies, closely associated with a forward-curving Nepalese knife and reputation for fearless
prowess.
Hikikomori is the phenomenon of reclusive Japanese adolescents or adults who withdraw fromsocial life, often seeking extreme degrees of isolation and confinement.
Homestay is a visit whereby a guest is cared for in the home of a host. In the context of ARI it isintended as an opportunity for intercultural learning and sharing.
Human Development Index (HDI) is a summary measure of average achievement in key
dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable and having adecent standard of living. This is assessed by life expectancy at birth, mean of years ofschooling for adults aged twenty-five years and more, and expected years of schooling forchildren ready to enter school.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that interferes with the body’s ability to fightorganisms that cause disease. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic lifethreatening condition caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Usually the two arereferred to together as HIV/AIDS.
Indigenous Microorganisms (IMOs) are beneficial microbes that inhabit soil and all living
things and are involved indifferent processes such as fermentation, decomposition, as well as
nitrogen and nutrient fixation.
Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA) is a global community of non-profit organizations advancing
human development worldwide by empowering authentic and sustainable transformation ofindividuals, communities and organizations through methods and values.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) or Integrated Pest Prevention Management (IPPM) is anecosystem based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of pests, or their damage,through a combination of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation,
modification of cultural practices, and use of resistant varieties. It may also include limited useof pesticides.
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are people who have not crossed an international border tofind sanctuary but have remained inside their home countries. Even if they have fled forsimilar reasons as refugees, they legally remain under the protection of their own government,even though that government might be the cause of their flight.
International non-government organization (INGO) is an organization that has the same
mission as a non-governmental organization (NGO), but is international in scope and has
outposts around the world to deal with specific issues in many countries.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is a governmental agency that coordinates
official development assistance (ODA) for the government of Japan.
Janatha Vimukthi Peramanu (JVP) is a communist and Marxist-Leninist party in Sri Lanka
that was involved in two armed uprisings against the ruling governments in 1971 and from1987-89, then entered democratic politics in 1994.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

xviii

Jatropha includes any of various plants or shrubs of the genus Jatropha (family
Euphorbiaceae), one species of which (Jatropha curcas) produces seeds that can be used in the
production of biodiesel.
Jhum or “shifting agriculture” is the word used in the hilly areas of Southeast Asia for theprocess of growing crops by first clearing the land of trees and vegetation and then burningthem. The land is cultivated for several years and then abandoned in favor of another site as
soil productivity declines. Practiced by between 200 million and 500 million people worldwide,
it is not sustainable in areas with large populations because the soil becomes too poor to support
crops without the trees.
Kamaiya is a traditional system of bonded labor in southern Nepal in which a person pledges
labor or services as security for repayment of a debt of obligation, which may be undefined. The
duration of the debt may also be undefined and the debt bondage passed from one generation to
the next.
Kanji are adopted logographic Chinese characters that represent concepts rather than sounds
and are used in the modern Japanese writing system.
Karen people are an ethnic group living in Southeast Asia with their own distinct language andcustoms. They are one of the groups only recently signing a peace accord with the government.
Khat (mira) is a flowering plant native to the Horn of Africa: chewing the leaves has a long
history and is said to cause excitement, loss of appetite and euphoria but is not seriously
addictive.
King chili (Bhut Jolokia) is often ranked the hottest chili in the world and a favorite of Naga
tribes in Northeast India (Roach, 2013).
Klomencapir Act was Suharto’s plan for rural development by touching the lives of villagers andbroadcasting with media coverage of those visits (Detik News, 2008).
Koinonia, the Greek word for communion or fellowship, is the name of the central gathering
place at ARI for meals and fellowship.
Kopi luwak is the world's most expensive coffee, produced from coffee beans which have beendigested by a civet cat in Indonesia.
Korean Natural Farming (KNF) is a methodology that takes advantage of indigenous
microorganisms (IMO) to produce fertile soils that yield high output without the use ofherbicides or pesticides. It also enables odor-free hog and poultry raising without the need todispose of effluent (wastes).
Land grabbing is the contentious issue of large-scale land acquisitions: the buying or leasing oflarge pieces of land in developing countries, by domestic and transnational companies,
governments, and individuals.
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), also known as the Tamil Tigers, is the independent
militant organization seeking an independent Tamil state in the north and east of the island of
Sri Lanka that was defeated in 2009.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

xix

Load shedding is the deliberate shutdown of electric power in one or more parts of a powerdistribution system, generally to prevent failure of the entire system when demand exceeds its
capacity.
Livestock Ladder is a process of a farmer beginning livestock raising with small animals:
chickens are at the most basic level, followed by sheep and goats, local cattle and finally dairy
cattle. Those farmers with dairy cattle “are considered to be relatively well-off”.
Microfinance or Microcredit is the lending of small amounts of money at low interest to new
businesses in the developing world.
Moringa is a drought-resistant oil-yielding tree, native to northwest India and widely cultivatedelsewhere for its water purifying, nutritional and medicinal qualities.
Mython is an animal distinctive in general hill regions of Myanmar and reported to be a crossbetween a tsine (wild cow) and Asiatic buffalo, a striking contrast to water buffalo. They will
breed true and are a significant part of history in Chin State.
Night paddocking is a system whereby farmers allow pastoralists to keep their cattle overnightin a confined pen for certain periods. The cattle eat the grass, are kept safe overnight and leave
their manure for the farmer.
Non-government organization (NGO) is any non-profit, voluntary citizens' group which isorganized on a local, national or international level.
NVivo is a qualitative data analysis (QDA) computer software package produced by QSRInternational, designed for qualitative researchers working with very rich text based and/or
multimedia information, where deep levels of analysis on small or large volumes of data are
required.
Orphan is a person who has lost one or both parents. One who has lost both parents is often
referred to as a “double orphan” and one having lost only one parent as a “single orphan”.
Participative development is a process through which stakeholders can influence and sharecontrol over development initiatives, and over the decisions and resources that affectthemselves.
Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) is an approach for learning about and engaging with
communities. It combines an ever growing toolkit of participatory and visual methods withnatural interviewing techniques and is intended to facilitate a process of collective analysis andlearning.
Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) is an approach used by non-governmental organizations(NGOs) and other agencies involved in international development. The approach aims toincorporate the knowledge and opinions of rural people in the planning and management ofdevelopment projects and programs.
Quality control is a system of maintaining standards in products that are produced by testing asample of the output against the required specification.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

xxRamon Magsaysay Award is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine
President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity in governance, courageous service to thepeople, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society.
Reflection paper is a paper written during the course of an ARI participant experience based on
the model of appreciative inquiry. It reflects the home community of the participant, a “peaklife experience”, learning at ARI, and a dream and/or plan for the future depending on when theindividual attended ARI.
Reflexology is a system of massage used to relieve tension and treat illness, based on the theory
that there are reflex points on the feet, hands, and head linked to every part of the body.
Resort pastor is a pastor serving a cluster of churches in Indonesia, most often rural.
Results-based Management (RBM) is a management strategy which uses feedback loops toachieve strategic goals. All people and organizations (actors) who contribute directly or
indirectly to the result, map out their business processes, products and services, showing how
they contribute to the outcome.
Retrogression is the process of returning to an earlier state, typically a worse one.
Rohingya are a Muslim minority population living mainly in the state of Rakhaing in Myanmar.
Savings and Credit Cooperative (SACCO) is a democratic, unique member driven self-help
cooperative. It is owned, governed and managed by its members who have the same commonbond and who agree to save their money, make loans to each other at reasonable rates ofinterest, and/or share profits at group determined intervals. A member is a person admitted
after registration in accordance with the bylaws developed by the group. No benefit goes toanyone external to the group.
Sending body (SB) is an organization that has been approved and has sent one of its staff
persons or committed volunteers as a participant to study at ARI.
Shea a small tropical African tree that bears oily nuts from which a butter is obtained and usedin food, soap and candles.
Slash and burn agriculture (also known as jhum or shifting agriculture) is an agricultural
technique that involves the cutting and burning of plants in forests or woodlands to create
fields. It is subsistence agriculture that typically uses little technology.
Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) is a strategy of using tree legumes to improve thefertility and stability of agricultural soils by forming alleys in which field and perennial crops
are grown in bands four to five meters wide between contoured rows of leguminous trees andshrubs. The latter are thickly planted in double rows to form hedgerows.
Small animals include poultry, rabbits, goats, and/or bees.
Teikei is the system in Japan where consumers purchase food directly from farmers. It isclosely associated with small scale, local, organic farming and volunteer-based, non-profit
partnerships. It is popular to many Japanese and cited by many as the origin of Community
Supported Agriculture (CSAs) in other contexts.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

xxi

Training Assistant (TA) is a graduate of ARI who returns to ARI no sooner than five years after
graduation for a one year term to support staff, act as an intermediary between staff andparticipants, and to deepen learning.
Training of Trainers (ToT) model is one in which experienced personnel teach less experienced
instructors how to deliver courses, workshops and seminars, in order to build a pool ofcompetent instructors who can teach the material to others (Duggan, n.d.).
Vermiculture is the practice of raising annelid worms such as earthworms and their by-products
for use in composting or as bait for fishing.
Village Development Committee (VDC) is a voluntary association of village people for village
administration.
Water dowsing is the practice of using a forked stick, rod, pendulum, or similar device to locate
underground water, minerals, or other hidden or lost substances; it has been a subject of
discussion and controversy for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) is an exchange whereby, in return forvolunteer help, WWOOF hosts offer food, accommodation and opportunities to learn aboutorganic lifestyles.
Youth definition depends on context. For example, in Sri Lanka you are considered to be a youth
up to 50 years of age if you are unmarried; once married, however young, you are considered to
be a an adult.
Zai is a farming technique to dig pits 20-30cm long and deep and 90 cm apart in the soil during
the preseason to catch water and collect compost.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

xxii

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

1

Leading at the Grassroots: A Study of the Influence of Asian Rural
Institute Graduates on Communities
1.

Introduction and purpose

The Asian Rural Institute (ARI) is a registered vocational institute for agricultural training
located in Nishinasuno, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. It provides a nine month training programeach year to 25-35 participants from 15-20 communities in Asia, islands in the Pacific, subSaharan Africa and Latin America. Sent by organizations known as sending bodies (SBs)1,
participants come to discover the meaning of ARI’s motto “That we may live together”.

Figure 1. ARI sign. Photo courtesy of Fujishima Thomas.
1.1
1.1

Mission and vision“The mission of the Asian Rural Institute is to build an environmentally healthy, just andpeaceful world, in which each person can live to his or her fullest potential. This mission isrooted in the love of Jesus Christ. To carry out this mission, we nurture and train rural leaders
for a life of sharing. Leaders, both women and men, who live and work in grassroots rural

1 A sending body (SB) is an organization that recommends one of its staff persons or committed volunteers as aparticipant to study at ARI.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

2

communities primarily in Asia, Africa and the Pacific, form a community of learning each year
together with staff and other residents. Through community based learning we study the best
ways for rural people to share and enhance local resources and abilities for the common good.
We present a challenge to ourselves and to the whole world in our approach to food and life”.
Three conceptual pillars of “Servant Leadership, Foodlife2 and Community Building” are lived
out within three loves – love of “God, Soil and Neighbor,” where ARI leaders, participants andvolunteers participate together in all of the daily and seasonal activities of this working farm.
This approach seeks to eliminate distinctions based on gender, religion, ethnicity, education,
caste, language, employment or community positions. Instead it promotes equality, personal
growth and transformation in preparing graduates to be conduits for positive change in theirown communities (Appendix A).

Figure 2. ARI philosophy prior to April, 2016.
ARI staff completed a revision of these concepts in preparation for participants arriving in
April, 2016 (Appendix B).
1.2

History

ARI was founded in 1973 by a team headed by Rev. Dr. Toshihiro Takami, with a mission to
train rural community leaders, both women and men, at the grassroots level. The intent was tofacilitate and nurture the self-development of marginalized people in order to build a just andpeaceful society. Dr. Takami was already aware of Japan’s advancements in agriculture and2 Foodlife is a word coined by ARI founder, Dr. Toshihiro Takami to represent the inseparable connection between foodand life.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

3

economics, and saw the need for agricultural development inSoutheast Asia. He also saw the deep spirituality of volunteers
from Japan and North America, responding to disasters in Asia
without any apparent religious affiliation, but all “deeply
spiritual” in relating to those of all faiths with dedication andhard work. These experiences motivated him to share histhought about founding ARI with others. His words "I wanted to

dedicate all the rest of my life as a Christian person to this task,
God willing, as an act of repentance for sinful acts committed by
the Japanese nation during World War II" were quoted in the
biography submitted for the Ramon Magsaysay Award which hereceived in 1996 (RMTLI, 2012)3.

Figure 3. Dr. Takami.
Photo courtesy of ARI.

Few other institutions use this approach. The most similar work is that of Abuna Elias
Chacour (2016), a three time Nobel Peace Prize nominee and recipient of the Niwano Peace
Prize (NPP, 2016). He brings together Jews, Palestinian Christians and Muslims in educational
institutions to promote peace through education in Israel. His institute, however, does not havethe agricultural component of ARI.
ARI’s approach of connecting food and agriculture systems, along with the benefits that comefrom them, has recently been affirmed by others as inherently ethical in nature. The Food andAgriculture Organization (2001) identifies their ethical values (without which they claim theywould have no reason to exist), as value of food, enhanced well-being, human health, natural
resources and nature. These ethical concerns are central to the kind of future that people want,especially in the context of an ever changing world where current demographic shifts include
rural to urban migration, pressure on natural resources, industrialization of agriculture andconcentration of economic power. These, along with a growing human population, are all
happening in a context of globalization, human induced change to the environment, as well as
new biotechnologies and informatics require ethical consideration.
So it was timely for ARI at its 40th anniversary symposium in September 2013 to have thetheme Transformation at the Grassroots: walking with grassroots leaders. At that time itcommitted to two studies to move beyond its historical practices of internal review with thoseparticipants just completing their training.
1.3

ARI studies

The first study, Bridging the Grassroots was a study about the influence of ARI on rural leaderswith support from the Fetzer Institute4 (Rositto, 2015) that specifically followed participants for
one year during their time at ARI and interviewed 124 graduates.

3 The Ramon Magsaysay Award is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon

Magsaysay's example of integrity in governance, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within ademocratic society.
4 The Fetzer Institute is a foundation based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, established by broadcast pioneer John E. Fetzer(1901-1991) that uses its philanthropic resources to help build the foundation for a loving world.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES4The second is this ARI graduate impact study5 (GIS) made possible with the generous support of
the United Church of Christ and General Board for Global Ministries of the Methodist Church.
The study was carried out from January 1, 2014 to April 30, 2016 (Appendix C) with four main
objectives:






To explore and document the impact of ARI on graduates from the last 40 years and thecommunities in which they serve.
To examine ARI through the experiences and activities of its graduates and graduates’
sending organizations.
To share the story of ARI graduates with ARI supporters, fellow graduates, prospective
applicants, other schools/training institutions, and interested global community throughmultimedia approaches.
To develop a model for documentation and analysis of the impact of ARI on its graduates
individually and the communities in which they serve.

The findings from this research are important for purposes of celebrating graduate successes,
raising public awareness, modifying curriculum and providing a framework for future
monitoring of ARI impact on graduates and communities.
The major emphasis of this study is to obtain a qualitative perspective on the ARI community(staff, graduates and communities) and the processes that connect them (Maxwell, 1996).
Emphasis is on learning about contexts, meanings, and processes that will contribute to ARI’sfuture planning. As such this study may also contribute to learning in wider contexts withsimilar values. As quantitative data is also of significance to ARI in determining effectivenessof various approaches over time and fulfilling expectations to stakeholders it is provided
throughout the report.
The next section outlines the methods and procedures used for the study. The results of theinterviews with graduates are presented in sections 3 to 8. Section 3 summarizes graduates’
perspectives on many of the core concepts taught at ARI. Section 4 summarizes graduates’
experiences at ARI. In section 5 the analysis of graduates’ dreams or plans are presented.
Section 6 describes what was learned about the role of sending bodies. Section 7 provides acontextual background for each location visited and is based on both graduates’ descriptions of
their context as well as complementary information from outside sources. In section 8, thefactors contributing to graduate success are described. Together these results provide the basis
for the recommendations and conclusions which are presented in section 9 and section 10,
respectively.
This report summarizes the data collected from all sources and will be complemented by apublished book of selected stories and individual profiles appearing on the ARI website.

5 The graduate impact study (GIS) is a study for ARI to give a picture in time of what ARI graduates are doing andhow their organizations and communities experience them.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

2.

5

Methods and procedures

Steven Cutting, former ARI staff person and Internal Research Coordinator, and Bev Abma,
Independent Consultant and External Research Coordinator, worked collaboratively. The
Internal Research Coordinator arranged visits to graduates, provided organizational
background and is completing the book of graduate stories and individual profiles for the ARI
website. The External Research Coordinator coded the data and compiled this report with theassistance of Dr. Philip Grabowski, Academic Consultant from Michigan State University.
Each Coordinator provided input and edited the other’s work.
This study provides a picture in time of graduate activities and how their organizations andcommunities experience them. Of the 229 graduates visited, 202 interviews were recorded,
nineteen of these with the assistance of fifteen translators, all ARI graduates. Visits also
included graduates not able to be interviewed, but who hosted researchers with food and/or
lodging. In addition, researchers visited organizations where 142 graduates work and 97
communities that graduates relate to. Details of those visits were recorded in field notes.
Individual interviews, a questionnaire and group meetings with ARI staff were held at various
times throughout the study. Details of these were also recorded in field notes.
Table 1: Summary of visits to graduates

Country

Graduates

VisitsVisit %of total #graduates

Interviews

Cameroon

19

15

79%

DRC1

1

1

Ghana

35

5

India2

216

37

Indonesia

8035Japan3

87

11

Kenya

26

15

Malaysia

22

MyanmarOrganization
visits of # ofgraduates

TranslatedInterviews

Community
visits of #graduates

15

0

13

13

100%

1

0

0

0

14%

3

0

1

1

33

1

12

21

33

2

16

29

11

2

2

1

58%

14

0

8

11

1

5%

1

0

1

1

77

36

47%

36

9

9

24

Nepal

35

13

37%

13

2

5

7

Philippines1

129

1

1

0

0

0

Sri Lanka

87

42

48%

31

3

19

24

Tanzania

20

8

40%

5

0

3

5

Uganda

16

9

56%

5

0

8

5

850

229

202

19

97

142

Total444%

1Visited in another country so not counted in % of graduates in countries visited.
2Visited only Northeast India.

3Visited only a sample, two in other countries.

4Numbers not adjusted for graduates who are deceased.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES
2.1

6

Respondent selection

ARI by the end of 2014 had graduated participants from sixty-six countries, mostly in Asia andAfrica: twelve countries from these continents were selected for the study. Consideration wasgiven to maximizing geographical and cultural variety within cost, safety and time constraints.
As a result, visits to India included only the Northeast and Liberia was dropped from the study
because of the presence of Ebola6 virus (CDC, 2014). Information on countries, gender anddecades of graduation is shown in Appendix E.
The original intent was to interview a sample of graduates in each country; however, the senseof “being part of the ARI family” meant that everyone within any proximity to the researchers
requested to be included. This required additional time for visiting, documentation andanalysis. As a result, a visit to the Philippines was removed from the study because graduates
there had already been visited by the Fetzer project researcher. The period for the project wasalso extended by twelve months as ARI staff was more interested in quality than speed of thereport.
A small sample number of Japanese graduates was included part way into the study to compare
their perspectives with those of other graduates. Active recruitment of Japanese participants
began in 1995 and is further explained in section 7.9.
Visits were made to whichever graduates were available in each country: this included 18% of
the total number of graduates or 32% of people who had graduated from the targeted countries
as shown in Figure 4. This resulted in a vast amount of data to be analyzed; the benefit is thateven with not every graduate speaking about every aspect of ARI there was sufficient data on
any one topic to be credible. Of the 202 Interviewees, 40% were female (Figure 5).
30

250

25

200

20
150

15

100

10

50

5

0

0

Total

Interviewed

Figure 4. Numbers of graduates
visited compared to total number ofgraduates.

Male

FemaleFigure 5. Gender of graduates visited
shown by country.

Ebola virus (filovirus) is a virus that causes an infectious and generally fatal disease marked by fever and severeinternal bleeding.
6

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

7

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1960-69

1970-79

1980-89
Male

1990-99

2000-092010-14

FemaleFigure 6. Decade of graduation of graduates visited.
The distribution of Interviewees by decade of graduation is shown in Figure 6. As anticipated,
it was easier to contact more recent graduates. Although they have had fewer years to
implement practices, their learning experience is more closely related to current ARI
curriculum.
2.2

Data collection

The interview process was carefully designed to facilitate descriptions of graduates’ experiencesat ARI and how those influenced their community work. Questionnaires were not used because
cultural tendencies and loyalty to ARI would have led many respondents to bias their responses
toward what they thought would be expected. Instead, free flowing conversations were initiatedwith graduates sharing their histories prior to ARI, experiences at ARI, and activities until thepresent. They also discussed key ARI concepts and made recommendations for improving ARI
as an institution. Researchers recorded and transcribed the interviews in addition to writing
daily field notes.
Both researchers met with staff as a group on at least four occasions during the study. In
addition, staff were requested to complete a questionnaire (Appendix D) and individualinterviews with staff were conducted by the External Research Coordinator; unfortunately anumber of these were lost when a tape recorder malfunctioned.

2.2.1

Language

Most interviews were carried out in English, except when graduates’ ability to communicate inEnglish was limited and a translator was available. Classes at ARI are offered in English;
however, both teachers and participants speak heavily accented English often referred to as“ARI English”. Although ARI focus is to have people communicate in English as much as
possible, for purposes of this study it was more important for people to be able communicate
their ideas. For this reason translators were utilized as often as they were available. In allcases these were ARI graduates in the country who offered their services as part of their

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

8

gracious hospitality. Nineteen per cent of recorded interviews were translated: nearly half ofthese were in Myanmar where one graduate translated four and another five interviews.
Several others, including most of the Japanese graduates interviewed, had challenges in
expressing themselves in English so the depth of thinking in some interviews was less able to be
expressed. This was mitigated by the large sampling in all of the countries with the exceptionof Japan.

2.2.2

CultureThe diversity of cultures represented in this study made it important for the researchers to beflexible in their data collection approaches. Even though the Research Coordinators had
extensive cross-cultural experience, (one in the multicultural context of ARI and the other
having lived and worked in multiple cultures), limitations existed in requesting and receiving
information. Homestays7 provided excellent opportunities for participant observation in
sharing daily life of food, work and rest; researchers occasionally would even be taught proper
eating skills and other daily living customs in these situations. Myanmar government
regulations banned homestays although hosting researchers was desired by graduates there.
One major concern was for the financial burden on graduate families in hosting the researchers,
often including extravagant gifts in addition to special meals. Poignant examples include one
organization (Org 104) borrowing money to host appropriately and a young wife of a graduate(Interviewee 1041), who hosted researchers for two days, being near tears several times as she
spoke of the challenges of surviving on farming. Another wife of a graduate (Interviewee 1008)
wept as researchers shared granola bars with her children in a context where piglets were silent
after their mother had died “because we had nothing to feed her”.
Group interviews were of little value and discontinued early in the process as people weregenerally willing to share only positive aspects in group settings. This was openly expressed in
one focus group where one graduate (Interviewee 943) encouraged his organization’s board
members to be honest and one of them replied “We do not share the bad with visitors. We cantalk about the bad when we are alone.” In another, an attempt at a focus group resulted in few
people saying anything.
A driver for nearly 3000 kilometers of research travel in East Africa proved to be a mostvaluable member of the research team as he negotiated prices and border crossings in addition
to recommending delicious economical food choices. He provided sound advice for culturalinteractions and shared information that he gleaned during informal conversations withmembers of local communities. He reaffirmed that it indeed was not cultural for Africans toshare in a group and/or with foreigners other than what they expected foreigners would want to
hear.

7

A homestay is a visit whereby a guest is cared for in the home of a host. In the context of ARI it isintended as an opportunity for intercultural learning and sharing.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

9This was further complicated by the desire of graduates and organizations to present the best
possible scenarios to the researchers. For graduates it was a sense of loyalty to the “ARI
family”; for both sending bodies and employing organizations, although not verbally expressed,
it was also likely because of not wanting to hinder future opportunities to recommend
participants. The most revealing of these comments came from one graduate (Interviewee 1074)
who requested a confidential time with the External Research Coordinator to share having beenasked to lie during a group meeting to present a positive image to ARI representatives. Thiswas in addition to other graduates eliminating villages this graduate works with from theschedule of visits.
In their desire to please, graduates occasionally would also ask whether or not they were
responding correctly: they were assured there were no right or wrong answers. Researchers
also reaffirmed that this study was requested by ARI administration in a desire to learn how tomake the institution be even better.
2.3

Data analysis

The transcripts and field notes were coded using NVIV8O software, which facilitates the use ofthematic analysis (Maxwell 1996) to systematically analyze the data with greater transparency
and accountability than relying on hunches would be. Content from interviews, field notes, and
ARI and graduate communications was sorted into topics as “nodes” in the software. These
nodes were then analyzed to determine the research findings. The software allowed ease ofreferring back to sources and analyzing data by any number of variables.
An intern from Calvin College, Michigan, USA, compared graduate dreams in reflection papers
and/or plans at the time of graduation from ARI with what graduates reported actually having
done during the study visits. This provided an unbiased look at seventy-seven graduates in thesame analytical manner because the intern had no personal contact with any of them.
In response to graduates who expressed concern that over the years they had provided
suggestions to ARI that had not been responded to, a commitment was made to sharing all
recommendations and reasons for those that could not be implemented. This will be evident in
the recommendations section of the report.

2.3.1

ThemesIn developing the themes for the analysis, the 40th Anniversary Resolutions (Appendix F), as
well as group and individual meetings with current and previous staff members wereconsidered. The desire by ARI staff to test out the following perceptions also helped frame thedevelopment of themes for analysis including:“That We May Live Together” ties all other relationships in an endeavor to love God, soil
and neighbor in all interactions.

NVivo is a qualitative data analysis (QDA) computer software package produced by QSR International designed for
qualitative researchers working with very rich text based and/or multimedia information, where deep levels of analysis
on small or large volumes of data are required.
8

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES






10

Graduates carry out their pledge to implement what they have learned in their own
contexts.
The ARI approach of bringing grassroots leaders out of their contexts, training them inrural development and sending them back is effective (as compared to visiting andtraining people in their own contexts).
Rural leaders with the strongest connections with marginalized people are going to be
the most effective in working to develop the potential of that group.
Government roles are not compatible with implementing ARI practices.

With a goal of making recommendations for ARI’s future curriculum development the following
themes emerged for analysis of their impact on graduate leadership and organic agriculture
practices:








Graduate experiences prior, during and after ARI.
Context (geographic, climatic, cultural, social, political and family).
Gender.
Organizational relationships.
Understanding of leadership: rural and servant.
Understanding of specific concepts: foodlife, rural, marginalized, local resources.
Spirituality and perceived source of energy.

Figure 8. Koinonia at ARI. Photo courtesy of Fujishima Thomas.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

3.

11Core ARI concepts

This section summarizes graduates’ understanding of the meaning of the core concepts thatguide daily life and curriculum at ARI; how they have been able to apply them will be discussed
in section 8.2 and 8.3. These concepts have remained relatively unchanged over the years, andwere reaffirmed in resolutions following ARI’s 40th celebration events in 2013 as “We hold asimportant ‘learning by doing’ and ‘learning by sharing,’ in humility” and … “all with the aim offorming servant leaders. That is, we recommit to our mission to nurture rural leaders to beservant leaders…. Seek to reclaim the word rural. Recognizing how the word rural has beenstereotyped to be synonymous with ‘backwards’ or ‘uneducated’, we seek to promote the value ofrural life and the dignity of labor” (Appendix F).
Approaches, however have varied. In 2005, a change was made to place more emphasis onleadership and self-directed learning. Then in 2008, a change was made to use questions rather
than definitions to teach key concepts (Appendix A). This made it challenging for researchers todetermine what ARI staff wanted graduates to have learned and whether or not they had doneso. Recognizing the challenges in this lack of clarity, staff have re-incorporated definitions of
key concepts into the curriculum for participants arriving in 2016 (Appendix G).
Graduates, however, did share their perceptions and experiences with the following concepts
that were chosen in response to ARI staff desire to learn how they are understood andimplemented by graduates.
3.1

Serving the marginalized

The term “serving the marginalized” is used often in ARI literature and conversations as thegoal of ARI work; researcher conversations with staff in a March 2016 meeting clarified that theconcept includes aspects of discrimination. This was in keeping with the majority of graduate
conversations in describing marginalized groups as indigenous, minorities, farmers, or womenat any time that one group were perceived to be of lesser value than others. Marginalized, whendefined by respondents, referred to rural communities lacking infrastructure, children lacking
education or families less able to provide food, hygiene or health care. Marginalized individuals
were also said to include orphans9 and residents of urban slums where “your door is anotherperson’s door” and there is no “walking space”, ventilation, light, or food and an increased
prevalence of illnesses as a result (Interviewee 664).
3.2

Value of rural life

One goal of ARI is to reclaim the word “rural” as a positive concept. Only two graduates used
the term “backwards” in reference to the word “rural” and many spoke of the changes inmeaning that have occurred over time. One early graduate (Interviewee 200) spoke of thechange from a time when he needed to walk six or more hours to reach communities having
changed to those communities now being “more advanced than a rural area”. This shows thepotential for improving the quality of rural life through infrastructure developments like roads.
Roads tend to be the first step of access to services, with markets, health care and education

9 An orphan is a person who has lost one or both parents.

One who has lost both parents is often referred to as a“double orphan” and one having lost only one parent as a “single orphan”.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

12

following. One graduate (Interviewee 1067) reports more youth10 staying or returning tofarming in the last seven years with improved roads and access to markets in his community; ina different context researchers witnessed excited crowds in a newly opened market. Anothergraduate (Interviewee 488) spoke of people saying rural life is good but his perspective beingthat it is “both good and bad”. Citing the example of the internet, he spoke of the innocence ofpeople without it and the negative impacts available through it.
Generally, staff and the more than fifty graduates who spoke about the concept of “rural” werein agreement that it refers to communities disadvantaged because of lack of infrastructure:electricity, communication, roads and transportation, markets, education and sometimes basic
needs such as food and shelter. One staff person saw these “lacks” as better describing “remote”
than “rural”. Seven graduates articulated that there is no “rural” in Japan because these
services were always present in their Japanese experience while missing in many of their homecommunities. One graduate (Interviewee 676) described “ruralism” as people dying of jiggers
and it only being “a privilege to be in a rural setting IF you can make that rural setting a happy
place to live in.” A contrasting perspective was shared by one Japanese graduate (Interviewee
1264) who saw potential of more resources and opportunities in rural than urban areas inJapan.
Some described “rural” as a mindset rather than location, with a simplicity of thinking impacted
more by people and creation than money: people who live closer to nature with a dependence on
it and each other for survival. One graduate (Interviewee 739), confronted with the realities ofglobal influences reaching remote rural communities, spoke of the importance of teaching ruralcommunities the care of nature, culture and rich traditions in order that these values not belost. Rural community members often need help in discerning how to resolve their own
problems and assessing the impact of farming inputs on the health of consumers (Interviewee
34). They also need to be supported to not be attracted by the lure of money from illicit crops(Interviewee 1060) as they become more connected with a wider world. Graduates identified
agriculture as a key component of rural life; towns and villages were generally defined as rural
although less so with the arrival of schools and markets.
Several contrasted rural and urban life, noting isolation, congestion, pollution, less conservative
dress, and attitudes of purchasing, consuming and comfort in urban areas. Others spoke of
there being little or no difference between rural and urban living for many, other than there
being no space to produce food for consumption or sale in crowded cities. Several affirmed the40th anniversary theme of “Transformation at the Grassroots: walking with grassroots leaders”
as being more relevant in today’s world as the same leadership and food security interventions
are needed in both urban and rural settings.
One graduate (Interviewee 574) spoke of the value of rural community being “people who canmeet their living standards and also, at the same time… be able to reach their potential… andlive together as a community, be able to meet their goals and achieve their goals together”.

10

Youth definition depends on context. For example, in Sri Lanka you are considered to be a youth up to 50 years ofage if you are unmarried; once married, however young, you are considered to be a an adult.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES
3.3

13

Foodlife

Although not found in the dictionary, the combination of the two words “food” and “life” hasmeaning for staff and graduates of ARI after being coined by Dr. Takami to express the realitythat food and life cannot be separated as each depends on the other. Seeing nature as the gift
God has given to sustain life, ARI staff value the soil and the farmers and communities who
work it. ARI is intended as a place where people can find dignity and satisfaction in producing
food with their own hands and striving towards a healthy relationship with nature, one thatenriches the soil while producing food and deepening quality human relationships.
Experiencing the joy of sharing food produced with the institution’s own labor also guides
learning around this concept (Appendix A).

Figure 9. Foodlife work at ARI.
Photo courtesy of Fujishima Thomas.

Eight staff members reflected that foodlife includes
the “giving of life to make healthy food” and“receiving healthy food” that are basic to all of
existence. A lifestyle of working to produce one’s own
food is “a quiet practical thing” where food is notmerchandise and the labor to produce it is respected
as having value. For some, it also implies a physicalmanifestation of a spiritual reality that Jesus is thebread of life and essential to it. Others felt it
includes urban awareness of food sources and/or
expressing gratitude for the plant or animal thatsacrificed to give life.

A staff questionnaire included a question about whether or not staff are implementing ARIpractices in their own homes and if so how (Appendix D). Five of the responses included
comments about foodlife. Two expatriate staff desired to implement the principles back in theirhome countries, recognizing the need to adapt it to their specific contexts. Two others say theconcept informs their conversations outside of ARI, one of these joining groups that advocate forthese principles. These ideas were part of one staff member’s philosophy before ARI; it has beenstrengthened now with clear words to articulate the concept. No one living off campus shared
about any practical aspects being done at home.
Eighty graduates from other countries either spontaneously mentioned foodlife or were asked ifthey remembered hearing the term. Of these, five, including one former Training Assistant(TA)11, could either not recall the term or had vague recollections of what it meant. For two, theconcept had already been part of their lives prior to coming to ARI, and for one it is a concept
specific only to ARI. More than half of the remaining respondents alluded to the importance ofsafe and healthy food: for energy to work, sustainability of food sources, or sharing with thewider community. For them, foodlife emphasizes the importance of knowing the source of one’s
food, growing healthy food and delinking food from money. Concern was expressed regarding

11 A Training Assistant (TA) is a graduate of ARI who returns to ARI no sooner than five years after graduation for a

one year term to support staff, act as an intermediary between staff and participants, and to deepen learning.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

14

the accessibility to safe food in the future with decreasing food availability as a result of urban
migration and inability of some countries already to feed their own populations.
Nearly 25% of respondents identified foodlife as the farm work, chores, or kitchen duties needed
to manage animal and plant care, as well as food preparation and service, at ARI. Almost as
many explained the concept as sharing – sharing work, excess food, meals, love, life and dignity
as well as education about the concept. One added a Biblical perspective on environmental
protection. Other less frequent responses related to the importance of soil protection(elimination of chemicals) and soil’s nurturing role for seeds, as well as the joy of sharing
cooking skills and the usefulness of food preparation in getting people’s attention for otheractivities.
Three of the seven Japanese graduates speaking about foodlife saw it as work, chores andkitchen duties, with one experiencing cooking as “a torment”. Two identified it as an emotional
experience with such feelings as peace, safety, joy, and happiness in connecting rice cycles andnature. Another defined it as self-sustainability while yet another as an opportunity to educate
people about vegetables.
3.4

Rural leadership

Since a rural community is vulnerable (in the sense that it is affected by global economy andclimate change, in addition to being isolated from minimum services and accesses), “a leader

should be the one who can lead the people in a ‘right’ direction. A right direction is that every
person ‘can eat enough in every meal with a joy of sharing” or “social justice” (Takami’s words
quoted by staff). One staff person described a rural leader as “one who leads a rural community
in which people make a living primarily by agriculture and (are) based on more traditional
values”. Another staff person expressed it as seeking a sustainable way of life based on
agriculture with love, creativity, insights and hope.
Graduates described specific leadership attributes of assessing (8), bringing together (11),listening (12), and sharing (25). For people to respect and follow a leader, eighteen graduates
stressed the importance of being consistent between word and deed; fourteen spoke of needing
to change themselves before being able to impact others. Of the 130 graduates who spoke aboutrural leadership more than thirty spoke of it needing qualities of servant leadership.
3.5

Servant Leadership

There is much historical evidence of the concept of servant leadership in a variety of cultures
going back as far as 600 BC in Lao-Tzu’s classic treatise on servant leadership (Townsend,2009). The concept is further elaborated in the Bible with Christ’s words in Mark 10:42-45, his
example of foot washing in John 13:1-17, and the letter of Paul in I Corinthians 5:16-18.
The term “servant leadership” was coined by Robert Greenleaf (1977). Contrary to traditional
leadership which generally involves the accumulation and exercise of power by one at the “top of
the pyramid”, he asserts that the servant leader shares power, puts the needs of others first andhelps people develop and perform as highly as possible. Spears (2010), after considering
Greenleaf’s work, summarizes the components of Greenleaf’s intent as empathy, healing,awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth ofpeople, and building community.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

15

Yasmin Khalaf Sarayrah (2004) offers two examples of servant leadership in Bedouin-Arabcultures, one from the beginning of the Islamic period and another from the mid twentiethcentury.
The concept continues to be promoted in various disciplines such as business, philanthropy, andeducation. Datron CEO Art Barter (2011) models his work after Greenleaf’s principles, Ken
Blanchard adds Christian principles (2003) and Bill Gates asserts “As we look ahead into thenext century leaders will be those who empower others.” Nelson Mandela (1995) has inspired
many over the years with his deep insights such as “A leader… is like a shepherd. He stays

behind the flock, letting the nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizingthat all along they are being directed from behind”.
ARI asserts “The life of a servant leader serves as an example and inspiration to empower

people to reach their highest potential. A servant leader is a person who willingly takes up alltasks required to serve the people, beginning with those that are most needed or most hated,
and who seeks to help by putting other people and the community first” (ARI Handbook). Staff
members identified all honest manual work as something precious because of what it produces,done in a way the worker can feel proud, happy, contented and respected by others. A former
staff member voiced the importance of graduate credibility being the ability to do the “dirtiest”
work back home.
Three graduates were familiar with the concept before coming to ARI because of strong servant
leader role models in their family or community; another three could not remember hearing theconcepts at ARI. One (Interviewee 1130) expressed appreciation for being exposed to the valuesof Gandhi, Aung Suu Kyi and Jesus. Several more referred to Christ’s example as the basis forservant leadership and one aspires to being “not a great missionary but live like people, not as if

know everything. Christians should not be poor - be able to stand on (their) own but be humble(Interviewee 1156)”.
Those graduates with a wider sustainable impact had captured a healthy sense of servitude as
not being a low position but as nurturer of the capability and potential of people (Interviewees
911 and 1118), not only having a dream but also being able to sell that dream. Others describeda servant leader as a “teacher with ability to think ahead and be comfortable in the back row”
(Interviewee 510), having an awareness that “people follow because you do, not because yousay” (Interviewee 1258) or “a leader is like a mirror for people to learn from” (Interviewee 1195).
3.6

Community building

With its motto “That we may live together,” ARI describes community building as “ARI is aplace where we can learn through sharing – sharing food and sharing life. We come as people ofdifferent cultures, ethnicities and faiths, choosing to live and grow together through ourdifferences and difficulties.” Staff members describe the gatherings in Koinonia12 for meals offood produced with the labor of all, as a joyful experience of the blessings of God and being theheart of the community (Appendix A).

12 Koinonia, the Greek word for communion or fellowship, is the name of the central gathering place at ARI for meals

and fellowship.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

16

Staff spoke about community at ARI being the process of living and learning together to produce
food but not teaching, a place where diversity is accepted and celebrated, and challenges
overcome. One described ARI as being at the center of concentric circles where lessons learned
could be applied to wider circles of family and beyond. Another defined community as the place
people live close together with both positive and negative consequences, and felt living incommunity is more necessary in rural contexts. One spoke of instilling love and peace, anotheridentified “That we may live together” as the key challenge “to maintain/bring peace to theworld of all humans and nature”. Another asked “We always say ‘community,’ but who are thecommunity members of the graduates that we always talk about?”

Graduates spoke about community building being the process of enriching the spirit, or mutualcaring of each other. Several spoke of it being inclusive of all people and involving them inplanning and working together in ways of mutual caring.
3.7

Community development

There are many definitions of community development but the basic concept stated by theUnited Nations in 1948 states "Community Development is a process designed to create

conditions of economic and social progress for the whole community with its active participationand fullest possible reliance upon the community's initiative". (Head, 1979)
Dr. Takami (1976) defined development as “the integrated process of human growth – socially,
politically, economically and culturally – for each and for all people. All people should bepositively involved in the entire process of development efforts from the beginning to the end --that is from its conception stage, its planning, its execution, and tasting of its results. There
must not be those who develop and those who are developed”.
ARI in its curriculum presents questions on “conventional approaches to ‘development’’”
regarding the role of economics, NGO13s, government and private industry. These arepresented as a contrast to the “alternative goal set” of the ARI Mission statement “The missionof the Asian Rural institute is to build an environmentally healthy, just, and peaceful world, inwhich each person can live to his or her fullest potential. This mission is rooted in the love ofJesus Christ. To carry out this mission, we nurture and train rural leaders for a life of sharing.
Leaders, both women and men, who live and work in grassroots rural communities primarily in
Asia, Africa and the Pacific form a community of learning each year together with staff andother residents. Through community based learning we study the best ways for rural people toshare and enhance local resources and abilities for the common good. We present a challenge toourselves and the whole world in our approach to food and life” (Hoover communication, 2015).
Of the more than sixty graduates who commented on what development meant to them in theircommunities, key elements included participation (12)14, spirituality (10) and livelihoods (8),described more in depth by some to include health (7) and family well-being (4). Change or“moving forward” was important to graduates (14) for sustainability, leadership, listening,teaching, monitoring and evaluating. Networking (6) was seen as important for effective use ofresources, environmental stewardship and advocacy, especially in managing difficult political
A non-government Organization (NGO) is any non-profit, voluntary citizens' group which is organized on a local,
national or international level.
13

14

Numbers in brackets indicate number of graduates giving this response.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

17

situations of forced change in people’s lives. Development was seen to go beyond physicalinfrastructures and learning “to value whatever place you are at” (Interviewee 1212).
One graduate (Interviewee 1012) described the reality of development in a remote mountaincommunity “A sick person used to need to be carried on the head for five to six kilometers to a

hospital. When we solved that, that is development, so now we want the school. We don’t wantto live the way we used to we want to change”. When these steps involve community care of theenvironment while at the same time loving neighbors and using economics as a means to anend, rather than the end in itself, with all people having access to their rights, then that issustainable development (Interviewee 614). Others summed this up as “A step from where you
are to one forward is development” (Trip notes April 4, 2014) and as having the goal of restoring
Eden15 (Interviewee 871).
3.8

Spiritual growth

At ARI discussions center around the meaning of spirituality, prayer and how spiritual growth
can be impacted by other cultures and faiths. During the study, a total of 164 graduates
responded to a question regarding the source of energy to do their work. Of these, seventyseven (73 Christians) identified their strength as coming from their faith: eight of these spoke ofthe value (7) or challenges (1) of inter-religious relationships. Some developed a spiritual
conviction at ARI and most found their faith to be enriched by the differing perspectives theyencountered to have a deeper appreciation of God’s image so richly displayed in diversity.
Others, rather than speaking of spirituality, spoke of sources of inner strength coming fromreciprocal caring relationships with communities (31) and families (20). Inspiration from ARI(25), personal physical or emotional strengths (20), and support of colleagues (8) were alsomentioned. Of those mentioning family, one (Interviewee 1193) spoke of never thinking offamily in a desire to sacrifice and serve; another (Interviewee 486) spoke of being reminded of
Takami’s words that “even family and children could be a stumbling block” as motivation whenthings seem difficult.

Figure 9. Morning gathering at ARI. Photo courtesy of Fujishima Thomas.
15 Eden is the garden where, according to the account in Genesis, Adam and Eve first lived, or a place of pristine orabundant natural beauty.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

4.

18

ARI experience
4.1

Participant referrals

Understanding how graduates have been referred to ARI is important to planning for future
recruitment strategies. Graduates have learned about the possibility of studying at ARI in
various ways over the years (Figure 10). No participant from Nepal was referred from a faithbased organization while almost all from Myanmar were, in spite of a totalitarian government.
All those interviewed who had been recommended by faith-based organizations were fromChristian churches or organizations with the exception of one who represented a Buddhist
organization. Family members and friends are among those indicated as “Other”.
35

35

30

30

25

25

20

20

15

15

10
10
5
5

0

0
1662 - 1970 - 1980 - 1990 - 2000 - 2010 69
79
89
99
09
13
Faith basedNGO

Graduate

Other

Figure 10. Participant recommendations
by location.

Faith basedNGO

Graduate

Other

Figure 11. Participant recommendations
by decade.

Figure 11 shows the trends of recommendations by SBs over time. Most participants werereferred from faith-based entities (churches and organizations) prior to 2000; since thennumbers being referred from NGOs and graduates is increasing. This is particularly true for
East Africa, India and Indonesia.
As per the ARI Admissions Brochure (Appendix H), requirements for applicants indicate thatthey must have at least three years of experience as leaders in a rural community and be
nominated by a SB. Preference is given to field staff of an organization; directors or
administrative staff are not accepted. Applicants between the ages of twenty and fifty years ofage, with or without any faith path, are accepted if considered able to live a simple anddemanding life. Adequate oral and written proficiency in English is needed for the curriculum
which is taught in English. Priority is given to training women: student ratios of women are
increasing as seen in the increase from 10% in the 1960s to 47% since 2010 (Appendix E).

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES
4.2

19

ARI learning

How graduates experienced living in community and rotating group leadership with staff andvolunteers in the daily and seasonal activities at ARI is key to planning the integration of those
aspects for future participants. About half of the graduates interviewed spoke about theirexperience at ARI, identifying aspects learned, impact of learning on return home, success andchallenges, as well as random memories.

4.2.1

Community life

The lessons learned by living in community (32) included recognizing that all people are equal,
and being better able to understand and deal with other cultures. This, combined with values(5) such as honesty, cleanliness and “never giving up” contributed to abilities to work withhuman rights and peace issues (Interviewee 1060). Christians also deepened theirunderstanding that spreading the gospel is difficult if one does not have concern for people’s
physical well-being (Interviewee 1109).

4.2.2

Learning by doing

Leading by example, also referred to as “seeing and doing” or “learning by doing”, was cited bytwenty-seven graduates as a key lesson. Most described this in terms of chores and kitchen
duties being done by staff and participants alike: many expressed their initial surprise at seeing
the director clean toilets or do chores. Six grasped the concept more deeply as involving equality
in discussions and participation, as well as the value of “doing” in deepening skills.
Participants learned about Japanese culture both on and off campus. Japanese “weekenders” oncampus provided opportunities to learn about urban Japanese culture and were seen as people“who run from their homes to come to this foreign, and international place – they feel better,they gained a good gain” (Interviewee 934). An ethic of hard work was evident both on campus
and in homestays: most appreciated the experience and felt nurtured by their hosts while somefelt challenged by language and culture. A few questioned the value of the number of homestays
and/or whether the motives of hosts accepting ARI participants were for financial gains. Others
noted differences between ARI and its context, such as expressed by one graduate (Interviewee629) speaking about organic practices “Even in Japan, nobody follows it”.

4.2.3

Agriculture

Learning about agricultural systems (10), livestock care (8), crops and vegetables (3) andcompost making (8) was valued by graduates, although ARI did not always have the focus onorganic production that it has presently. One earlier graduate (Interviewee 770) spoke of “oneprofessor against chemicals” and another (Interviewee 449) noted the subject of organics was
better covered during a TA experience in the ‘90s than during his time as a participant in the‘70s. Those who came from farming backgrounds found adjusting to ARI routines easy, but all
spoke of the learning, although challenging, having been beneficial to them.

4.2.4

Resource management

Recognizing the available resources at their disposal, three women spoke of their allowances at
ARI, one sending hers home to pay school fees and two others to buy land that has helped eachA STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

20of them establish ministries for children. Another (Interviewee 234) shared of the pain of being“here in Japan with milk with piglet but my family – my home without - without milk enough”.
Waste management was learned by observing, rather than as a formal component of the ARI
curriculum. Several shared that no food is ever wasted at ARI: one graduate (Interviewee 275)
recalled the days when participants collected and weighed garden produce but were not allowed
to eat any of it. However, some graduates identified areas where lesser stewardship is evident.
Body parts of animals commonly used for food by graduates at home is discarded at ARI andmachinery declared unfit for use that has potential in other contexts; discarded grass cutting
machines were taken home by one graduate (Interviewee 891). These different perspectives areunderstandable according to one graduate (Interviewee 558), who noted that historicalJapanese life is equivalent to life today in some graduate home contexts where even the basic
machines of ARI are not available.

4.2.5

Time management

Time is seen as valuable. Staff say it is a precious resource to be used in productive ways toharmonize the work so that individuals and communities may have healthy bodies andrelationships with a balance of work and rest. At ARI, time management of daily schedules isrigidly followed, including on weekends; two staff spoke of having little life beyond ARI becauseof work schedules. ARI’s timely response to financial payments to researchers werecommendable and time was generously given to them when physically present. Response toother communications and requests for information frequently went unanswered unlessinitiated by the Internal Research Coordinator; this changed after the March, 2016 meetings
between staff and researchers. After that questions were responded to in a timely manner.
4.3

Challenges

Fewer than thirty graduates spoke of challenges at ARI, some of these only when specificallyasked. The main challenges identified, especially during the first three months, included
language, adjusting to different cultures, homesickness, food, slippers, climate, caring foranimals and trying to implement practices back home. Several identified that they had notrecognized the value of ARI until after returning home and one (Interviewee 1217) spoke of“discovering things you thought were new at ARI are actually in your community and you left
the ideas at ARI”. Some spoke of the temptation to stay in Japan illegally, one even being
offered a handbook on how to do that (Interviewee 889).
Many spoke of participants who had “escaped” from ARI: no statistics are kept but anecdotal
evidence was provided that there had been no participants leaving the institute illegally after2008 until 2015, when two participants from Nepal left the institute to remain in Japan several
months after a devastating earthquake in their home country. Researchers met only one personfrom several years ago (Interviewee 550) whose desire to help a remote community led to his
being sent by a fake organization, staying in Japan to pay off debts, and being helped byauthorities while in detention to arrange educational opportunities because of his interpersonal
skills.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES
4.4

21

Benefits

Graduates described how benefits at ARI far surpassed the challenges. The benefit of having
left their home countries to study at ARI in Japan was that they gained a perspective of thewider world in terms of economics, culture, religion and cross-cultural relationships. This was
significant in reducing fear of others, appreciating other faith paths and forming relationships,
many of which have lasted years after graduation. At ARI, they also learned the value of safe
food, organic agriculture practices, stewardship of resources and a sense of responsibility for theenvironment. For many, credibility in their own communities and countries increased becauseof having studied outside the country.
4.5

Training Assistant (TA) and Graduate Interne (GI)16 experiences

Seven graduates spoke of having been invited to the TA opportunity and another four indicatedan interest in coming in the future; perceptions of past TAs and GIs is important for planning
future experiences mutually beneficial to TAs, GIs, and ARI. Of those who were invited as TAs,
three refused because of uncertainty about the role or family and work concerns. One hadrefused at the last minute after all arrangements had been made because of an ill family
member who died shortly after; that person said no future correspondence to ARI has been
responded to (Interviewee 558).
The reasons for seeking a TA position included wanting to learn more about a specific topic or
refresh learning after five years. Also, graduates wanted the increased credibility at home bystudying in a foreign country. Some would like to give input to ARI because of their own
valuable work experience. Although they have valuable insights to share, two people
acknowledged they are too old to be accepted.
Most described their TA experiences as involving three roles: dormitory and community lifecombined with crops and vegetables, poultry, or kitchen duties. This left little or no time forlearning or sharing on or off campus other than in food-life activities and morning gathering. In
these roles, opportunities for learning did include learning how ARI manages the farm, cooking
foods from different countries, constructing a tunnel greenhouse, and/or writing a paper on a
topic of interest. One TA spoke of not having the opportunity to learn about a technique thatwas failing in a SB project, and another spoke of leaving with far more ideas and capabilities
than as a participant but having no resources to implement them. Another has left a SB toestablish an independent farm with support of the network developed during the extended timein Japan; this person was one of three interviewed whose terms were lengthened to meet ARI
needs.
One graduate reported that prior to 1986 TAs were assigned to a specific project: three spoke of
having had a specific project, one of them also doing some lecturing. Although the latter
individual was one of those having the greatest satisfaction in the TA experience, his words "Ialso giving idea to ARI staff, but mostly staff give order to us" voiced the sentiments of several.
These TAs felt they were treated as volunteers and not much different or even “less precious
than participants” with double the work and their main role being to help staff and mediate as
16 A graduate intern (GI) is a Japanese ARI graduate who stays on for an additional year at the institute to deepen

learning in a specific area.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

22role models or “middlemen” between staff and participants. One, still on campus, acknowledged
having challenges but was unwilling to verbalize them at this point. Another summed up thechallenges of the TA role as the “goals and roles are not the same”.
Of the eighty graduates who had served as TAs in ARI’s history, interviews for this study
included sixteen. ARI, on learning that three years of TAs had returned home without reallyaccomplishing what was needed to meet their needs, began assigning a consultant to each TA in2015 with the intention of discussing goals, allowing TAs to select some classes and attempting
to have them visit farmers.
Researchers also interviewed four Graduate Internes (GIs) from between 1991 and 2015. The
Graduate Interne (GI) is a program designed specifically for Japanese graduates and differsfrom the TA program in that it follows immediately after the participant experience. All GIs
interviewed were pleased with the opportunity it provided them to deepen their agriculturallearning. One missed having as much time to talk with participants and another was happy tohaving been part of forming a FAMSIG (Farm, Meal Service and Income Generation)17 groupand inviting a donor to be thanked in a special event.

Figure 12. ARI greenhouse. Photo courtesy of Fujishima Thomas.

17 Farm, Meal Service and Income Generation (FAMSIG) is a monthly meeting of representatives from farm, meal

service, and income generation sectors at ARI to discuss needed outputs and use of farm produce.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

5.

23

Dream/plan*

Since its inception, ARI has encouraged participants to think about their futures. This section
outlines the learning regarding the best ways to formulate the reflection papers18 that are amajor assignment near the end of the training. ARI provided researchers with records ofparticipants’ plans and/or dreams for their lives on return home between the years of 2001 and2014. Of these, seventy-seven papers had been written by graduates interviewed as part of thisstudy.
5.1

Demographics of graduates with dreams/plans

The demographics of this graduate sample of graduates are show Figures 13 and 14.
Democratic Republic of Congo
Tanzania
Nepal
India
Sri Lanka
Indonesia
0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Number of Graduates
FemaleMale

Figure 13. Demographics of graduates with dreams/plans visited by country.

11

Number of Graduates

9
7
5
3
1
-1

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006
2007
Female
Male

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Figure 14. Demographics of graduates with dreams/plans visited by year.
A reflection paper is a paper written during the course of an ARI participant experience based on the model ofappreciative inquiry. It reflects the home community of the participant, a “peak life experience”, learning at ARI, anda dream and/or plan for the future depending on when they attended ARI.
18

* Analysis and writing by Hannah Borst with editing by Bev Abma.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES24

To eliminate any bias of either of the researchers based on visits and/or long-term relationships
at ARI, an intern unknown to any of the graduates, was contracted to compare thesedreams/plans with current realities documented in recorded interviews or field notes.
5.2

Achievement of dream/plan

The data in Figure 15 suggests that 53% of graduatesinterviewed have achieved or partially achieved their
dream/plan as stated in their ARI reflection paper;
47% of graduates interviewed have not yet been able to
do so.

Yes
26%

Partial27%

Papers prior to 2004 had a general format thatNo
included country and organizational context, problem
47%
Yes
No
Partialidentification, ARI learning, resources and clear action
the graduate planned on making after reaching home.
Figure 15. Graduate achievement
Beginning in 2004, the focus changed to developing aof dream/plan.
“dream” in keeping with appreciative inquiry
approaches that focus on innovation rather than fixing the old (Cooperrider, 2010). From thispoint on, papers tended to mention more general vague dreams with fewer plausible steps to
making the dream a reality. In 2008, writers began including a first step towards their dream.
The differences in approaches is evident in two random samples of content from 2002 and 2012
(Appendix I).
5.2.1

Reasons for not completing plan

When considering the data in Figure 16 it should be noted that the more recent the graduate,
the less time they have had in which to complete their dream or plan.

12

Number of Graduates

10
8
6

Figure4 17. Reasons for incompletion.
2
0
2002

2003

2004

2005

2006
Yes

2007
No

2008

2009

2010

PartialFigure 16. Graduate achievement of dream/plan by year of graduation.

2011

2012

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

25

However, a few significant correlations stood out for why
a graduate had not completed his/her dream as seen in
14%
42%
Figure 17. The first, there was no funding for the22%
graduate upon return. Of the graduates who were notable to accomplish their goal, 14% spoke of writing a
22%
dream/plan that they anticipated could be accomplishedthrough their SB, but upon returning home the SB
No funding
either had no money for the dream/plan or wanted theWent on other work
graduate to work on another project (section 8.3.2). With
Skills did not apply
no money or support the graduate was unable to achieve
Too abstract/detailed
his/her dream/plan and continued to work or, in the caseof 22% of the graduates who had not completed their
Figure 17. Reasons for incompletion.
dream/plan, changed to new emphases that wereachievable in their specific contexts. Examples of thisincluded seeking employment elsewhere, starting new organizations and/or demonstration
farms and garbage sorting.
For another 22% of the graduates, the skills learned at ARI could not be applied to thegraduate’s home setting because of geographical differences. It could be seen that the graduates
who realized the agricultural skills they had learned in Japan could not be utilized where they
lived either dismissed their dream/plan or changed it to apply to their setting. Graduates alsomentioned how trying different methods took time, and it was not abnormal for the SB to stop
funding after a few trials. Reasons for this included not being able to find appropriate materials
for bokashi19, poultry dying of disease in the face of no available vaccine, or the time frame for
profit from the endeavor being longer than anticipated by the organization (section 8.3.1).
About 42% of the dreams/plans were too abstract to fully achieve because graduates talked
about entire communities, populations, or countries changing. Some mentioned desiring
people’s attitudes or feelings to change. If the dream/plan was abstract, the graduate usuallywrote lengthy paragraphs about what their dream community would look like or would bedoing. There was no obvious dream/plan laid out but rather ideas within the paragraphs.
These sorts of plans/dreams were difficult to measure because they related to characteristics ofpeople and not specific projects. On the contrary, other graduates included details in their
dream/plan that were too specific for them to achieve. They had a goal of a certain percentageof their population doing something, a number of people, or targeting a group they had not beenpart of before coming to ARI. The more radical the dream/plan the less achievable it was for thegraduate.
The 27% of the total graduates who have partially completed their dream/plan usually included
lists of small dreams/plans in their reflection paper. The lists were not specific to one area of

19 Bokashi is the Japanese word for fermented organic matter and is one of the fermented fertilizers made at ARI by

mixing organic materials such as rice bran and chicken manure with soil (clay soil or sub soil from the forest) andother materials including rice husks and wood charcoal.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

26

their life but included multiple areas like community, faith, work, and self. A couple of theideas on the list had been completed, but others had not because of reasons mentioned above.
The 26% of the total graduates who have completed their dream/plan were more likely toinclude one or two short ideas in their reflection paper. They stated their dream/plan clearly inthe reflection paper and then expanded on their action steps in the following paragraphs.
Another significant correlation that contributed to a graduate achieving his/her dream/plan was
SB support upon return from ARI: 63% of graduates who were able to fully pursue their
dream/plan had the support of their SB as reflected in Figure 18.

37%
63%

Partial Yes
27% 26%
No
47%
Yes

No

Had sending body support
PartialWork before ARI related to ARI idealogies

Figure 18. Factors impacting achievement of dream/plan.
By contrast, of graduates who were not able to fully pursue their dream/plan, 74% did not havethe support from their SBs. For the graduates that achieved their dream/plan, it was clear fromthe interviews that the graduates had a close connection with the SB and that the SB wasaware ahead of time of what the graduate would learn at ARI. The SB appeared to be prepared
for the graduates return and had the available resources for the graduate to begin working with
communities for change.
Of those graduates who have completed their dream/plan, 37% had held a position related to
ARI values in their community before going to Japan. These included farmers, development
workers, and human rights activists who had already dealt with issues related to agriculture
and human development. When comparing theirreflection papers and interviews these graduates showedthat they knew how their community would respond to28%
46%
their new skills, what resources they had or could obtain,
and what challenges they would need to overcome tomake their dream/plan a reality. Graduates that are well26%
established and plan on staying in their community seem
more likely to know how to achieve their dream/plan.
Organic agriculture is a key feature of the community lifeof ARI with thirty five of the seventy-seven graduates
Yes
PartialNo(45%) having wanted to implement organic agricultural
Figure 19. Organic practice implementation.
practices on return home. How much they were able toA STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES
do this, is shown in Figure 19. Factors hindering full use of organic ways included lack ofavailable resources, loss of profit, and inability to keep up with competition. Several of those
who had not implemented the organic methods they had mentioned in their dream/plan werevery apologetic about not being able to do so and seemed to feel they had somehow failed ARI
because of that.
As indicated earlier, not all graduates interviewed had an available reflection paper or plan
available for comparison; this section of the report applies only to those who did.

Figure 20. Community meeting in East Africa. Photo courtesy of Steven Cutting.

27

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

6.

28

Sending bodies

A sending body (SB) is an organization that recommends
one of its staff persons or committed long-term volunteers
as a potential participant for study at ARI with the
expectation that the individual will be reintegrated into
the organization upon graduation from ARI (Appendix H).
A SB “may be an international, national, national or local

NGO, religious organization, or other organization based
in a rural area, with a clear history of working for at least
three years with marginalized people in the local
community, and a commitment toward selfsustainability” (ARI, 2016). In its 40th anniversarycommunity statement, ARI affirmed both its belief thatSBs are the organizations working for local
transformation, and a desire to find the best ways topartner with them (Appendix F). For this reason
relationships with these organizations were included aspart of the study.

Figure 23. Organizational
achievements. Photo courtesy of
Steven Cutting.

There is a formal process for an organization to become a SB. The organization completes anapplication form that is reviewed by ARI staff to determine if the organization is “like minded”,
working towards similar goals as ARI. Once the organization is approved it is sent an
individual application form for the recommended candidate. Only if the individual is accepted
does the organization become a SB (Personal communication, Froede K, April 6, 2016).
Aware of the financial limitations of SBs to cover participant expenses, ARI establishes
connections with potential supporters to subsidize these costs. Staff raised questions as towhether or not SBs were sending the most qualified people in light of this subsidized tuition.
They especially questioned this in regards to whether or not SBs were utilizing graduate skills
on return, particularly those of volunteers. In addition some questioned the role of SBs,
especially for those participants whose SBs provide no financial support for their attendance(Recruitment brainstorming notes, Feb. 4, 2015).
Generally, staff had little knowledge of SBs that graduates were returning to and more than
one verbalized that these relationships are the responsibility of the Admissions and Graduate
Outreach Coordinator.
Researchers had the opportunity to visit staff at various levels in fifty-five organizations (either
SBs or current employers). Visits were also made to twenty-three communities of the thirty

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

29

faith-based organizations visited (one Buddhist and the rest Christian) as well as seventeen of
the twenty-four secular development organizations (Figures 21 & 22).

9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0

5
4
3
2
1
0

Office and community

Office only

Figure 21. Faith-basedorganization visits.

Office and community

Office only

Figure 22. Secular development
organization visits.

Most organizations used a variety of participative development20 methodologies to mobilize
community groups to work towards more sustainable livelihoods through agriculture, livestockand microfinance activities21. Generally, agricultural efforts included integrated approaches for
fertility and pest management that were most appropriate to specific contexts. Diversity of foodcrops combined with longer term fruit and wood trees contributed more towards family wellbeing and natural resource conservation. Introduction of small animals22 allowed people tolearn skills with less risk, with those successful buying bigger animals as they could afford.
Chickens and pigs tended to be prone to disease in areas where immunization was notavailable. Microfinance activities were most effective when they included an internal savings
component and were not dependent on any external funding.
Most Christian based organizations included a component of church mobilization and somefound credit unions a positive way to enter communities and gather people for other initiatives
such as health training. These organizations also spoke more about transformation of families
20

Participative development is a process through which stakeholders can influence and share control overdevelopment initiatives, and over the decisions and resources that affect themselves.
21

Microfinance or microcredit is the lending of small amounts of money at low interest to new businesses in thedeveloping world.
22

Small animals include poultry, rabbits, goats, and/or bees.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

30

and communities to having dignity such as being “able to feed my children, to take my children
to school simply because of the training I went through” in the words of one organizational
director (Org 6).
Lesser numbers of organizations are addressing climate change, conserving the environment, or
mitigating effects of natural and human disasters. In situations of conflict, advocacy efforts arecarried out regarding human rights for women and children, refugee or displaced population
resettlements, land tenure and infrastructure services. The factors that contribute to successes
and challenges of individual graduates as discussed in section 8 apply equally to organizations.
Organizational staff were very mindful of the big investment put into ARI training and felt that
follow-up is important to verify how graduates are applying their training beyond sharing
stories or saying the training was good.
On the part of SBs, there is a desire to have ARIknow their organizations better and have closer
collaboration for a more flexible application
process, deeper understanding of participant
learning needs and supportive realistic plansfor graduates on their return. Organizations
are treading a difficult balance of keeping theirorganizations active and relevant in a donor
trend of decreasing and/or short term funding.
Several organizations verbalized a willingness
to collaborate for alumnae meetings andFigure 24. Organizational plan.
Photo courtesy of Steven Cutting.

internships after the ARI experience to deepen
graduate learning more specific to their own
contexts. A list of such potential organizations
is included in Appendix J.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

7.

31

Context

Participants at ARI come from a wide variety of contexts and are impacted by many factors that
include geography, culture and religion. When they return home their ability to impact what
they have learned at ARI, especially as it relates to sustainable livelihoods and health, is
impacted by changing world realities around them: aspects such as agricultural practices,
conflict, globalization, politics, infrastructure, migration, and weather patterns.
Graduate roles as community change agents occurred most often as part of faith-based or
secular development organizations as reflected in Figure 25.

30
25
20
15
10
5
0

Faith based organization

Secular development organization

Government

Indepen-dent

RetiredFigure 25. Graduate employment.

As each context is unique, the activities, successes and challenges of graduates are discussed intheir geographic and social contexts in order to better understand their opportunities andchallenges.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES
7.1

32

East Africa

East Africa is the portion of sub-Saharan Africa madeup of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and consistinglargely of plateaus and two parallel rift valleys. All
three countries adjoin Lake Victoria; Mt. Kilimanjaroin the East of Tanzania is the highest mountain in
Africa (Britannica, 2016).
The climate is generally tropical except in highelevations. Vegetation ranges from woodlands tograsslands, famous for the diverse wildlife so
attractive to tourists.
The East African Community (EAC) is the regional
intergovernmental organization of these three
republics along with the Republics of Burundi and
Rwanda. All have had diverse political histories but
are making remarkable progress in the areas ofinstitution building, integration and infrastructurewith Kenya having the largest economy (Kimenyi &Kibe, 2014)

7.1.1

Figure 26. Map of Africa. Copiedfrom www.theodora.com/images.

Kenya context

Kenya is a multi-ethnic state of the Great Lakes region of East Africa with a population of overforty-four million people, predominantly of Bantu and Nilotic origins. The country has apopulation density of seventy-nine people per square kilometer, which is only 23% of that ofJapan (World Bank, 2014).
Independence from Britain came in 1964, after which the country was ruled as a de facto singleparty state23 until 1991. It has had its share of politically instigated violence along ethnic andtribal lines (Kimenyi & Kibe, 2014). Graduates share that blurred boundaries currently exist
between “terrorists” with labels such as Al-Qaeda24, Al-Shabaab25 and even Islam given with noreal clarity and police often looting, rather than bringing law and order, after events such as the
widely publicized Westlands mall bombing in Nairobi in 2013.
Environmental issues are a key concern in Kenya as the forests on mountains are needed toprovide a steady flow of water for much of the population. Two graduates (Interviewee 49 & 51)

23

A de facto single-party state is a dominant party state that, unlike the single party state, allows (atleast nominally) democratic multiparty elections, but the existing practices or balance of political power
effectively prevent the opposition from winning the elections.
24

Al-Qaeda is a radical Islamic group organized by Osama bin Laden in the 1990s to engage in terrorist activities.

25

Al-Shabaab is an Arabic phrase meaning "the Youth", often used to refer to a Somalia-based militant Islamist groupaligned with Al-Qaeda.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

33

described their distress at finding “the Japanese clearing our (Kenyan) forests” when they werein Japan. Most graduates describe major challenges of deforestation and climate change in the
country in spite of efforts such as those of Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai’s Green Belt
Movement (2003) which focused on planting trees. Eucalyptus26 is a significant challenge as
explained in section 8.1.8.
Resolving land issues has become even more complicated with government decentralization. A
new constitution adopted in 2010 increased the number of members of parliament from 200 to
700; many question whether or not this number will be sustainable, especially financially. One
graduate (Interviewee 921) has been involved in these decentralization efforts in advocating for,and educating oral societies regarding their land rights, government accountability and aspects
as simple as signing a check before it expires. Even though geographically near larger centers,
these communities are isolated by poor roads and seasonal flooding.
Cell phones have made a major contribution to communication and even offer banking services,
decreasing the need for travel to deliver money to family members. The road between Nairobi
and Mombasa is congested and notoriously dangerous, causing many people to avoid it. It is theroute for transporting all goods from the Mombasa port inland and on to neighboring landlocked Uganda. The congested border crossing between Kenya and Uganda can take several
days: as a result, both legal and illicit commerce are rampant there. Governments areattempting to work with these challenges and recently have introduced a first step towardeasing the situation, at least for tourists, with a multiple entry tourist visa that includes Kenya,
Uganda and Rwanda (Lonely Plant, 2016).

7.1.2

Uganda context

On the west side of Kenya, Uganda also bridges the equator. One graduate (Interviewee 1143)
identified this country as the “land of milk and honey” with a tropical climate and two growing
seasons a year. Others agreed about the potential of the country for agriculture but spoke of itschanging face with large entities buying out small farmers; more land is being taken forresidential areas as the wealthy seek to live away from congested cities. Legislation has been
passed to avoid tenants being left homeless in land transactions, requiring that they be advisedof upcoming sales and be given first opportunity to purchase. Tenants, however, have little
opportunity to benefit from this ruling because of escalating land prices.
Graduates also share that Ugandan education has historically been an inefficient system withhigh student to teacher ratios. A curriculum geared for white collar jobs often uses digging27 aspunishment for students. This has left young people seeking urban opportunities where they
have few marketable skills. The adult literacy rate in the country is 73%. Almost 50% of the
population of 37,500,000 people is under 14 years of age and almost half of those, mostly girls,
drop out by fifth grade (Bread for the World 2015 Hunger Report). Churches and private schools
work to fill this gap with more schools but attendance in those is more costly.

26 Eucalyptus is a fast-growing evergreen tree native to Australia that has been widely introduced elsewhere. It isvalued for its timber, oil, gum, resin and as an ornamental tree.
27 Digging is a term used for manual farm work such as hoeing.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

34

With a largely rural population dependent on subsistence farming, the Human Development
Index28 of the country is fifteenth from the bottom (HDR 2015). Graduates say that
opportunities for export of agricultural products are increasing, however benefit mostly large
landholders, who may even try to eke out a third crop in a year. Day laborers in these settings
try to emulate the large farm practices by using chemical inputs on their small holdings. They
are not only resistant to organic methodologies, but lack access to the animals and weed-freecompost materials needed for organic methods. Near urban areas, massive amounts of garbage
also contaminate soil and ground water, contributing to human and animal disease (Interviewee
1143).
Although Christianity is predominant, animistic beliefs are strong, and distrust of the West has
been prevalent over the years. Many perceive birth control, HIV29/AIDS30 prevention and, more
recently the spread of the Ebola virus as Western attempts to decrease African populations. A
Google search reveals multiple websites such as The Talking Drum (2003) with this message.
The impact of the disease has been no small thing, as HIV-1 was first described in the Rakai
area of the country in 1981 (Mugerwa, 1996) and resulted in many child-headed households.
Animism also contributes to the impact of Joseph Kony’s personality cult in the Lord’s
Resistance Army, accused of widespread human rights violations in Uganda and adjacentcountries (Craine, n.d.).
The traditional hospitality and asylum policies of the government have resulted in refugees
streaming into the country since the 1960s, with more than 385,000 present currently, mostly
from the Democratic Republic of Congo. This follows the years of the Idi Amin dictatorship from1971-79, notorious for human rights abuses and between 100,000 and 500,000 deaths (Bread for
the World 2015 Hunger Report). Residents speak of how during this, and the Rwanda genocideeras, bodies could be seen floating in Lake Victoria as far as Tanzania.

7.1.3

Tanzania context

Political unrest in surrounding countries has left its mark on Tanzania. Travel at night inwestern areas is dangerous although buses are no longer provided with the armed security
necessary a few years ago. There is also marked depletion of forests and wild animals nearrefugee settlements located in the rural western areas.
The country’s population of 49 million is unevenly dispersed. Population density in the far west
is as little as one person per square kilometer in arid regions and up to 134 people per square
kilometer in the capital of Zanzibar (WPR, 2016). Inland, Dodoma is being promoted as thepolitical capital but this has been a slow transition because of its remoteness. Dar es Salam on

28 The Human Development Index (HDI) is a summary measure of average achievement in key dimensions of humandevelopment: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable and having a decent standard of living. This is assessed bylife expectancy at birth, mean of years of schooling for adults aged twenty-five years and more, and expected years ofschooling for children ready to enter school.
29 Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that interferes with the body’s ability to fight organisms that cause

disease.
30 Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic life-threatening condition caused by the humanimmunodeficiency virus (HIV)A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

35

the coast remains as the de facto capital31 and Mwanza, on the southern edge of Lake Victoria,
is the second largest city.
With more than 100 ethnic groups and languages, Tanzania has two national languages,
Swahili and English, after a history of colonialization by the Germans, and later the British,
before independence in 1961. Elections in 2015 were completed with a relatively peacefulchange in government with the exception of Zanzibar, an island community where the elections
were annulled because of fraud and the situation is still in limbo (Gakuba, 2016).
Bicycles more often replace motorcycles here than in Uganda on poor roads passing througheucalyptus and pine forests in the west. Sporadic fields of rice, maize, cotton, sunflowers, andsugar cane are evident in central and eastern regions where pastoralists tend their herds andriver bed gardens are often farmed with oxen. All are impacted by El Niño cycles.

7.1.4

Findings

Thirty four graduates were interviewed and all have benefited at one time or another with thesupport of external funding. Contexts vary greatly from one region to another, even within acountry, and explain the differing practices. One graduate (Interviewee 1215) reports thepresence of very little chemical fertilizer and a prevalence of natural versus organic farming.
Others in less remote areas speak of the power of chemical advertisements in a consumeristic
culture that demands instant cash. As a result, one graduate (Interviewee 1056) distributes
manure free from his parish pig farm in order to educate people and promote organic farming.
Another (Interviewee 770) is in a context where people have more concern for health issues so
are willing to pay more for organic foods.

7.1.4.1

Faith-based organizations32

Fourteen graduates are employed in church-based organizations, all with some aspect ofagriculture and community development in their roles.
One married couple attended ARI and visited the US together, returning with savings that theyused to purchase twelve acres of land. Here, they developed a farm and model servant
leadership in teaching agricultural practices. They also provide educational opportunities forunderprivileged children in a school complex with boarding facilities for seventy students. The
grounds on their complex are popular for social events such as weddings. They tried growing
rice but it was not viable; however, they do raise a wide variety of crops and train community
members on water harvesting in increasingly arid conditions. They have established twentyfour community schools and a teachers’ college and are developing an important link to auniversity for accreditation which graduates say is crucial to anyone seeking employment. To
keep their operations functioning, the couple have sold portions of their land which hassignificantly increased in value over the years. They also host mission teams from North

31 A de facto capital is a capital existing in actuality, especially when contrary to, or not established by law.

32

Faith-based organizations are of three types: congregations; national networks, which include national

denominations, their social service arms and networks of related organizations; and freestanding religiousorganizations, which are incorporated separately from congregations and national networks (Vidal, 2001).

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

36

America for both material and financial support. The husband (Interviewee 51) is one of nine
ARI graduates employed in church-based organizations who also have pastoral responsibilities.
Promoted to director of five departments in a SB on return, and later serving as a missionary to
the US, one clergy (Interviewee 1056) led an initiative to get 1500 children off tobacco farms byeducating them. Only half stayed in the educational program because their parents wanted
them to work for money. Now a parish priest, this graduate works with effective community
savings and loans programs as well as a pig raising operation with more than 100 pigs. In
addition to the manure given to farmers (section 7.1.4), proceeds from the pig sales are used topromote poultry raising in the community. A savings and loan program has helped more than
145 group members save over 120 million TZS33 (almost $55,000) in three years. This has
provided previously non-existent services such as photocopy and stationery shops in this ruralarea.
One clergy graduate (Interviewee 676) is a manager of a refugee resettlement camp, establishedin 1998 after the Rwanda genocide, but now accommodating almost exclusively Congolese
refugees. He still liaises on refugee issues with the government, where he formerly worked.
Day to day management of the camp is carried out by a more recent ARI graduate (Interviewee
1198) who initiated the building of a mudbrick school building on the organization’s compound.
Care of a wide variety of fowl and crop production (organic and inorganic) provide learning
opportunities for a fourteen member women’s group and refugees attempting to resettle on
government allocated land. Housing and some planting materials are provided by internationalNGOs for these resettlement efforts.
Church and NGO sectors combine efforts in another border area, affected by conflict andinfluxes of refugees, where a graduate (Interviewee 645) trains communities on agriculture,organic methodologies and reforestation. Some youth remain in these communities, motivatedby the low cost of organic inputs although there is no marketing advantage for organically
produced food.
One SB (Org 6) is one of three organizations using participative development methodologies indeveloping written organizational targets. It uses a holistic approach encompassing social,economic, environmental, technological and spiritual issues. Its integrated participative
approaches with 9000 farmers have improved their food security, health, environmental
stewardship, and economic empowerment. The organization’s approach also includes
microfinance in the form of savings and credit groups. One (Interviewee 677) of three graduatesin the organization visited who have attended ARI, has successfully implemented poultry
raising. This required overcoming skepticism of staff and communities in introducing poultry
because of their vulnerability to diseases – diseases that have resulted in graduates in manyother places failing and not always starting again. Continuing to be a dynamic influence inspite of a mid-thigh leg amputation, this graduate has been allowed to remain working in one
area rather than experience the usual transfer every few years. With more time in one place,
she asserts that chickens and rabbits are good ways to begin animal rearing. They provide
basic skills in animal care and “(when) you take two cocks to the market they almost bring you
33

TZS: Tanzanian Shilling.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES37

the cash flow equal then to selling one goat”, with the goat taking more resources and time toraise. Another graduate in this organization (Interviewee 574) models practices extensively athome, including vaccinating chicks before delivery to those of the 157 members of eight Savings
and Credit Cooperative34 (SACCO) groups she works with interested in poultry raising. She is
one of two graduates in the organization who described efforts to decrease “retrogressive
values”35 such as the chewing of khat36 (mira) leaves, which are addictive stimulants. She notes
progress as some farmers are uprooting the addictive plant and growing a diversity of food crops
instead.
Another organization (Org 53) using participative methodologies was founded in 1991 as part ofa Catholic diocese with an emphasis on sustainable agricultural and natural resource
management. Activities such as integrated pest and production methods37 (IPPM) are combinedwith microfinance activities to help farmers increase yields. Learning is shared with outsidegroups with similar values – key concepts such as recognizing that group sizes lose theireffectiveness with more than thirty members, or that organizations are more sustainable if they
stagger project terms of multiple donors and manage a few well at any one time. This
organization hosts interns, mostly from Europe, with specific assignments and recently had its
first ARI graduate (Interviewee 1215) return.

7.1.4.2

Secular development organizations

Ten graduates are employed in secular development organizations, some intermittently
volunteering during project funding gaps, and all having some component of agriculture and/or
community building in their roles. An additional four graduates are volunteering inorganizations in addition to having full time jobs, three of them with government positions
unrelated to ARI training.
One graduate (Interviewee 770) in thirty five years with his organization began a “Training ofTrainers”38 (ToT) program with fifteen women in 1993. That has expanded to 120 women who
sell milk, vegetables and cereals; these women now have their own group bank account to accessloans and have installed milk storage and collection centers in two villages. The organization
34

A Savings and Credit Cooperative (SACCO) is a democratic, unique member driven, self-help cooperative. It is

owned, governed and managed by its member who have the same common bond and who agree to save their money,
make loans to each other at reasonable rates of interest, and/or share out profits at group determined intervals. A
member is a person admitted after registration in accordance with the bylaws developed by the group. No benefit goesto anyone external to the group.
35

Retrogression is the process of returning to an earlier state, typically a worse one.

36

Khat (mira) is a flowering plant native to the Horn of Africa: chewing the leaves has a long history and are said tocause excitement, loss of appetite and euphoria but is not seriously addictive.
37

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) or Integrated Pest Prevention Management (IPPM) is an ecosystem based

strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of pests or their damage through a combination of techniques such as
biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices, and use of resistant varieties. It also many
include limited use of pesticides.
A Training of Trainers ToT) model is one in which experienced personnel teach less experienced instructors how todeliver courses, workshops and seminars, in order to build a pool of competent instructors who can teach the material
to others (Duggan, n.d.).
38

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

38

acts as middleman for them, as well as for a group of twenty-five youth who for the past ten
years have grown vegetables for market and created small off-farm businesses to supplement
incomes. In addition to responding to refugee situations, this graduate has participated in avariety of international conferences as both presenter and learner.
Organization (Org 104), using participative methodologies, is one of three organizations
established by ARI graduates in the region. This one was established in 1994 by a graduate(Interviewee 922) after helping establish a successful church-based development organization.
He has nominated two people to ARI and is spoken of highly by several because target
communities take ownership of community work even when project funds end. He also
participated in the rewriting of Kenya’s constitution which was adopted in 2010. He leads theorganization in its focus on helping low literacy, marginalized communities with a rights-based
approach to addressing HIV/AIDS, disasters, and advocating with government. Individuals andcommunities are supported in approaching government for benefits they are legally entitled to;
advocacy has also assisted communities confronting government on corruption and land
grabbing issues. The predominantly volunteer staff have helped communities with a variety ofactivities, including two school constructions and a booster water pump for a municipality.
Another graduate (Interviewee 851) was one of a group of fifteen who established anorganization (Org 61) in 1999 that has been instrumental in 500 farmers in seven districts
improving their livelihoods by combining appropriate technologies, integrated agriculture andanimal husbandry. In addition, school dropouts and orphans find employment after learning ina landscape design training center that incorporates urban organic gardening and sustainableagriculture.
An early graduate (Interviewee 728) was part of forming an organization (Org 195) in 1980,
several years prior to being at ARI. Now, employed as an accountant in a hospital, she
continues to provide volunteer support to the organization’s work in promoting early childhood
education and agriculture that includes a focus on health and nutrition. The promotion oforange fleshed sweet potatoes to prevent blindness led to the introduction of savings and loans
activities to support the purchase of planting materials from a research institution. A separatebusiness entity was created to add value by processing the sweet potatoes and creating amarket. A significant challenge to marketing has been consumer distrust because of otherunscrupulous marketers adding orange dye to ordinary sweet potatoes.
An organization (Org 193) with a school on five acres has a two year educational program (80%practical) for more than eighty school dropouts and a school for younger children with nearly
fifty residential and twenty day students. It accommodates Japanese International Cooperation
Agency 39(JICA) volunteers and is seeking funding to incorporate new ideas from a recent ARI
graduate (Interviewee 1226). Staff spoke of needing to remind the graduate to focus on costeffective initiatives.
Two graduates shared about achievements in previous or part-time work opportunities that
depended on external funding. One of these (Interviewee 664) shared that children trained
39

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is a governmental agency that coordinates official development

assistance (ODA) for the government of Japan.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

39

several years ago are still using the agricultural skills they learned. After, working for two
years in the Middle East, develops various small projects as funding is available; he has
introduced chemical-free bag gardens and day lighting to decrease illnesses in eighty-eighthouseholds in a cramped urban slum. The other graduate (Interviewee 1008) had previously
worked with a cattle redistribution program; one recipient shared with researchers that the cow
she had been given had died but that she had passed on two offspring. The graduate’s own
family is suffering because of personal misfortune.

7.1.4.3

Government employees

One government employee (Interviewee 857) was part of introducing disease resistant cassava
and hand push machines for paddy weeding in addition to forming community groups: four rice,
twenty-five local chicken, two pigs and ten cassava groups. Group members are able to pay
school fees, build good houses and provide good food and clothes.
Another (Interviewee 575), in addition to having served in a government educational institution
prior to retirement, now is on the board of a tele-center that integrates social media and ruralradio. The radio outreach is to five million people in multiple languages with opportunities forquestions on specific issues such as HIV/AIDS and water conservation. Information is also
provided on day to day issues such as weather, planting conditions and current market prices.
Portions of the building are leased, providing income and space for community services
including post office, internet café and computer classes.
Another (Interviewee 829) worked for more than twenty years in a government agricultural
educational institution and, after retirement, continues to help develop questions forgovernment certificate and diploma examinations. With the 100 Euros he had when hereturned from ARI he was able to buy a cow and chickens for sales of milk and eggs; part-time
farming continued to supplement his government income. In terms of organic practices he says
“We use practical agriculture – trying to decrease chemicals and use local pesticides. We need
to use together, not all natural because of the need for pesticides.”7.1.4.4.

Independent graduate activities

One person (Interviewee 1118) was promoted from volunteer to staff in his SB (Org 104) after
his return from ARI, but left to follow his personal dream of a farm and school for orphans. He
carries out this dream with his wife, who is also an ARI graduate. Neighbors come to learn andcopy their use of zai40 pits on their farm. Home accommodations for the students, orphaned andunderprivileged children, provide them with a more normal family life experience and better
opportunity to adjust to living in wider society on graduation than would occur in an
institutional living experience (Hartman, 2014). One of the few who spoke of farming being
more profitable than salaried work, in his case hotel employment, also desired to have a wider
impact by entering politics. He was unsuccessful in this context where candidates may solicit
votes from other areas of the country. His wife, also an ARI graduate (Interviewee 1216), notonly supports the work in the school on eight acres, managed by a board and with 162 children;40

Zai is a farming technique to dig pits 20-30cm long and deep and 90 cm apart in the soil during the preseason tocatch water and collect compost.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

40

but also is revitalizing the community women’s group farm she has been part of since 2003 andwhich stopped its activities while she was away at ARI.
Others working independently include those who left their SBs when external funding ended
and/or had a need to support their families. One (Interviewee 1008) is farming, teachingsavings and loans practices to forty-two people in two groups, and raising chickens with anotherfamily member. One (Interviewee 724) lost her employment shortly after the researchers’ visit;that work had been in school administration with responsibilities for an agricultural club.
Another (Interviewee 919) established his own organic product business and provides
consultation to government employees and others wanting to learn more about the use of
beneficial microbes for health and agriculture.
Five graduates are doing their own personal farming activities in addition to their formal or
volunteer work. One graduate (Interviewee 1152) has struggled with implementing the
agricultural components of his ARI experience, but has been very successful in using skills
learned in a reflexology41 class to bring healing to an average of thirty people per day. He has
also trained thirty people in the same skill.
One graduate is currently managing a hostel (Interviewee 607), another did so in the past
(Interviewee 664). One (Interviewee 1217) is struggling to find a niche in a community that had
unrealistic expectations that skills learned at ARI would include coffee production; however, she
is applying agricultural and livestock skills on family land.

7.1.4.5

Other

One (Interviewee 893), after several years of work with an international non-governmentorganization42 (INGO), works for a microfinance organization founded by a politician’s wife.

Figure 27. East Africa roadside scene. Photo courtesy of Steven Cutting.
41

Reflexology is a system of massage used to relieve tension and treat illness, based on the theory that there are reflex

points on the feet, hands, and head linked to every part of the body.
42

An international nongovernment organization (INGO) is an organization that has the same mission as anongovernmental organization (NGO), but is international in scope and has outposts around the world to deal withspecific issues in many countries.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES
7.2

41

Indonesia

7.2.1

Context

The Republic of Indonesia, formerly known as the Dutch East Indies, is an archipelagocomprised of more than 18,000 islands, of which about 6000 are inhabited (Worldmark, 2007).
Graduates on three of those, Java, Sumatra and Nias were visited as a part of this study.

Figure 28. Map of Indonesia. Copied from www.atlasdigitalmaps.com
Hundreds of distinct ethnicities and language groups comprise the population of nearly 250
million (Bread for the World 2015 Hunger Report), divided almost equally between densely
populated urban areas and sparsely populated rural areas. With only 1% of the earth’s landarea, Indonesia contains the world’s third largest area of rain forest with 10% of known plants,
many existing nowhere else on earth. It is also home to 12% of known animals and 17% of all
known bird species with some still to be discovered (Indonesia’s Rainforests, 2016). Samosir, avolcanic island in Lake Toba, is the largest island within an island in the world. With the
majority of islands mostly composed of forested volcanic mountains, the country experiences
almost daily seismic activity; a volcano erupted and dusted one city with ash during the
researchers’ visit.
Nias Island, with less than two thousand square miles, is the main island of an archipelago
with the same name. It was largely isolated until a major earthquake and tsunami in 2004.
Since then, with foreign assistance, infrastructure has developed in the capital. Increasing
tourism is attracted by perfect waters for skiing and Bawomataluo, a traditional Batak tribal
village and site of stone jumping rituals, the rite of passage for boys (Atlas Obscura, 2016).

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

42

Japanese occupation of the country during the Second World War ended Dutch rule; however,an estimated four million people died in Indonesia during that occupation (Chen, 2016).
Following independence in 1949, the country has had various eras of unrest and coups. In 2014
Joko Widodo became the seventh president of the country. Several graduates expressed
optimism, in the words of one (Interviewee 1258) “Everyone here feels he is a good model of aservant leader”. They have hopes for positive change in this country where external companies
and government collaborate for business interests and forests are fast being depleted to makeway for palm oil production (Oakford, 2014).
Japanese government relationships with one graduate (Interviewee 250) promote Japaneseinterest in opportunities to introduce sorghum for animal feed and elderly Japanese to teach theuse of bamboo pumps for water. Another graduate (Interviewee 1097) questioned this practicebecause the inferior Indonesian bamboo is less appropriate for this purpose than Japanesebamboo. Another graduate (Interviewee 708) relationship with a Japanese diplomat andinternational company resulted in 5000 coffee and 30,000 rubber seedlings being distributed tofarmers; no rubber sales have yet been made pending ability to grow a quality product.
Graduates spoke of the differences between Indonesia and Japan. The most productive land inIndonesia is owned by companies and forests buried by volcanic ash produce peat that stains
the water and makes fires hard to stop. In addition, the government does not support
individual agriculture with the same level of capital and tools available to Japanese farmers.
Corruption occurs at all levels of business and government, and a group of graduates are now
being asked by local government how to effectively mobilize local communities to respond topolitical issues.
In an effort to ease overcrowding in Jakarta, “transmigration” was introduced in 1987 to movepeople from Java’s “core” area to less populated areas known as the “periphery” (Jackson, n.d.).
Graduates, one (Interviewee 629) whose family was impacted, report people being given two
hectares of land, a house and government support for five years, after which they were expected
to be independent. Some of these people succeeded and others ended up becoming laborers forothers. Some farmers were moved to the edge of forests where they are able to collect the more
profitable Kopi luwak43 coffee being promoted by a graduate (Interviewee 1097) in this, one of
the largest coffee producing countries of the world (Indonesia Investments, 2015). Graduates
say that coffee and tobacco are generally grown as cash crops by small scale farmers who dry itin their homes, a practice that contributes significantly to respiratory illnesses.
One graduate (Interviewee 614) shared that the Green Revolution44, combined with the
Klompencapir Act45, Suharto’s method of speaking directly to farmers, resulted in a change fromnatural farming to chemical mono-cropping. Several graduates identified this practice as
43

Kopi luwak is the world's most expensive coffee, produced from coffee beans which have been digested by a civet cat

in Indonesia.
44

The Green Revolution was a large increase in crop production in developing countries achieved by the use offertilizers, pesticides, and high-yield crop varieties beginning in the 1960s.
45

The Klomencapir Act was Suharto’s plan for rural development by touching the lives of villagers and broadcastingwith media coverage of those visits (Detik News, 2008).

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

43

deeply entrenched and hard to change because of people’s need for immediate cash.
Government subsidies for inputs are now decreasing and middlemen control prices because of
the country’s transportation and communication challenges. Transportation of goods is asignificant challenge as road construction has not kept up with the heavy demand of transport
vehicles. Driving in the congested traffic is further challenged by needy people begging or
aimlessly roaming the streets because of unmet mental health needs. With few traffic signals,
young men support their livelihoods by directing traffic across lanes where drivers happily tip
for the service.
Graduates shared that, with no knowledge on how to harness nearby rivers for irrigation andthe drought cycles of climate change and deforestation, farmers are challenged in being able tosupport their families. They have little access to capital with no collateral for bank loans, so
those who overcome their fear of being unable to repay, borrow from money lenders withinterest rates around 30%. Many have become laborers as family plots now average about halfa hectare each because of generational subdividing. Production is also impacted by planting too
densely and lack of regulations on animal roaming. One graduate (Interviewee 1174)
volunteers with an organization that helps small farmers participate in the redistribution ofland when land grants expire; individual land grants are for forty years and company grants forseventy years. Many sell their land because of the perception of farming as a “last resort” forlow status individuals; others simply leave in search of a better life.
The economic crisis of the late 1990s further exacerbated this migration with families
encouraging their youth to take government jobs; work on plantations (rubber and oil palm) or
factories; or migrate to other countries. One graduate (Interviewee 1184) spoke of the unrest of
this time and fleeing while fellow university students were killed; another (Interviewee 651)
shared how the impact of missionaries on values of health, education and the Bible contribute topeople leaving to further their education.
Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim country with 86% of the population professing Islam;
2% are Hindu and 3% Buddhist or animist as the result of being impacted by traders in the
country’s long history as a trading hub. Christians, including the majority of ARI graduates in
the country, make up almost 9% of the population with the Portuguese having introduced
Catholicism and the Dutch Protestantism (Szczepanski, 2014).
Graduates work in a rich tribal context where most names and greetings carry great cultural
significance: some have lengthy names while others have no surnames. The Batak subtribes
maintain unique welcome customs of providing guests with ceremonial presentations ofgoldfish, pork (in its entirety) or chicken. All pride themselves on their love of spicy hot food
which is often served in restaurants where multiple dishes are set out and charges made only
on what is eaten. Intestinal health issues, especially to visitors, result from the food being
repeatedly served until it is gone, and practices such as that in one graduate (Interviewee 1257)
home of washing dishes on the raised toilet squatting platform. Graduates shared thatnutritional needs often go unmet when vegetables are sold for cash; then families often survive
on fish, rice and salt.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

7.2.2

44

Findings

There are more extensive relationships among graduates here than in any other region visited
with one SB (Org 98) having sent twelve participants to ARI over the years (nine wereinterviewed as part of this study). Several other SBs having sent more than two participants.
There are also two second generation family members (Interviewees 720 & 1164) who haveattended ARI and one group of graduates is organizing independently of any church-based
structure. Other graduates are joining forces around coffee marketing.
Half of those interviewed spoke of efforts in integrating chemical and organic agriculture inways appropriate to their particular situations. Some who have tried organic production
include a graduate (Interviewee 614) who has a complex integrated agricultural system andtraining center integrating fish, chickens, cattle and crops on a sizeable piece of inheritedproperty. Another (Interviewee 911) runs a training center and works with local government toencourage organic production. The latter has been successful to the extent that people now sell,rather than freely give, their manure and even Muslims use the valued pig manure for soil
fertility.
Yet another (Interviewee 649) asserts that “the bull is the organic factory” and promotes groupfarming in a Japanese/Indonesian government project providing infrastructure and some cattle.
One graduate (Interviewee 629), with more international experience than most, asserted thatmanure is fine for home gardens but not plantations and paddies. While monkeys are harder tocontrol, tiger manure spread around field perimeters helps keep out wild boars (Interviewees
651 & 1174).
Some organizational situations include more than one graduate and in some areas local
government, NGOs, churches and schools work together with common goals. Three graduates,
upon being asked, said that any follow-up to their teaching was only random and not their
responsibility; three others by contrast saw follow–up as an important part of their roles.

7.2.2.1

Faith-based organizations

Christian denominations developed in the colonial era along cultural lines and have establishedurban and rural churches, often served by a “resort pastor”46. One graduate (Interviewee 1114)
reports being responsible for twelve churches and another (Interviewee 708) is superintendentof eleven parishes, fifteen pastors and fifty-nine churches. One graduate (Interviewee 935)
spoke of people now being more charismatic but returning to their traditions in times of
weddings or loss. Methodist church representatives spoke of having involved more women in
leadership, being more open to multiple tribes and working together with those of other faiths
more than do other denominations. One graduate (Interviewee 629), who heads a seminary andhas served on international discipline committees, attributes this denominational openness tothe fact that the first Methodist missionary to the country was a woman.

46 A resort pastor is a pastor serving a cluster of churches, most often rural.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

45

Twenty graduates are employed in church-based organizations: nineteen have some aspect ofagriculture or community development in their role and thirteen serve as pastors in rural
and/or urban contexts.
Seven graduates identified credit unions as the most useful aspect of ARI learning. Some saythat church credit unions are more effective than those of government because they are morehonest. One graduate (Interviewee 1258) spoke of how credit unions are the platform forbuilding values of honesty and respect that are even more valuable than the money. Success in
gaining rights and growing spiritually happened for ninety-two women in six credit groups thatare successful now with internal funds. In another, 6000 members learn the importance of
eating, not just selling produce. Older people in communities are able to do critical thinking
and are more independent of sponsoring organizations’ credit unions. Success is also identified
as people providing church leaders with gifts of organic products or “people happily engaged inchurch and trying to improve their financial status”. Success in promoting credit unions has
been easier in some cases because of respect granted to pastors. Church-based credit unions arealso a tool for entry into communities for learning on holistic aspects including health andeducation. Eight hundred (800) farmers in twenty-one farmers’ groups benefit from higher
prices when their products are sold to urban congregations of twenty-seven pastors.
Organic practices have taken hold in rural places: among 100 people trained, five are producing
biogas and others mix charcoal with manure for fertilizer. Members of a village of 300 people
are learning together how to make compost, as well as how to raise pigs, flowers, andvegetables. Eighty of 100 women in one community have kitchen gardens: some have also
engaged in a “pass on the gift” pig project. Farmers use mixtures of chemical and organic
fertilizers, paying back organic material kilo for kilo. In remote locations, community members
express success in rice processing, ginger growing with slash and burn47 methodologies and useof Korean natural flooring48 for chickens. Several say organic fertilizer has been effective on
kitchen gardens but not on larger plots. A visit to one of 100 families receiving monitoring
included a family enthusiastically explaining the progress on their integrated farm; they
attributed their success to the regular encouragement and technical support they received from
graduates (Interviewees 255 & 1164).
Other church led activities include a graduate (Interviewee 1051) leading work with ninety-one
disabled people: they have meaningful work on a five hectare farm caring for vegetables andanimals. Both the food support and psychological benefits of having work are said to havecontributed to fewer hospitalizations. Fourteen new churches have been formed (Interviewee651), a church sponsors twenty-one orphans (Interviewees 1077 and 1149) and children inanother location are hosted and sponsored for school attendance (Interviewee 708).
Generally good relationships exist in two communities between Christians and Muslims; in one
case workers from both faiths are paid equally in a Christian led project (Interviewee 708). One
47

Slash and burn agriculture (also known as jhum or shifting agriculture) is an agricultural technique that involves

the cutting and burning of plants in forests or woodlands to create fields. It is subsistence agriculture that typicallyuses little technology.
48

Korean natural farming (KNF) is a methodology that takes advantage of indigenous microorganisms (IMO) to

produce fertile soils that yield high output without the use of herbicides or pesticides. It also enables odor-free hog andpoultry without the need to dispose of effluent (wastes).

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

46

organization (Org 188) received an award from the government for fifteen turbines forelectricity developed by two graduates (Interviewee 255 and another); the latter was killed in awork site accident shortly before the researchers’ visit. Another (Org 194) with the leadershipof a graduate (Interviewee 1089) organized 200 people and successfully lobbied anotherorganization (Org 98) to remove a plaque. The demonstration had expressed justice concerns
because the plaque recognized financial contributions from a pulp and paper mill that had
disrupted the lives of many farmers.
Urban-focused efforts of one graduate (Interviewee 1077) have resulted in prostitutes being able
to choose more dignified lives with income sources such as bread making, and street children
being able to support family incomes with pig raising. The graduate is studying law in order tobe able to intensify lobbying efforts for these groups. Another urban graduate (Interviewee 833)
is a dorm parent in a school.

7.2.2.2

Secular development organizations

Four graduates work in secular development organizations: all have community building and/or
agriculture components in their work. One (Interviewee 1174) combines his half time work withan organization working for land rights in government redistribution schemes with an
integrated community farm of livestock, chickens, spices and vegetables for market. Hosting
WWOOFers49 in an attempt to expose remote people to a wider world has proved to work bestwith domestic groups. Domestic groups are larger, stay for a shorter period of time, are morecost effective and relate better culturally than do international volunteers.
A coffee marketing plan, with international connections in anticipation of better markets, hasbeen approved through 2019. It is linked with other graduates by one (Interviewee 720) who
left a SB, created an independent NGO (Org 147) and then handed over responsibility for thatto another graduate (Interviewee 1258). Another graduate in another part of the country(Interviewee 1097) works with a forty member cooperative (half of the members young)processes coffee, including some valuable Kopi luwak coffee, adding 80 to 150% value for limited
international markets.
Integrated farming methodologies include group compost making with the support of animals
provided by an organization (Org 39) that supplies fertilizer for tree seedlings and a place to“share, forget and solve problems” (Interviewee 649). In addition, fifteen youth are learning
values and farming in a three year program that ended because of lack of funding; ten of thosestill continue in farming (Interviewee 1258).

7.2.2.3

Government employees

An organization (Org 39) was founded by a graduate (Interviewee 250), who now is a politician
in partnership with a Japanese consulate and bank for a plan for a farm training center. The
infrastructure has been completed but the bank and NGO plans for funding cattle and arevolving fund still need to be developed. In another area, farmers partially adopt organic
practices and money management taught by district government in cooperation with churches.

49

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) is an exchange whereby, in return for volunteer help,

WWOOF hosts offer food, accommodation and opportunities to learn about organic lifestyles.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

7.2.2.4

47

Independent graduate activities

Six graduates work independently, one (Interviewee 1089) did extensive agricultural training
and developed a model farm in a SB before leaving because profit making and organic
agriculture were not able to be combined successfully. Two (Interviewees 720 & 1097) workwith coffee cooperatives and one (Interviewee 911) established a training center.
One graduate (Interviewee 1183), on return from ARI, was not allowed to be a pastor in thesame organization (Org 98) as her husband. She collects biodegradable waste from homemarket vegetable stands to support her organic home agriculture, including the introduction ofsweet potatoes. The family has also raised a flock of chickens to supply her restaurant famous
for its noodles, authentic cultural chicken takeout, and hygiene skills learned at ARI. Organic
agriculture is carried out on family farms and in groups in two other communities: families savemoney and produce healthier food. Another four villages have become self-sufficient in farming
a 125 hectare plot (Interviewee 1174).
Four people have employment on a prosperous family farm sustained with fish, chickens andvegetables. The one hectare farm is also a model with an associated training center fortransformational leadership (Interviewee 614). Another integrated farm serves as a model that
supports widespread consulting opportunities made possible through the internet (Interviewee
651).
Another graduate (Interviewee 1097) has helped more than 1000 people in three years to
improve their Japanese skills to make them eligible for employment in Japan.
Three graduates are retired. Two (Interviewees 234 and 255) continue to consult withorganizations headed by younger family members. One of these previously ran an orphanage
with 100 children as well as worked in a cucumber and tomato business with four Japanesebusinessmen prior to his retirement.

Figure 29. Graduate models. Photo courtesy of Steven Cutting.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES
7.3

48

Northeast India

7.3.1

Context

This study included visits to Manipur andNagaland, two of the contiguous Seven Sister
States that make up Northeast India. They
have been located at the crossroads of Asian
economic and cultural exchange for more than2500 years. Manipur, the “land of gems” iscomprised of the Manipur River valley
surrounded by mountains with an economy
that focuses on agriculture and forestry(bamboo and teak). It has abundant rainfall
and climate that is temperate in the valley
and cold in the mountains. Nagaland ismostly mountainous with a monsoonal (wetdry) climate. Areas of valuable forests cleared
for jhum50 (shifting cultivation) now havesecondary growth of grass, reeds, andsecondary jungle (Britannica 2016). Bothareas came under British rule in theeighteenth century.

Figure 30. Map of Northeast India. Copiedfrom www.wikipedia.org

Graduates took researchers to visit WW II memorials in Kohima, the capital of Nagaland, andthe scene of many fierce battles between the Japanese and the British. ARI graduates havebeen involved in sharing with Japanese veterans while at ARI and hosting Japanese WWII
veterans and families of the Japanese fallen who come to claim remains in India.
Following disputes, the Treaty of Accession placed Manipur into India without its consensus
after World War II. Although Nagaland was not brought into India as the 16th state until 1963
(UCA 2016), both states have been embroiled in a fifty year insurgency for independence. Thishas been accompanied by violence between ethnic groups. Some of the worst conflict, generally
between Naga and Kuki groups, has been decreasing in intensity in recent years resulting in
the area being opened to some extent to foreigners (Times, 2011). Graduates were very vigilant
about travel arrangements and often appeared uneasy as researchers passed the many
checkpoints on trips to rural communities. They shared that nearly every community has its
own underground armed group, often supported by a government official it is aligned with who
supplies guns. Several spoke of the personal impact of this on their lives with many having had
to flee and several having had their homes burned, some on several occasions.

50

Jhum or “shifting agriculture” is the word used in the hilly areas of Southeast Asia for the process of growing crops

by first clearing the land of trees and vegetation and then burning them. The land is cultivated for several years andthen abandoned in favor of another site as the soil productivity declines. Practiced by between 200 million and 500
million people worldwide, it is not sustainable in large populations because the soil becomes too poor to support crops
without the trees.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

49

A number of graduates spoke of there not being schools in their communities when they werechildren and that it was Christianity that brought a marked change to the hill people withestablishment of schools and western style education. Hattaway also describes this transitionin his book “From Head Hunters to Church Planters”; the book was a gift to researchers fromthe graduate (Interviewee 491) who wrote the forward for the book. Head hunting was not
simply about waging war but a belief that human skulls possessed a life force that could ensure
prosperity of crops, animals and tribal clans (Larner, 2015). The practice still possibly exists inremote jungle villages (Vallangi, 2014). Festivals, however, do continue to be an important partof societal life in the tribes and are celebrated on the basis of the lunar calendar andagricultural cycles (Maps of India, 2013). In some groups, such as the Kuki, there are no
customary laws to deal with social problems and culture dictates that women cannot own land
although there is no written law to that effect (Interviewee 1135).
Education has resulted in many educated unemployed and it seemed a different migration
pattern was present here as compared to other countries visited, as more people spoke of theeducated leaving for better opportunities. Meanwhile “westernization” has brought with it thedesire for luxuries such as mobile phones, clothes, televisions, as well as junk or packaged food.
While Christians may continue to be involved in clan and subtribe clashes for leadership, there
are less divorce and homosexuality than in western cultures (Interviewee 491).
The Meitei ethnic group in the valley area of Manipur represents the majority there and islargely Hindu (Britannica, 2016). Graduates share that while the majority in hill districts inboth states are Christian, all religions continue to be marked by traditional practices such as
dowry, baby blessing and death rituals. Nagaland is the only predominantly Baptist state in
the world although these have divided into many splinter groups along ethnic lines. Graduates
spoke of the individualistic nature of the culture and fewer numbers of “real Christians” ascontributing to the failure of businesses such as a shiitake mushroom project (Org 103).
Development projects often exist only on road signs and benefits are often diverted away from
communities with corruption at local levels a major issue and bureaucrats often supporting
illicit trafficking (Interviewee 1135). The Golden Triangle51 is expanding to the “Golden
Square” (Interviewee 558) with the cheap price of cocaine and heroin in the area. The Assamborder is a gateway for trafficking drugs, arms, liquor (Sinha, 2014) and more recently womenand children (Santoshini, 2015). However, with Nagaland having been open to foreigners forthe last three to four years, one graduate (Interviewee 739) as Department Director of Tourism
promotes eco-tourism52 with benefits to “green villages53” (Borah, 2014) who host guests in thedearth of tourist accommodations.

The Golden Triangle is one of Asia’s two main opium-producing areas, an area of around 950,000 sq. km. (367,000
sq. mi) that overlaps the mountains of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. The other is the Golden Crescent encompassing
Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan.
51

52

Eco-tourism is tourism that is directed toward exotic, often threatened, natural environments, especially to support

conservation efforts and observe wildlife.
53

Green village is a designation given by the Indian government to a community that preserves its ecosystem while

sharing it with tourists.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

50

Policies of the Indira Gandhi era focused on feeding the masses with crop production that
required high yielding seeds and the chemical inputs to support them. This has resulted inextensive soil destruction in the country such that current government perspectives are more
open to organic methodologies better suited to the steep mountainous slopes. In these locations,where mechanization is inaccessible and most often inappropriate on the plots of less than two
hectares, the majority of the population makes its living with jhum cultivation. Several
graduates identified recent central government programs as being more supportive of organic
agriculture: programs such as the 1997 Public Distribution System (Balani, 2013) and 2013
Right to Food Act (Kishore, 2014). The Phek district received affirmation from graduates for its
positive stance for its citizens by banning pork imports into this pork loving culture; theincrease in the local market has resulted in improved family incomes and children’s education.
These mountains are home to rich flora and fauna: a feature bringing striking beauty but
challenges to infrastructure. One graduate (Interviewee 488) spoke of one time walking seventy
kilometers with his luggage to serve his mission communities. The more remote andmountainous the area, the less the infrastructure although even cities experience regularelectrical load shedding54. These poor systems of communication and roads challenge
marketing but mean that chemical agricultural inputs in some remote areas have not been used
long enough to cause significant environmental damage (Interviewee 1191).

7.3.2

Findings

Some organizations include more than one graduate, and a number of graduates are employedin more than one institution. Examples include graduates with financial and administrative
responsibilities in both government and church-based organizations. Four graduates were partof operations that are now defunct: church farms, a mushroom project and canning operation.
One (Interviewee 1109) is active in church leadership, pig and chicken raising, and waste
management in a home community in addition to being a training consultant to local
government. Another (Interviewee 491) is the country representative for an internationalorganization that has three plots of land including one with a school under construction andanother five acre plot of mostly paddy land. One graduate (Interviewee 790) has retired fromformal church responsibilities but continues as an elder in addition to supporting localorganizations and a school run by his daughter.

7.3.2.1

Faith-based organizations

Twelve graduates work in church-based organizations; an additional five have both church andgovernment responsibilities. All have/had some sort of educational role in their communities.
Exposure to the outside world through graduates has resulted in communities being less fearfulof external cultures and practices. This has resulted in increased crop yields where SALT55

54

Load shedding is the deliberate shutdown of electric power in one or more parts of a power-distribution system,

generally to prevent failure of the entire system when demand exceeds its capacity.
Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) is a strategy of using tree legumes to improve the fertility andstability of agricultural soils by forming alleys in which field and perennial crops are grown in bands 4-5 meters wide
between contoured rows of leguminous trees and shrubs. The latter are thickly planted in double rows to form
hedgerows.
55

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

51

technologies have been adopted (Interviewee 488). Fermented (Korean) flooring, adapted to
local conditions, is practiced in several locations as much as fifteen years after being introduced(Interviewee 490). Another community has installed trash cans and youth clear playing fields
before sports events (Interviewee 1109).
Hundreds of self-help groups, with national government support, have been trained in compost
making, recycling and herbal medicine over a period of more than twenty years (Interviewee165). In other areas, thirteen churches were organized to do diversified garden cropping forhome consumption and sales (Interviewee 1156). One hospital has fishery, poultry andcomposting activities (Interviewee 830). In another area, roadside sales of papaya, guava andbanana provided community income during a graduate’s presence (Interviewee 200); it isuncertain whether or not this continued after the graduate left.
Improved livelihoods have resulted in areas such as one where hybrid pigs are accessed throughmiddleman services provided by a graduate’s organization (Interviewee 488), or another wheretwenty women are successfully rearing pigs (one woman with more than fifty) and are able torepay loans or incur less debt (Interviewee 1109). In that same community one or two youth
have adopted pig raising to be independent of their parents (Interviewee 1228). Those withgardens who are unable to afford pesticide make charcoal from bamboo rather than using
valuable timber (Interviewee 904). Many families have pigs, chickens and gardens but often
keep them in poor environments (Interviewee 830).
Under the direction of a graduate in the only known school in the area to have a kitchen garden,
two meals per day are supplied to boarding students. Twenty to thirty students have graduatedand gone on to further study in the past seventeen years (Interviewee 486). In other areas,
graduates have been part of schools with all levels and size, ranging in size up to 1400 students.
One with 209 students distributes piglets to teach students pig raising and help families pay
school fees (Interviewee 731). Sunday school teachers taught by ARI graduates in other places
are now raising two to three pigs on kitchen scraps (Interviewee 904).
External funding has made a number of initiatives possible. A three year research farm projectfocused on organic production, animals, and fruits. People were paid wages and taught
selection of the best products. The area has become an environmental forest after the project
ended (Interviewee 897). The adjoining village shows signs of increased affluence withimproved infrastructure and vehicles, as well as housing improvements made with the sale offruits. In another area, timber trees planted in 1994 with Canadian government support are
ready for harvest (Interviewee 830). With external support of an INGO, other communities
receive food supplements, medications, checkups, and clothes; local councils are assisted withrecommendations for teachers willing to serve in remote areas (Interviewee 488).
7.3.2.2

Secular development organizations

Ten graduates work for secular organizations, all with some aspect of community empowerment
as a part of their responsibilities. Several women are human rights activists in this complex
caste-class-gender nexus where women hold only 11% of representation in parliament. This is in
spite of various government assertions over the years that one third of seats at all three levels ofgovernment are reserved for women and other marginalized sectors of society (Kably, 2016).
These women’s efforts focus on the psychological trauma to the huge numbers of widows

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

52

resulting from the armed conflict in Manipur (Morung, 2011). Known as “gun widows” 56, they
are caught “between two big stones and you don’t have nothing – both of them have guns.” Twofemale graduates work in one organization (Org 187), one involved in educational services forunderprivileged children and the other as the financial officer for the organization (Interviewees
682 & 1136).
Mary Anderson’s “Do No Harm” principles57 (Wallace, 2015) are used, not only in relief anddevelopment, but also in peace and reconciliation efforts in seven districts (Interviewee 682).
Radio messages include aspects of human rights, safe food handling and preservation of local
culture. A defunct training center is being reconstructed in traditional style to concretize themessage of valuing tradition. In another area, thirteen HIV-affected women have the dignity ofmaking baskets as part of an approach to “provide mass product rather than product by themasses.” An additional five groups (70 of 120 women in a development program) receive
psychosocial support in the absence of psychiatric services in the country (Interviewee 1135).
Another graduate (Interviewee 1074) established a used clothes depot that serves people acrossethnic lines. She also lobbied successfully for thirteen chiefs to help re-settlers with rice paddy
farming and provide free and compulsory education for children. She has also received a
Progressive Farmer Award for work with four Farmer Field Schools 58 (FFSs) whose practices
changed from chemical to organic in the past seven years. In addition, her water dowsing59
skills have made water sources available to seventy-five households in thirteen communities.
Twelve farmers’ clubs, a village food bank and an indigenous seed bank have been establishedwith a number of participant farmers receiving awards (Interviewee 682); self-help groups ineleven villages have some success with pigs, dried fish and crops (Interviewee 1191). One
training center in a remote area is partially developed and two in other areas are in the processof being rehabilitated. Farmers receive bokashi in exchange for dung in another effort topromote organic production (Interviewee 1060).
One graduate (Interviewee 735) had been sent to ARI from a food canning organization but
shortly after return, left that to provide volunteer services and grounds management in a school
where his children’s education is subsidized. He initiated a coffee shop, photo kiosk and public
call office that provide services to the more than 1000 students living on campus. He was also
one of a thirteen member mediation team that led successful demonstrations for tribal peace inthe area.

56

A gun widow is a woman widowed because of the armed conflict in Manipur, Northeast India.

57

The “Do No Harm” principle is combined with values of humanitarian imperative, neutrality and impartiality to

guide the Sphere Project code of conduct adopted by UNICEF and international NGOs for their humanitarian work.
58

A Farmer Field School (FFS) is a group-based learning process that has been used by a number of governments,

NGOs and international agencies. A “school without walls”, it was originally developed to promote IPM but is now
used to aid in solving a variety of agricultural problems.
59

Water dowsing is the practice of using a forked stick, rod, pendulum, or similar device to locate underground water,

minerals, or other hidden or lost substances; it has been a subject of discussion and controversy for hundreds, if not
thousands, of years.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES
7.3.2.3

53

Government employees

Nine graduates have roles with government, six of those in positions as auditors or election
officers in addition to roles in churches or organizations. One (Interviewee 510), nearing
retirement, helped form more than 2000 self-help groups to integrate into larger development
processes until funding was withdrawn. Graduates affirmed another, who researchers did not
meet, for his part in the Phek district ban on pork mentioned in section 7.3.1.
Although not formally government employees, some have found government connections
helpful. Multiple graduates have appreciated the kindness shown them by a graduate(Interviewee 821) and her politician husband. One graduate (Interviewee 1060) is sought out
for advice and as a speaker on human rights issues, including on television. One trained twelve
facilitators of a ToT women empowerment program (Interviewee 1109). Another provides
training as part of a network of twenty-four NGOs advocating a state food security policy andsubsidies for people below the poverty line. In addition, she serves on a government steeringcommittee to provide awareness of the impact of conflict on women (Interviewee 682).
In a remote mountain context, a graduate (Interviewee 889) inherited the role of traditional
leader in his community that has had to flee in the face of tribal clashes and then return torebuild on more than one occasion. Resettling since 2000, the community now has an accessroad and partially completed system of mini dams and irrigation canals as well as a tree
plantation that will take ten to fifteen years to produce lumber. The community now has
electricity, a school up to class five, and a church slowly being constructed with only local
resources. Almost half of the community families rear cattle.

7.3.2.4

Independent graduate activities

Six graduates are engaged in independent activities. Five additional graduates have their own
farms in addition to being employed: integrated farming, fruit trees and pig raising. At least
two were assisted with funding from abroad: one of these (Interviewee 491) supplemented pig
rearing with a three tier system of ginger, bananas, and betel nut but is changing to bamboo
because it grows quickly, requires little maintenance and has good market value.
Researchers visited a large farm of another graduate in his absence. He employs nine
permanent and four occasional workers; in addition, two eight month trainees are learning
integrated approaches. Diversity of activities includes 300 Hampshire pigs being raised in
Denmark style60 (Estabrook, 2015) with their manure being used for fertilizer. The farm also
has chickens for meat and eggs, greenhouses for vegetables and flowers, as well as crops such as
sugar cane, peas, yams, berries, fiddleheads, and tree beans (Trip note February 12, 2015).
In a context that is already food secure, a group of ten women is registered as a savings andloan group. They sell 80% of their ginger production and process wild fruits and king chilis61 toincrease revenue. This has enabled them to respond financially to domestic and internationalcalamities including the Japan 2011 earthquake (Interviewee 510).

60

Denmark style pig-raising is an intensive form of raising pigs where grower pigs are housed indoors in group

housing and pregnant sows are housed in gestation pens and give birth in farrowing crates.
61

King chili (Bhut Jolokia) is often ranked the hottest chili in the world and a favorite of Naga tribes in Northeast

India (Roach, 2013).

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

54

People benefit from acupuncture in one graduate’s home (Interviewee 830) and the semimedical practice of another (Interviewee 897) who incidentally holds four Ph. D. degrees andhas aspirations for a role in politics. One (Interviewee 199) who ran a hostel is now in a familybusiness to establish a monocrop market for ginger, one (Interviewee 1005) is trying toreestablish an NGO, and one (Interviewee 558) is working with multiple organizations as afreelance consultant for corporate social responsibility in addition to writing a book on
marriage.

Figure 31. Urban scene in Northeast India. Photo courtesy of Steven Cutting.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES
7.4

55

Malaysia

7.4.1

Context

The Federation of Malaysia
consists of two similarly sized
regions, the long narrow Malay
Peninsula and East Malaysia(Malaysian Borneo) on an island
surrounded by Borneo.
With two thirds of the country
originally covered in forest, floraand fauna are diverse with about
20% of the world’s animal species
Figure 32. Map of Malaysia. Copied frompresent. Logging and agriculture
www.geology.com
have devastated forests withrecent estimates predicting
Malaysian forests to be extinct by 2020 (Lim, 2008). Although Malaysians complain about theprevalent smoke from fires in Indonesia, several people cited Malaysian companies as part ofthe problem. The smoke is largely due to forests being burned in preparation for oil palm
plantations (Oakford, 2014).
Malaysia has had one of the best economic records in Asia, with average growth in Gross
Domestic Product62 (GDP) averaging more than 7% per year for twenty-five years or more
(World Bank, 2015). However, future economics with falling world prices for rubber may betenuous.
After researchers experienced multiple public transportation transfers, staff in one organization(potential SB) shared how the system works. A national car policy, conceived in the late 1970s
to bring a higher level of industrialization to Malaysia (Rosli, 2006), combined with a recent
acquisition of all airlines (Hamzah & Ngui, 2014), puts the government in charge of alltransportation. As a result, fuel is subsidized and single apartments in high rises may have up
to three stall garages. Staff of organizations that researchers visited share a general sense that
only the poor utilize public transportation and railways are a challenge as they consist ofmultiple gauges with little connection between them. They also shared concern that budget
hotels are cropping up on unclaimed land, increasing vagrancy and decreasing land values.
This is compounded by urban infrastructure not keeping up with construction and resulting inflooding and spread of disease.
Malaysia’s foreign policy, meanwhile, is officially based on the principle of neutrality andmaintaining peaceful relationships with all countries, regardless of their political system, with ahigh priority on stability in the region (Lopez, 2009). The government spearheaded a more thantwenty-five year old “Malaysia My Second Home” (MM2H) program that allows foreigners who
62

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is one of the primary indicators used to gauge the health of a country's economy. It

represents the total dollar value of all goods and services produced over a specific time period and can be thought of as
the size of the economy.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

56

fulfill certain criteria to stay in Malaysia on multiple entry social visit passes. Multiple
websites promote this opportunity along with opportunities for migration beyond Malaysia toother countries. Recently Syrian refugees were granted special temporary residence passes andallowed to work. They join more than 158,000 refugees already there, mostly from Myanmar.
The country makes no distinction between refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented workers
so all are at risk of arrest as “illegal immigrants” (Mayberry, 2015). Several graduates fromother countries have taken advantage (and risk) of joining the undocumented labor force andsome have joined those able to relocate from Malaysia to other countries.
Bumiputera is a status generally applied to certain Malay indigenous peoples but authors
disagree about whether or not the majority are Muslim and whether or not it is a politicalstatus. Most, however, agree that minorities of Chinese and Indian descent, with the Chinese
historically dominant, have major roles business and commerce.
Although freedom of religion is a right granted in the constitution (Article 11), the Islamic
majority is becoming increasingly conservative (Su-lyn, 2015 & Lim, 2016). Staff of one
organization expressed concern regarding notice of a specific date targeted for “Islamacizing
Sarawak”, something resisted for generations and being pushed by external Islamic entities. In
this instance, researchers were told, a financial gift was being given to anyone converting toIslam on that day.

7.4.2

Impact on graduates from other countries

Researchers visited the only available graduate in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur; however,this visit was important in understanding a context where several graduates from ARI and/or
their family members have gone in various capacities, three as pastors. One graduate(Interviewee 652) was sent by his church for three years to minister to refugees and illegal
migrants. He felt he was unable to use his ARI skills there but did learn natural farming andhas published materials on the topic for distribution back in his own country. He has one son
still in Malaysia completing his education with hopes to work in the same school for a couple ofyears following.
One graduate (Interviewee 1014) spent three years as a community development worker withsome frustration because of working with laborers rather than farmers; this was followed by
two years of theological education in English.
Two graduates are/were working in Malaysia and four graduates visited for short periods.
Graduates in Indonesia, Myanmar and Nepal spoke of large numbers of people in their contexts,
including some in their own families, leaving for studies or work, either legally or illegally inplantations or factories. One organizational leader shared that “Malaysia has continued to keep

unions at bay; there is a minimum wage structure but, as it is not subscribed to by
manufacturers for foreign labor, has become a new form of slavery”. Anyone who complains canbe sent back to their home country: women are especially vulnerable to being trafficked for sex.
There were some benefits reported by having spent time in Malaysia. Two graduates spoke of
their organizations back home having receiving financial assistance for their ministries. A
family member of one graduate returned after several years with knowledge to begin an

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

57

agarwood63 plantation. Another spoke of nearly all of the students his organization supported
returning and contributing to their communities. Others have family members presently
working in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, the only ARI graduate (Interviewee 145) researchers were able to contact spoke ofchanging organizations on return from ARI because of changes in personnel and perspectives in
the organization where she had served as a volunteer. With another organization, she ran ahalf acre demonstration farm for ten years. When it closed because of lack of external support,
she focused on promoting urban gardening, compost waste production and non-energy forms oftransportation by teaching groups and hosting displays at community fairs. Approachingretirement age presents a new challenge in finding someone with the same passion andcommitment to carry on her work.

Figure 33. Organic and recycling shop. Photo courtesy of Steven Cutting.

63

Agarwood is the soft dark resinous heartwood produced by various Southeast Asian evergreen trees when they

become infected with a fungus or mold develops and bores in the tree. This fragrant resin is used to produce incense,
perfumes and traditional medicines.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES
7.5

58

Myanmar

7.5.1

Context

Myanmar is the northernmost country ofSoutheast Asia, shaped like a kite with a longtail that runs south along the Malay
Peninsula. It slopes from an altitude of 5881
meters in the north to sea level in river deltas(Britannica, 2016).
With a history of multiple kingdoms risingand falling, Burma became a British colony
after three Anglo-Burmese wars and then an
independent democratic nation in 1948. A
military dictatorship took over in 1962 that
ended in 2011, although after that most party
leaders continued to be military officers(CFOB, n.d.). Htin Kyaw, who becamepresident in 2016 is the first elected civilian
to hold the office since 1962. He is part of the
National League for Democracy (NLD) led by
Aung San Suu Kyi who is constitutionallyforbidden to serve because of being married toa foreigner and having children of foreign
citizenship (BBC and Japan Times, 2016).
The name Myanmar, given by the military
government in 1989, remains a contested
issue as many do not recognize the legitimacyof this regime, generally agreed to be one of
the most repressive and abusive in the world.
Refugee camps in nearby Thailand, where
there are an estimated 32,600 refugees(UNHCR 2015) and internally displaced
people64 (IDP) camps in Myanmar, continue tobe safer options for many than trying to reestablish life in destroyed communities.
Only Buddhists, comprising at least 80% of
the population, were allowed government andmilitary posts under the military regime.

64

Figure 34. Map of Myanmar. Copied fromwww. http://myanmarmap.facts.coInternally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are people who have not crossed an international border to find sanctuary but

have remained inside their home countries. Even if they have fled for similar reasons as refugees, they legally remain
under the protection of their own government, even though that government might be the cause of their flight.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES59

Recently publicized repression of Muslim Rohingyas65 (Hamling, 2015), refused Burmese
citizenship since 1982, has marred the peaceful image of Buddhism generally held by the rest of
the world. In the predominantly Christian Chin state, Buddhists are now proselytizing,building schools and have replaced a prominent mountain Christian cross with a pagoda.
Civil wars have been part of the landscape since independence and are predominantly struggles
for ethnic and sub-national autonomy by the many minority hill tribes. These tribes arecomprised of many clans, dialects and generally have low levels of education. One graduate’s
hill tribe still has no written language (Interviewee 1130). Graduates shared that missionaries
were key in providing written language and materials for others, provided the impetus for many
to prefer English to Burmese. Although most hill tribes have converted to Christianity (initiallymostly Baptist, but also Catholic and more recently Methodist), animism and traditionalcustoms in marriages, dowry and burial rites continue. Most ARI graduates come from thesegroups and shared some of the unique characteristics of each. The Padaung brass coils on thenecks of women (Mansfield, 2012), although becoming less common, are characteristic of theunique dress of that tribe. The Kay Htoe Boe of the Karenni (Yu, 2008) and Balloon Festival in
Taunggyi (McDonald, 2013) are significant among the many seasonal festivals.
Tribal traditional livelihoods by hunting, gathering, slash and burn agriculture, supplemented
by ruby mining and processing, have been threatened by conflict and government restrictions on
mining. Ceasefire agreements in 2012 and 2015 brought calm to some areas but agreements
are still outstanding with some of the most powerful rebel groups. (Wilson, 2015).
Graduate hosts had deep concern for researcher safety, sometimes changing an itinerary
without notice and obviously anxious at the many checkpoints. Homestays are not allowed in
the country and one SB staff warned “You don’t see them but they know about you. Nearly all
taxi drivers are ex-soldiers”. Censorship was evident as one organization’s website had been
removed and researchers were given a cell phone to borrow as “It is safer than having yourown.”
International relationships have thawed after reforms following the 2010 elections; however,just days after President Obama’s visit in 2012 when he commended the country on its
democratic progress, an army attack on an independence army training camp killed more thantwenty trainees. Meanwhile, foreign NGOs are limited to working only with government, mostoften in policy coordination rather than direct assistance to communities. However, one isolated
state now has increased communication with the outside world: one graduate (Interviewee 718)
proudly explained that his cell phone, acquired six months earlier meant “We’re at the worldlevel now.”
As a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations66 (ASEAN) since 1997, Myanmar ispart of a free trade agreement taking effect in 2015. Graduates expressed concern about how
65

The Rohingya are a Muslim minority population living mainly in the state of Rakhaing in Myanmar.

66

The Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) is a political and economic organization of fifteen Southeast

Asia countries with a goal of accelerating economic growth, social progress and sociocultural evolution among its
members, alongside of protecting regional stability and opportunities for member countries to resolve differences
peacefully.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

60

this will impact subsistence farmers in a context already hampered by companies taking overconfiscated land and government mining restrictions. Myanmar supplies 90% of the world’s
rubies and the restrictions limit individual ruby mining. As a result, many tribal people are
becoming day laborers for companies or plantations. One graduate (Interviewee 358) also noted
the expansion of rubber plantations with little concern for rubber prices as their owners’ main
purpose is money laundering of drug sale proceeds.
Part of the Golden Triangle, Myanmar is a distant second to Afghanistan as the second largest
producer in the world of illicit opium. Growing has resurged since 2006 in the desperately poor
areas of Shan State (Fuller, 2015). Raw materials are exported, mostly to China, and brokers
bring back refined product and amphetamines. One graduate (Interviewee 1171) estimates that
80% of young men between eighteen and thirty-five years of age in his community are addicted
to opium.
Trafficking extends beyond substances into humans, with Myanmar a source country for men,
women and children trafficked for sexual and labor exploitation in other countries (Burma,n.d.). Many are driven by images of easier work than farming in the harsh mountainous
environments of their homes; a very few leave for educational opportunities. Once out of theirhome areas, women and children are particularly vulnerable. This is especially true nearborders with China where Chinese men desiring offspring, in the context of China’s one childrule (McKenzie, 2015), traffic women for that purpose. The law was changed in 2015 to “Onecouple, two children” (Jlang, 2015) but it will take years for gender ratios to be impacted. One
graduate (Interviewee 37) spoke of trafficking being so rampant that even church members are
involved. Another (Interviewee 685) works in a remote northern area to help women return andestablish lives of dignity in a context where people are reluctant to accept them back.
The impact of this policy is also felt as Chinese migrate to Myanmar in a fairly simple process.
Birke (2010) speaks of most Chinese immigrants being business people who have little
attachment to the country and keep their language and customs intact. One longtime resident
claims it is those Chinese couples who want large families who come, having up to ten children
and building compounds (Trip notes Nov. 29, 2014). Forest acreage and wildlife habitats havealso decreased because of heavy logging; a ban on exports of raw lumber in 2014 are seen bysome as coming too late (Erickson-Davis, 2014). One graduate (Interview 1046) shared thatefforts to reforest with pine have generally failed because of the need for firewood.
Goods are primarily transported on rivers and Inle Lake, notable for its extensive floating
tomato gardens (Misra, 2015). Water hyacinth has proliferated in the lake with the increasinguse of chemical fertilizer to the extent of sometimes clogging transportation waterways. Shoresof the lake are increasingly being developed as tourist areas, with government cronies67 themajor stakeholders, while subsistence farmers are displaced and in danger of imprisonment if
they protest (Interviewee 1171).
The country lacks adequate infrastructure: many communities, especially in the mountains,
have few or no health or education facilities beyond primary level. There is a shortage ofteachers, intermittent or no electricity, and only a few paved roads that have appeared in recent
Cronyism is the appointment of friends and associates to positions of authority, without proper regard to their
qualifications.
67

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

61

times. Road construction in challenging mountain contexts is carried out with hand tools evenfor crushing the needed rock. The remoteness does, however, means air and water are cleaner
because chemicals have not yet arrived.

7.5.2

Findings

Most graduates, 26 of the 37 interviewed, still work with their SBs, and most have relationships
with other graduates.

7.5.2.1

Faith-based organizations

Twenty-six graduates are employees of faith-based organizations and combine roles as pastors
with other leadership roles, one of them (Interviewee 587) being the first woman to be ordainedin her denomination. In a remote community, both male and female pastors address HIV/AIDsissues (Interviewee 685). Eleven specifically work in aspects of development, capacity building,community-organizing, participative methodologies or organic agricultural practices. Several
are advisors to graduates and organizations in other departments of the country.
Several have focused on needs for education. One orphanage was started with money collected
while at ARI (Interviewee 1206) and another educational center with space for 100 hostel
students provides space for those unable to afford formal education (Interviewee 1172). Anothergraduate hosts fifteen to twenty-five children attending public schools (Interviewee 705).
Children graduating from seventy-nine kindergartens established with ToT methodologies are
more advanced socially and educationally than their peers, with some later going on to
university. Presence in other kindergartens frees up mothers to do kitchen gardens, pig raisingand income generation projects that have resulted in improved housing, education and clothing
for family members (Interviewees 587 & 1129). Waste water management and composting aremodeled in an educational institution for 100 students from ten ethnic groups. Here organic
shampoo is sold in recycled plastic containers, for one year vegetable seeds were sold, andpineapple production supports a portion of the institution’s expenses (Interviewees 1023 &
1179).
Most activities have come in response to challenges specific to this context. As an example, inspite of being unable to find materials recommended by ARI locally, and a Japanese fundedclinic closing as no Christian doctor was willing to serve, two graduates (Interviewee 588 and969) were instrumental in constructing village wells. They worked with the government for an
irrigation system, teak afforestation, and creating a closed system rice hulling mill that creates
its own energy for operation. In retirement, one (Interviewee 969) enthusiastically serves aremote mountain community with God’s word, reforesting with 1000 teak trees, and SALT, askill learned in the Philippines. An invitation to dedicate churches in the US in late 2014provided an opportunity to learn more about apple grafting there, a practice he would like to
use to enhance production in the only apple growing area of the country. Retirement of thiswidely respected individual has also provided him the opportunity to spend more time in his
own fifteen acre farm purchased when he sold a car which he had been helped to purchase by“ARI missionaries.” His passion and ongoing work with communities has resulted in his
turning down requests by ARI to return as a TA.
Efforts of one graduate (Interviewee 1017) with participative development methodologies overseventeen years with 2278 households in twenty-nine communities (nineteen Buddhist and ten
Christian) have resulted in an eighteen member self-reliant rice bank, 127 people in four local

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

62

money banks, and small group funds being available for needs such as funerals. In addition, an
electrical group successfully negotiated with the government for electricity to their village andthe installation of 400 toilets improved community sanitation. Water tanks have been installed
in at least two communities with the fee for water used for a monastery, community health andeducational scholarships (Interviewee 1017).
A wide range of agricultural endeavors have been made. A church project development
department provides people with new skills in livestock care and organic methods of animal
feeding (Interviewee 1207). A local mission was formed and introduced contour planting ofcedars, fish breeding, and corn for a good export market (Interviewee 288). Four of thirty
church families in another parish have kitchen gardens (Interviewee 1083). Another graduate(Interviewee 706) works with thirty churches in five villages with livestock and income
generation without chemical usage. In a remote village, two or three families are using organic
methodologies and growing pepper or cardamom as longer term income sources and 120 families
constructed a small hydro-electric dam providing an economical source of electricity(Interviewee 1111). Half of the tribal farmers in one group are decreasing chemical usage andeffective committees are introducing income generation activities in contexts where people haveno land (Interviewee 1023).
More formalized efforts include a variety of activities. A nine month FFS training center for
13,800 people provided skills that allowed participants a chance to study abroad and NGOs
established by graduates (2) that resulted in greener mountainsides (Interviewee 1024). One
graduate (Interviewee 1044) combines a slow transition from shifting to permanent organic
farming combined with a revitalized credit system: the other (Interviewee 1130) brings together
Community Supported Agriculture68 (CSA), a mini market and library so that people are now
growing their own vegetables for consumption in remote areas.
Innovation is shown as in the example of one graduate (Interviewee 1102) who works on a 1000
acre plantation for his church, having found that long-term plantations work only when linked
with shorter term crops for income. He combines tea, pine, cardamom and jackal bean
successfully, having substituted tea for oranges which were too easy to steal. Communities arealso connected to external technical resources, market research and traditional resources suchas mython69 cattle in farmer-to-farmer models; they also are able to buy seedlings for newmarketable crops and process crops for added value. Another graduate (Interviewee 588) was
the creative inventor of a machine fueled by rice husks and used to hull rice or press sunflowers
for community members: forty baskets of husks fuel the engine for four hours.
Communities are being connected to the wider world with road construction that will serve
25,000 people in fifty villages; it is led by a graduate (Interviewee 1046) and is recognized but
not supported by the government. One graduate (Interviewee 509), in addition to organizing
people in four communities for the past four years, manages a twenty-four acre church-owned
organic farm and is involved in the country’s peace and democracy process.
68

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a concept describing a community-based organization of producers andconsumers. The consumers agree to provide direct, up-front support for local growers who will produce their food;growers in turn agree to do their best to provide a sufficient quantity and quality of food to meet the needs andexpectations of the consumers.
69

Mython is an animal distinctive in general hill regions of Myanmar and reported to be a cross between a tsine (wildcow) and Asiatic buffalo, a striking contrast to water buffalo. They will breed true and are a significant part of history
in Chin State.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

7.5.2.2

63

Secular development organizations

One graduate (Interviewee 1172) interviewed works for an indigenous organization (Org 112),
promoting farming and vegetables with local products for sale in suffering communities caught
in the brown zone70 of the conflict between the government and insurgents. The organization
also manages a hostel for fifty-eight children from rural areas and IDP camps and is able toprocess and sell some of its local production.

7.5.2.3

Government relationshipOne long-term graduate (Interviewee 567) leads an international government project withseventy self-help groups. In one UNDP71 funded phase of three to four year programs,
community self-help clusters of ten to twenty members save successfully with a common fundfor loans: repayment is around 90%. Community members are copying in some areas, orphans
are able to attend school, and women are given more leadership opportunities (Interviewee 568).

7.5.2.4

Independent graduate activities

In addition to activities in their faith-based institutions, graduates (6) spoke of additional
agricultural projects on their own including cardamom (1), kitchen gardening (1), pig raising (1),chicken raising (4: one of whom uses ready-made concentrate because of lack of resources to
produce feed), and developing a tree farm in year twenty of a thirty year lease.
Four (4) graduates engage in independent activities since leaving their SBs and four others are
retired after long-term church leadership roles. One (Interview 1024) is a freelance consultant,including to his SB, and was instrumental in providing ten biosand72 filters to purify water invillages and is engaged with another interreligious endeavor on a monks’ 1900 acres
reforestation project (Interviewee 1024). One (Interviewee 1171), after working in a SB where
he communicated in twelve languages in thirty-nine villages, leads a sixty member
interreligious group for peace, harmony and nature as a volunteer.
Three retirees actively participate in church leadership as well as peace making andreconciliation with government at local and national levels. One (Interviewee 37) serves on
multiple boards for disability concerns and interfaith contexts as well as with the Karen73 incollaborating on peace and ceasefire efforts. Two also have their own farming activities and one(Interviewee 688) is ill after having served churches and establishing water projects in thirtynine villages.
70

The brown zone is one of three zones designated by the Burmese government: white are those areas under total

government control, brown are contested areas, and black are areas over which the government has no control(Eubank, n.d.).
71 United Nations Development Programme.

The biosand filter (BSF) is a simple household water treatment device, which is an innovation of traditional slow
sand filters specifically designed for intermittent use. A BSF consists of a concrete or plastic container filled withspecially selected and prepared sand and gravel.
72

73 The Karen people are an ethnic group living in Southeast Asia with their own distinct language and customs. They

are one of the groups only recently signing a peace accord with the government.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES64

One graduate (Interviewee 482), after returning from a TA experience, left his SB to develop his
own diverse integrated farm and provide informal training for farmers who come to ask
questions (He was unable to provide data on numbers). He spoke of a lack of affordable laborand the Korean method of pig rearing not having worked here because sawdust is not available
and rice creating dust and skin disease. However, he has been successful with a cement biogas
tank, built after ants ate through the plastic one from Japan. He has good income from fifteen
acres of paddy rice alternating with other crops and selling fingerlings in addition to harvesting
3000 kg of fish annually. He has trained others about his vermiculture74 tank but not used it
himself yet. He anticipates providing more formal training once his education center, currently
being constructed with foreign funds, is completed. He is one of eleven graduates interviewed in
the country whose work is, or has been supported with external funding.

Figure 35. Roadside scene in Chin State, Myanmar. Photo courtesy of Steven Cutting.

Figure 36. Inle Lake, Myanmar. Photo courtesy of Steven Cutting.

74

Vermiculture is the practice of raising annelid worms such as earthworms and their by-products for use incomposting or as bait for fishing.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES
7.6

65

Nepal

Figure 37. Map of Nepal. Copied from http://www.ezilon.com/

7.6.1

Context

Nepal is a landlocked country famous for having eight of the world’s ten tallest mountains,
including the highest point on earth on Mt. Everest; it is also ranked as one of the most riskprone countries in the world with frequent floods, earthquakes and landslides (Practical Action,n.d.). In addition to the mountains, it also includes a fertile humid plain in the south known as
the Terai (also spelled Tarai) and one of the sites claiming to be Buddha’s birthplace.
The Terai was long considered uninhabitable because of the prevalence of malaria and was thedwelling place of the Tharu who had an innate resistance to the disease (Terrenato, 1988).
With successful control of the disease, others who previously only visited seasonally, settled
permanently. The director of one organization (Org 35) explained that because of the higher
caste of the newcomers, the illiteracy of the Tharu made them vulnerable to unscrupulous
agreements; Brahmans became the land owners and the system of Kamaiya75 became prevalent.
It was legally abolished in 2002 when some people were given one third of a hectare to farm.
This was an amount too small to survive on with paddy cultivation alternating with wheat
and/or mustard. In addition, the land of those who could not afford the taxes was repossessedand children often became servants to pay off the debt.

75

Kamaiya is a traditional system of bonded labor in southern Nepal in which a person pledges their labor or services

as security for repayment of a debt of obligation, which may be undefined. The duration of the debt may also be
undefined and the debt bondage passed from one generation to the next.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES66

The Maoist movement from 1996 to 2006 (Sunam, 2013 & Military, 2016) began with theintention of redistributing assets of the wealthy to the poor. It was soon fraught with its own
corruption with villagers and social organizations often caught between the movement andgovernment. Following the conflict, the country was without a constitution until Sept. 2015
(Kumar, 2015), when a new constitution came into effect, the first written by a constituent
assembly rather than a monarch. Graduates shared that the Tharu have little opportunity ingovernment because of their low literacy.
Hinduism, historically linked to Buddhism, is practiced by about 81% of Nepalis (NHPC, 2011)
so there are many temples and cremation sites around Kathmandu. The features of diverse,
exotic cultures and spectacular landscape present potential for tourism. However growth isstifled by political instability and poor infrastructure. There is daily electrical load shedding, asingle reliable road from India to the Kathmandu valley, and only one airport runway forinternational flights. Most recently the country was affected by severe earthquakes (BBC,2015).
ARI graduates were safe in those quakes. However, the Magar village, visited during this study
and one of the villages of origin of the Gurkhas76, suffered significant damage. One graduate(Interviewee 1012) is responding to needs of those whose homes and livelihoods were damaged.
Just a few years ago, a ten day walk was decreased to a half day vehicle trip with the advent ofroads to villages in this mountainous area near the base of famous trekking trails. On the dayof the researchers’ visit, however, villagers transported an ill person in a tarp hammock slungfrom their shoulders to a hospital, as the ambulance was not able to pass on the treacherous wet
road. The impact of the earthquake on that road is not known to the researchers.

7.6.2

Findings

Tharu cultural traditions particularly limited education for girls. Two graduates (Interviewees
533 & 595), who also participated as TAs at ARI, have powerful stories of defying theirtraditional tribal system by becoming educated. Both are strong advocates for education andempowerment of women. One (Interviewee 595) who has led women’s forums in twenty-four
districts, formed an independent school (with no drop outs in its six year history), empowered
community women’s groups, and personally supports vulnerable youth. This is crucial in acontext where nearly 10% of the population are working abroad because of feeling they have not
future in the country (Kaphle, 2014).
A government report (2014) shows a steady increase in the number of migrant labor permits
being issued. Shopkeepers lamented to one of the researchers, not only about the universal
labor shortage, but also the numbers of migrants returning to Nepal in coffins. Women haveboth new challenges and opportunities in filling the work gaps left by migrants and humantrafficking. Some migrants do return with new skills and education; they are able to introduce
new businesses and/or group farming into their communities (Interview 1204).

76

Gurkhas are Nepalese soldiers from various hill areas who served in the British and Indian armies, closely

associated with a forward-curving Nepalese knife and reputation for fearless prowess.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES67

Rural Terai villages are turning to chemical market vegetable production. With the increasingpresence of hybrid seeds, graduates say it is not possible to do pure organic agriculture becauseof the shortage of composting materials. Although people have had access to animal dung foryears, it is a key source of cooking fuel.
A number of ARI alumnae are working with younger ARI graduates and speak of them as
having increased leadership and interpersonal communication skills, as well as being more
knowledgeable and willing to do the practical work of agriculture.

7.6.2.1

Secular development organizations

At the age of fourteen, one graduate (Interviewee 1012) began doing accounting for an NGO(Org 158) and was one of three participants it sent to ARI. He is the only one of the threeremaining in the country and has been promoted to president of the organization which works
in nineteen districts. With a values based approach77, staff mobilizes communities in integrated
activities. These include among others, income generation, tree nurseries and planting
technologies, in addition to empowerment of women. Early warning systems complement a
livelihood support approach to disaster preparedness. Ongoing savings cooperatives involving
100% of community members help people have money in the bank to recover from disasterlosses. Irrigation makes it possible for people in five cluster groups to have two to threevegetable harvests per year; the vegetables are stored in zero energy cold storage facilities forpreservation to plan sales for better market prices. (Nepalese Farming Institute, 2016).
Although challenged by unstable politics and shortage of honest managers in the area, theorganization has successfully transitioned elementary schools to the government. This
graduate has also had to make personal sacrifices to fulfil his work obligations; he reduced thenumber of animals he owns and leaves his farm in the care of a very supportive wife.
Another organization (Org 34) sent five candidates to ARI: all returned to work with theorganization. Two (Interviewees 533 & 1225) continue to do that: one (Interviewee 1145) in avery remote area is implementing health, sanitation and biogas activities for the organization.
The other (Interviewee 533) is happy to have been promoted from community worker toprofessional status. Now 99% literate, people in twenty villages are producing enoughvegetables (not totally organic) with four seasons per year for regular truck pick up formarketing. One of the other three has returned to Japan for further studies, one is on
maternity leave (Interviewee 1205), and one (Interviewee 595) is working independently
following differences in ideologies with the director.
Another graduate (Interviewee 1201), who grew up in a bondservant family, values most being
respected by others. He shares technical information in his community-based organization78(CBO) and works to link outside resources with community institutions such as his local
77

Values based leadership is based on the belief that the welfare of people is the end of leadership and not that people

are the means to the leader’s goals (Leadership for Life, 2015).
78

A community based organization (CBO) is a public or private non-profit (including a church or religious) entity thatis representative of a community or a significant segment of a community, and is engaged in meeting human,
educational, environmental, or public safety community needs.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

68

hospital. Two individuals have joined him in a recent fish pond venture with a ten year lease on
the land. The debt incurred for this was double their anticipated budget so it will take sometime to realize a profit. To manage his workload he has sold fifty animals, partially because of alabor shortage in the community to help care for them.
One graduate (Interviewee 1162) has leadership responsibilities for one of the biggest WorldBank funding initiatives in the country: 1000 groups in three municipalities participate throughfive village development committees79 (VDCs) in income generation activities for vegetables,
pigs, chickens and small cottage industries. In his role as convener between donor andcommunity groups, he has observed very good loan repayment in mountain groups. The lesscohesive communities near the Indian border struggle in spite of exchange visits to see
successes of the mountain groups. He previously has worked with another graduate(Interviewee 1201) when both were funded by a mutual donor but their work differs in that theother graduate (Interviewee 1204) forms new community groups while he works with existing
structures. He feels existing community groups deal better with disputes because theygenerally are comprised of extended families.
One Ph. D. graduate (Interviewee 485) manages funds from three donors in forestry
management, sustainable livelihoods and policy sectors with responsibility for seven of theforty-three districts the organization is involved in (there are seventy-five regions in the
country). Another graduate (Interviewee 1119) helps a local VDC by making indigenous
microorganisms80 (IMOs) and negotiating financial assistance from government and donors.

7.6.2.2

Government employee

The other graduate (Interviewee 730) with a Ph. D. has extensive work experience with INGOs
and government. He heads a task force for the Labor Migration Commission in developing
policy for benefits to families of migrants who die overseas. He spoke of the significant impactof migration on Nepal’s economy with remittances making up 40% of the country’s revenue andsurpassing agriculture at 33%. He explained government efforts to support farmers: 300 local
radios provide current news on weather, prices and other aspects pertinent to farming. He has
macadamia nuts on his farm to trial less labor intensive alternatives, something suggested in anational policy he helped write. By participating in writing policies he feels he impacts more
people than he could have as a lone ARI graduate returning to a single village. He not only
speaks his values but also lives them out: he drives an electric car, does not eat meat, andchallenged an high official in the Coca Cola company to promote buttermilk as a healthier
beverage option.

7.6.2.3

Independent graduate activities

One graduate (Interviewee 535) came back to an organization that was effectively establishing a
mini ARI. However, the project was handed over to the local community when Japanesefunding ended at the time of Maoist challenges. An earlier graduate (Interviewee 915) and79

A village development committee (VDC) is a voluntary association of village people for village administration.

80 Indigenous Microorganisms (IMOs) are beneficial microbes that inhabit soil and all living things and are involved

indifferent processes such as fermentation, decomposition, as well as nitrogen and nutrient fixation.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

69

founder of the organization was granted asylum in the U.S. (one of six ARI graduates known tohave moved to other countries). It is believed that the community is still carrying on activities.
When travel to the area became unsafe, the remaining graduate (Interviewee 535) sought day
time work and volunteers with an ARI graduate from another country in an international dialog
with a vision for innovative society with harmony. High caste family attitudes also becamemuch broader as a result of this graduate’s life journey following ARI.
Two graduates (Interviewees 981 and 1125) had unhappy experiences with organizations inwhich they were volunteers and found leadership, especially in a context of a desire for chemicalfertilizers, difficult. They are presently involved in small scale farming, trying to share theorganic message.
Another graduate (Interviewee 595) parted ways with a SB to begin a school, training center for
women and a hostel for girls, building on personal experience that educated women encounter
less discrimination in the country. For more than ten years, 150 children from poor
communities are educated up to standard five. School schedules are adjusted so that teachers
can continue their studies. A recent ARI graduate (Interviewee 1221) has joined the teaching
force and notes families are making more of their own decisions. Some family sizes havedecreased from three or four to one or two children.
Four graduates have their own farms in addition to employment.

Figure 38. Roadside scene in the Terai, Nepal. Photo courtesy of Steven Cutting.

Figure 39. Gathering animal feed. Photo courtesy of Steven Cutting.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES
7.7

70

Sri Lanka

7.7.1

Context

Also known as Ceylon over theyears, this tropical island is justtwenty-eight kilometers off thesoutheastern coast of India. A
central mountain area issurrounded by a diverse plain
accounts for about five-sixths ofthe total area. Both rainfall andtemperatures vary in different
areas of the country. Rice
production is the most importantfarming activity with theplantation tea sector having
developed under British rule.
(Britannica, 2016). The humid,
cool hills around Hatton favor thetea production that makes thecountry one of the larger exporters
in the world.
Forests that once covered nearly
the entire island have beensignificantly depleted. The
potential of minerals was evident
as researchers were encouraged topurchase gemstones from shopswith backyard mines.
The population of over twenty
million (WPR, 2016) is comprisedalmost entirely of three ethnic
groups. Sinhalese are themajority in the southern andwestern lowlands; Sri Lankan
Tamils are mostly in the Jaffna
Figure 40. Map of Sri Lanka. Copied from http://geology.com
Peninsula and adjacent lowland
districts. Muslims, who trace their origins to Arab traders are mostly concentrated in someurban areas and the eastern lowlands. Indian Tamils were brought as migrant workers during
British rule; most are plantation workers living in high numbers in the Central Highlands(Britannica, 2016). Although allowed to remain in Sri Lanka, this group has challenges
regarding citizenship (Wolozin, 2014). The major religions are Buddhism (69%), Hinduism(15%), Christianity (8%) and Islam (7%) (DFAT, 2016).

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES71

The Sri Lankan Civil War was an armed conflict from 1983 to 2009 with intermittent
insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam81 (LTTE). An
estimated 80,000 to 100,000 people were killed and both sides allegedly abused human rights(Bajoria, 2009). Simultaneously there was internal strife among the Sinhalese with theJanatha Vimukthi Peramuna82 (JVP) initiating unsuccessful revolts against the government on
two occasions (Fernando, 2013).
The impact of the war on infrastructure was evident as researchers traveled the night bus toreach the north of the country, an improvement from war time when land travel was impossible
and even escape by sea dangerous (Interviewee 1052). Checkpoints are fewer now but
graduates spoke of “everything” in the north having been destroyed, including many rare
historical books and manuscripts. During the conflict there had been no electricity, an oil
embargo and even fertilizer banned because of its potential in making explosives. The territory
opened to foreigners only a few months before the researchers’ visit: bunkers were still evident
along the partially rehabilitated railway and buildings were under construction on confiscatedlands.
In December 2004. a tsunami in the southwest of the country, triggered by a 9.0 magnitude
earthquake, produced ninety-foot waves that killed more 230,000 people (Constable, 2015).
Several ARI graduates were involved in various aspects of response to the disaster.

7.7.2

Findings

Since 1972, eighty-seven ARI graduates have returned to work throughout the country. Of
these, researchers interviewed thirty-one of the forty-two visited. Four of those visited
graduated in 1977, with numbers of graduates in other years ranging between zero and three.
There are numerous relationships between graduates as several organizations have sent
multiple participants over the years (Org 167 sent eight) and several have family connections.
Most relationships have been positive while a few have been sources of conflict, one so severethat court action is pending. All who have worked with faith-based or secular development
organizations have been supported with varying degrees of external funding at some time intheir career.
While various graduates have been involved in road construction throughout the country, one
graduate (Interviewee 1193) pointed out that post war road rehabilitation in the north and east
is happening on main roads but not reaching villages. Several graduates noted that numbers ofmilitary in the north and east are under-reported and military presence is required at any
public event.
Graduates are much more concerned about the impact of the war on the thousands ofindividuals and families who were displaced because of fear for personal safety and/or
81

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) also known as the Tamil Tigers, is the independent militantorganization seeing an independent Tamil state in the north and east of the island of Sri Lanka that was defeated in
2009.
82

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramanu is a communist and Marxist-Leninist party in Sri Lanka that was involved in two

armed uprisings against the ruling governments in 1971 and from 1987-89, then entered in democratic politics in
1994.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

72

inaccessibility to goods and livelihoods. Some ARI graduates were among those temporarily
displaced or granted asylum in more affluent countries. The diaspora83 numbers about three
million, many working two jobs to support their families in Sri Lanka, and often encouraging
their Tamil relatives there to continue the conflict. Remaining families, however, just want the
war to be over. Many also “have become lazy, just making a phone call and asking for money”(Interviewee 1193).
There were still 30,000 IDPs in 2015 (UNHCR). One graduate described “the plight of the

59,000 widows as difficult: during the war women could safely be out at midnight; now it is noteven safe during the day”. Everyone must carry an ID card and children’s lives are often
threatened if their mothers do not offer sexual favors (Interviewee 1052).
Conservative cultural norms meant few people were unwilling to talk about the increase of
HIV/AIDS beyond saying that it is increasing in militarized areas. However, they were more
vocal about the government having banned the term “psychological trauma” and not allowing
non-government entities to provide psychological care. One community member said this is apart of government efforts at “structural genocide” that also includes putting Sinhala people incharge of businesses and educational institutions in the north.
Several in the north indicated “the war is over but the conflict continues.” One graduate sharedthat substance abuse and cell phone technology increase the tendency for youth to be drawn
into promiscuous relationships with the military. She describes the situation as the absence ofphysical bombs but being a social time bomb ready to explode if another unhappy group of youth
organize (Interviewee 78). However, graduates in the south were more apt to speak of the war
being over and people of different religions working together. Some infrastructures such as four
Christian centers that were destroyed or immobilized during conflicts are being rebuilt throughcollaborative efforts.
A literacy rate of about 90% does not guarantee security as several graduates reported
employment being secure only until the age of thirty-five, making self-employment crucial inthis context where migration continues as a coping mechanism. Migration from rural to urban
means more prime agricultural land is now residential; external migration consists of mostly
women going to Gulf countries as domestic workers (Gambourd, 2010).
Seven graduates spoke of problems created or exacerbated by migration, including antisocial
behaviors such as trafficking, substance abuse and crime. In addition, unprotected children are
vulnerable to abuse by male family members, marginalization in schools and wild animal
attacks. One graduate (Interviewee 27) who migrated to a developed country spoke of “wasted
years” in starting over in that country where Sri Lankan education was not recognized.
Six graduates spoke of savings and credit activities being successful: one graduate (Interviewee78) consults with a number of small organizations and is one of several who link the practicalteachings of ARI with PRA methodologies for effective savings and loans that decrease
substance abuse and domestic violence.

83

Diaspora includes people who are living outside the area where they or their ancestors have lived for a long time.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES73

Three individuals sent by a volunteer organization (Org 190) became involved in multiple
organizations with international connections.
7.7.2.1

Faith-based organizations

A mission (Org 110) was founded by a European missionary more than forty years ago to
relocate families from impoverished dwellings to improved housing. Two early graduates(Interviewees 452 and 454) married each other while they worked for seven to eight years forthis mission during its prime, prior to working internationally. The mission relocated 190
families from a slum area, providing housing and skills. The complex included a dairy: making
cheese from the milk and using the manure as compost. Carpentry, leather working, candle
making, along with a bakery, dispensary, and social services rounded out the activities. Morethan seventy families repaid their housing loans and now own vehicles. Some run buses andhave children attending university. Some neighbors followed the example of building houses.
International sales of cards flourished and the center produced their own pots for their orchid
growing until the missionaries left and external funding ended. Many initial inhabitants also
left and new residents had little interest in the activities at the time that the thirty-five year
lease on the land ended. The government then took over seven acres of the land: remaining
programs on the one acre include some education, computer training, social services,
kindergarten and a cafe. Two former ARI graduate employees have deceased. A third(Interviewee 93) remains: he has moved from management to caretaker and uses his leadershiprole in a local church to attempt to garner funds to support the mission.
A farm in another area began as a church project (Org 66) more than forty years ago to build
inter-religious harmony through a communal family lifestyle. It was challenged by the JVP
uprisings in the ‘70s and ‘80s when residents intermittently had to flee for their safety.
Thirteen staff now train sustainable agriculture to displaced families resettling after the
conflict. There are no records but staff share that thousands over the years were trained in an
approach of including 240 families at a time in a three year curriculum on women’s activities aswell as women’s and children’s rights. The training facility is rented out to provide a
community service and provide needed revenue. All graduates from this organization had
returned to work for it after their ARI experience: two later left to get married and a third(Interviewee 449) retired after eighteen years of service.
Another entity (Org 57) of this church denomination focused on the lives of women in a diocese.
One of the graduates (Interviewee 400), a lay worker for many years, was engaged in a variety
of non-formal social service activities. She provided disabled children with education and schoolsupplies in addition to preparing young people for job interviews. The other (Interviewee 451)
left the organization to take on extended family care responsibilities and hosts a full board
tourist accommodation home while caring for ill elderly relatives.
Four graduates returned to their supporting church entities: one (Interviewee 594) continues asa priest, another (Interviewee 1068) is farming and teaching in his local community. One(Interviewee 1193) is rebuilding an agricultural training center destroyed during the war, andanother (Interviewee 582) is struggling with his role on a church farm damaged during JVP
conflicts. He provided supervision of alcoholics on the farm in an agreement with the court

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

74

system to keep people out of prison. His SB (Org 56) has terminated his services and is trying
to evict him from the farm.
A Buddhist monk (Interviewee 536) returned to the organization he participated in founding
prior to ARI and continues training young monks and working for peace in the country. Three
hundred (300) registered credit cooperatives provide savings and loans for business andagricultural activities. He shared an example of one where thirty-nine members from an 800
family community are members and 50% of those are involved in farm work. He also rescues
cattle from slaughter houses for distribution to poor families to assist with their livelihoods.
7.7.2.2

Secular development organizations

The researchers visited seven of eight ARI graduates sent from one large development
organization (Org 167) that enhances the capacity of disadvantaged rural communities toaddress their own development needs. Two daughter organizations have been developed torespond to business aspects of microfinance and social enterprise needs. Six of the graduatesinterviewed either returned to their former positions or were promoted after returning from
ARI. One of these (Interviewee 1100) left to start his own successful mushroom farming
operation when project funding for his aspect of a farm center ended; its struggling efforts are
currently managed by another graduate (Interviewee 1053) who joined when his work in posttsunami rehabilitation response ended.
The organization also employs two women in a tea growing area where plantation residents
were supplied with 150 cows and have established a dairy cooperative and milk collection
center. They have also participated in a “pay it forward” chicken distribution. Advocacy efforts
with plantation management resulted in improved child health care, including immunization,
and a new school.
One female employee (Interviewee 1013) combines part-time work with her duties as apolitician’s wife. She and another ARI graduate colleague (Interviewee 667) were part of theorganization (Org 162) that earlier birthed this new organization (Org 167) when leadershipparted ways. One graduate (Interviewee 667) reports that the third children in families areattending school because family income generation as the result of loans to fifteen to twenty
groups: repayment of 100% was attributed to group formation.
Staff implemented relief responses to fifteen to twenty thousand people displaced by war, andthen accompanied them in the difficult transition to resettlement. Three hundred and fifty(350) transitional shelters, that included sanitation, were built. Traditional fish tanks are being
rehabilitated and restocked with several varieties from a fresh water hatchery. Families who
had access to land were assisted with kitchen gardens for organically grown cash crops. In
other areas of the country, the organization has assisted farmers in establishing marketing
routes; participants are now able to give instead of receive as the result of kitchen garden
produce sales (Interviewee 634).
With government regulations changing around foreign NGO’s, one INGO (Org 78), after morethan thirty years in the country, transitioned its work to local NGOs it created. These areheaded by ARI graduate employees, of whom the director proudly says “Those are my boys from the villages.” Three head local NGOs, with the INGO providing some international

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

75

support that comes with strict requirements for long-term plans that include baseline andmonitoring measurements. Five year plans are encouraged with the option to make annualchanges.
One of these local NGOs (Org 152) has organized animal distribution (50% grant and 50%
repayment) to local CBOs. In addition, twenty-five houses were renovated and provided withtoilets. Savings and credit models for income generation are taught and help people establish
animal husbandry, agriculture, boutiques and sewing activities. Fifty selected farmers aretrying to reduce chemical usage after receiving free supplies of organic fertilizer.
A second NGO’s work (Org 185) with community groups has resulted in fewer children droppingout of school. Eighteen businesses have stopped selling cigarettes to minors, and 553 families
were trained on substance abuse, gender and HIV aspects. Community groups are now able todo advocacy and manage an emergency hotline (Interviewee 618).
A third NGO’s work (Org 96) has fourteen social coordinators supporting a network of twentysix organizations and working with fifty “societies” (groups) of 150 to 200 members each. The
goal of the work is child development and drug prevention. Much of it is done in collaboration
with a Buddhist monk who manages a therapeutic community for drug rehabilitation. He
provides a location for training and the NGO provides the materials. Village Action Teams(VATs) are created to support the efforts in communities; these teams usually begin withtwenty-five members and often expand to fifty-five as people see the advantages (Interviewee
669).
A third graduate (Interviewee 483) and employee of the INGO leads the work with 4000 youth
and matches 3000 jobs per month with a Chamber of Commerce in a Business for Peace
Alliance. Another (Interviewee 1261), at ARI during the time of organizational transition, wasseeking employment during the researchers’ visit, after having taken care of some family
responsibilities.
Another organization (Org 166) was formed more than twenty-five years ago to assist poor
urban communities improve shelter and livelihoods. This is being done in collaboration withtwo private limited companies to manage community housing support and solid waste
management. Three graduates returned to the organization on graduation: one (Interviewee
1022) left after several years to establish a poultry business that failed due to bird flu, and has
returned to the organization. Two (Interviewees 1106 & 1022) have management roles andwork with women's banking; one (Interviewee 1106) also works with the government on
redistribution of unused land. The third (Interviewee 9014) is a project officer for composting
activities. As a result, women cooperative members are able to purchase parcels of land withmonthly repayments for five to six years: at least twenty-eight have been finalized.
A national association (Org 170) began in the early 1960s to work in very diverse fields such as
child protection, human rights, reconciliation, disaster management, poverty alleviation, drug
abuse, mental illness, etc. Two graduates from the mid ‘90s are now independent consultants,
one (Interviewee 538) having established 300 credit unions in poor communities in Sri Lanka
and internationally. The other (Interviewee 570) developed a successful timber farm while
consulting with NGOs, four currently, on development and management matters whilebalancing valued time and talents with family and charity.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES76

One graduate (Interviewee 1000) mentors another (Interviewee 1133) in a consortium of NGOs
(Org 90); the two work with 3500 women members in savings and credit groups. Microfinanceis combined with training on composting, charcoal, agricultural practices and home gardens. In
addition, a three month ARI style training helps graduates from the program start homegardens and have better job opportunities.
Following philosophical differences with a SB, one graduate (Interviewee 964) taught highschool agriculture and worked with another ARI graduate (Interviewee 454) in an international
NGO before establishing a training center connected to government resources and working in
150 villages. Yet another (Interviewee 683) left his position with an NGO (Org 120) to join
tsunami response efforts. After those ended, he combined housing project work in another
INGO with developing radical educational materials on the dangers of chemicals in foodproduction and processing.
Researchers visited a relocated community with a couple (Interviewees 452 & 454) that had
consulted with national and international organizations for more than fifteen years, he in IPM
and rural and urban agriculture and she in health. After more than ten years, most of the 3800
families they worked with are still doing rice paddy cultivation on the three acres they were
provided with. Quality of houses has improved and three preschools with trained teachers arein operation. Family livelihoods are more sustainable with the presence of cooperative societies
replacing middlemen, the presence of a weekly market, and mini-irrigation for short term highyield crops. The couple are now farming in retirement after responding to the 2004 tsunami byattending to needs of the elderly. Along with several other graduates, all of different faiths,
they have aspirations to start a non-profit organization to further assist the elderly in the
country.
7.7.2.3

Government employees

A woman (Interviewee 701) had attended ARI as an exception to ARI’s policy, at a time of not
taking government employees, by being recommended by another NGO she had a relationshipwith. She returned to serve in various government capacities where her work allowed her toprovide counselling to 700 women (fifty also received loans) unable to be reached by NGOs
because of government policy which graduates say does not allow anyone other thangovernment to provide post-war psychological care. Her recent attempts at an independent
NGO have met with funding challenges.
Government recognizes and consults three other graduates regarding peace process anddisaster reconciliation responses. One (Interviewee 77) develops policies to integrate businessand peace initiatives, including integrating militant cadres into society as good civilians.
7.7.2.4

Independent graduate activities

A volunteer organization (Org 165) dedicated to promoting a culture of peace by organizing
international volunteer projects sent one person (Interviewee 78) to ARI who has worked withmultiple international organizations over the years. She is currently an independent consultant
to small local NGOs where she feels more impact to grassroots communities can be made. A
more recent graduate (Interviewee 1192) recommended by that organization has struggled toA STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

77

find a niche, especially after an unhappy working relationship with another ARI graduate(Interviewee 1193).
Another graduate (Interviewee 683), whose organization changed while he was at ARI, left tocreate CBOs and work for an international organization in addition to writing and teaching
about food safety. He claims people are healthy after two to six months of not drinking milk in
response to his educational pamphlets.
One graduate’s award winning mushroom farm flourishes in a context with no competition andprovides the family with a good and happy lifestyle (Interviewee 1100).
Another graduate (Interviewee 970) with ten years of experience in an organization prior to
ARI, returned to form a foundation for his SB in which role he consulted internationally ongroup formation and savings and credit. He left that to form another foundation that works
with eighteen groups; he supplements this activity by teaching Japanese.
A graduate (Interviewee 27) from the ‘80s moved to another country because of marriage andhas been involved in various aspects of refugee support including employment by the U.N.

Figure 41. Devastation of war.

Figure 42. Tea plantation.

Photos courtesy of Steven Cutting.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES
7.8

78

Western Africa

Researchers visited the countries of Cameroon and Ghana.

Figure 43. Map of Western Africa. Copied from www.questconnect.org/
Western Africa has a mix of predominantly colonial Francophone Anglophone influence andmyriad tribes. Hausa are the most populous, engaging predominantly in agricultural activity.
The Fulani are predominantly Muslim pastoralists and throughout history have shifted fromone location to another, including across national borders. Reasons mainly were for caring forlivestock but disagreements, colonialization, and coups also impacted decisions. More recently
many look for “greener pastures” in urban areas. The Ashanti in Ghana, are a matriarchal clan
with a pyramidal government headed by a king. They emerged from the 13th century Akan
tribes as gold traders; the Kingdom of Ashanti survived colonialization with its center inKumasi in the heart of the country (Britannica, 2016; West, 2016).
Christians make up the majority of the population in the two countries, followed by Islam. Bothhave threads of animism intertwined in them and funerals are an important aspect of social life.
Researchers observed giant billboard invitations and experienced packed planes and buses on
Fridays as people traveled to home communities for the weekend events of honoring the dead.
Wearing black and red, hundreds attend the funerals that remember the departed one, who

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

79

may be in a casket made to resemble the deceased’sfavorite object or profession such as that of ashoemaker (Newton, 2014).

7.8.1

Cameroon context

Cameroon lies at the junction of western and central
Africa. It is sometimes referred to as “Africa in
Miniature” (Barton, 2015) because of its geologicalFigure 45. Ghana coffin. Copiedand cultural diversity that includes beaches, forests,
fromdeserts, mountains, rainforests and savannahs. It is
http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/11/wohome to more than 200 linguistic groups with French
rld/africa/on-the-road-ghanaand English as official languages because thefunerals/
territory was divided between France and Britain
after World War I. It was reunited upon obtaining independence in 1961. For the next twenty
years the country was quite prosperous with the government focusing on educational facilities,
farm production, and selective industrialization. Rural development also took place andincluded the introduction of rural cooperatives.
However, in subsequent years less central planning and more reliance on private enterprise andfree trade have become dominant (Britannica, 2016). Graduates explain that an economic crisis
from the mid ‘80s to late ‘90s was the result of global economic downturn, drought, and falling
petroleum prices, accompanied by years of corruption, mismanagement, and cronyism. One
graduate (Interviewee 1041) is one of the many who abandoned coffee and cocoa at that timeand is just now replanting coffee with government provided seedlings. As these were maledominated crops, men quickly moved to working on eucalyptus plantations which one graduate(Interviewee 605) said were introduced by Australian missionaries.
The unintended consequence of eucalyptus for future generations has been the depletion of thewater table that increases distances traveled for water, as well as the destruction of naturalforests and grassland. One organization (Org 168) is actively working with farmers to replace
eucalyptus with indigenous trees (section 8.1.8). International organizations are also now
linking with local governments and organizations to protect the forests of the Congo Basin(CBFP, 2016). Other sending bodies are involved in beekeeping and introduction ofenvironmentally friendly trees in areas of deforestation.
Although now relatively stable politically and socially, English speaking territories that werehome to all ARI graduates visited, have less developed infrastructure such as roads and schools
than do Francophone areas. Graduates shared that Anglophone areas have grown increasingly
alienated from the government and are increasing demands for decentralization. An example
was given of a two week bus strike in 2008 in response to corruption, fuel price increases andgeneral living conditions to highlight discontent with the system where the president is also thehead of the armed forces and chief judge.
Graduates rely on public transportation, more reliable now in places where roads have
improved. In one area, women are now allowed to ride busses as the need for pushing them outof challenging spots is no longer an issue. In another, a road accessible to vehicles was

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

80

completed just prior to the researcher’s visit. The resulting market created excitement in thecommunity with new opportunities for products and exports, including to nearby Nigeria.
Other governance challenges over the years have included the long-term dispute with Nigeria
over the oil and natural gas rich Bakassi Peninsula that was finally settled in 2002 with theGreentree Agreement (UNOWA, 2013). In 2014, in the wake of the Chibok schoolgirls’
kidnapping in nearby Borno State in Nigeria, the government deployed troops to the Nigerianborder to combat Boko Haram (Smith, n.d.), the same year that thousands of refugees fleeing
the violence in the Central African Republic arrived in Cameroon (UNHCR, 2015). One
graduate (Interviewee 1066) spoke of HIV/AIDS rates increasing with even a three month stintof military presence in an area.

7.8.2

Ghana context

Ghana is a multicultural nation with a population of over twenty-five million spanning a varietyof ethnic, linguistic and religious groups (BFW, 2015). There is no national language, according
to one graduate (Interviewee 1116), because choosing one would imply superiority of thatparticular group.
Current borders were established in the 1900s when Togoland was divided into Francophone
Togo and the British Gold Coast. The latter’s name was changed in 1957 to Ghana when it
became the first Sub-Saharan African nation to declare independence from European
colonialization. With a series of governments alternating between military and civilian, Ghana
has been devoted to ideals of nonalignment (Britannica, 2016). As a result, many diplomats andpoliticians hold positions in international organizations, including Kofi Annan as SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006.
Ghana’s diverse geography and ecology, ranging from coastal savannah to tropical jungle, areproductive in oil, natural gas, gold, diamonds, and cocoa. The country boasts Lake Volta, theworld’s largest artificial lake, and Bosomtwe, the largest natural lake in West Africa, created
when a meteorite displaced forest (Sword, 2012). Attempts are being made to protect thisBosomtwe’s surroundings from the deforestation of slash and burn agriculture prevalentthroughout the country. With increasing population pressure, graduates say traditional
practices of cropping a plot for eighteen months and then leaving it idle for five years, arebecoming increasingly difficult.

7.8.3

Findings

Availability of agricultural land varies significantly. In some places it is cheap and occasionallyeven free for cultivation, but is often unproductive for women who dominate farming, using
simple tools and having little technical knowledge. In other areas, graduates say land plots are
becoming too small for sustainable livelihoods because of the combination of slash and burn
methodologies with generational subdividing. This increases conflict and, although a
traditional chief can grant use, official registration of land is costly (Javelle, 2013). Credit islimited for smallholder farmers and, even when present, may be disadvantageous with interest
rates varying according to the characteristics of the borrower and activity being financed (Atai,n.d.).

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

81

Several spoke of challenges in attempting to do organic agriculture: its labor intensity, needing
to substitute less desirable materials such as wood shavings for rice husks, and needing to
supply organic fertilizer free of charge for it to even be considered. In one context where horsemeat is part of local cuisine, horse manure is used because of its ease of collection from tetheredhorses, although it is less effective as fertilizer.
Women have greater challenges as they are traditionally not allowed to own land; one of them(Interviewee 117) is seeking to challenge this as there is no written law against it. She also
works with women’s groups on adding value to agricultural products to increase their livelihood
security. This helps women avoid being “sold” for dowries or resorting to prostitution if they
have no other means of support.
Three graduates have been involved in night paddocking84, a system that has decreased conflict
as farmers and herders have come to know each other as people. It also meets the needs of bothby providing much needed fertilizer for the agriculturalist and cattle food for the grazer(Ndikintum, n.d.).

7.8.3.1

Faith-based organizations

A Christian medical clinic established more than thirty years ago has expanded and continues
to be operational years after a graduate (Interviewee 377) has retired. However, a three acrechurch farm with onions in the one church served by a graduate (Interviewee 908) for many
years was not kept up by others following his retirement.

7.8.3.2

Secular development organizations

Eleven graduates returned to their secular organizations. Five of those continue to work intheir SBs in aspects such as sustainable agriculture, environmental protection, gender andwomen’s rights, traditional healing, herbal medicines and/or computer courses.
One woman (Interviewee 605) had her seed money from ARI matched by her SB (Org 168) on
her return from Japan to begin to implement what she learned with the 600 women’s groups theSB was working with. Because of the time it took to visit this many, the groups pushed theorganization to establish a training institution. The Ministry of Agriculture supported a ruraltraining center on land donated by a local mayor. Foreign funding was acquired after four yearsof effort and the facility now includes a farm, dorms and classrooms. A good relationship ismaintained with the government for seed supply with the farm regularly supplying threevarieties of Irish potatoes.
Training is provided for large numbers of people in long and short-term educational
opportunities. University internships are provided and thirty-five students have graduatedfrom one ten-month course. Staff identified an 85% success rate with the 7000 people trained in
short courses who go to work for government or as promoters for training on soil conservationand organic farming. Study visits for another 1500 people taught integrated practices and windenergy. Market assessments are part of the learning by staff and students on garden plots.

84 Night paddocking is a system whereby farmers allow pastoralists to keep their cattle overnight in a confined pen forcertain periods. The cattle eat the grass, are kept safe overnight and leave their manure for the farmer.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

82

Sales of value-added products such as plantain flour, dried cabbage, dried pepper and soya flour(sold out at time of the researcher visit) provide funds to aid in the support of the institution.
This educational farm is the only one of its kind in the area that responds to environmental
issues by utilizing four kinds of renewable resources: hydro, biogas, wind, and solar. A poultry
house is heated by biogas and hydro; 400 chicks at a time are protected with antiseptic dip
ready for shoe disinfection at the door.
Culturally appropriate practices are also studied and introduced: practices such as night
paddocking or considering sheep versus goats because of ease of raising and Muslim preference
for them. Veterinary services are supplied to the community.
After attending two training events and constructing an animal shelter at home, participantsreceive pigs or sheep along with an amount of animal fodder, some of which is produced on thefarm. Group loans at 0.5% interest are available with the assistance of foreign funding. The
group loans in turn are given by the group to individuals at 5% interest; group and individual
savings having grown from two to twelve million CFA (About $120,000) in nine years.
Community members value being together, correcting each other and learning new skills suchas how to improvise, with activities such as overturning grass for fertility when manure is notavailable. Groups have received prizes for agricultural products and have a sense of dignity andconfidence at being "rich farmers".
One organization (Org 154) with two graduates (Interviewee 1073 and another out of thecountry for advanced studies), produce artemesia85. This medicinal plant is being raised astreatment for malarial treatment in conjunction with an international organization on a
research and demonstration farm where international learning teams are also hosted.
Communities are led to compare chemical and organic options and develop their own plans;groups also learn animal management, food processing and computer skills on site. Some
community groups have started beekeeping and rotate potatoes with artemesia and moringa86
production. Bokashi making was added to the program when the ARI graduates returned to theorganization.
One graduate (Interviewee 1151) works in an organization (Org 133) that has an active board
and some foreign funding. He has a strong personal relationship with a government official andis passionate about changing attitudes of what he calls “suicide farming”, farming that focuses
only on money and ignores health issues. He has connections with an organic institute as well
as local government that have committed to opening an organic market in a local town. It is
still to be seen whether a physical local location will actually create a market for the yams,
poultry, fish and pigs produced by women’s groups. These groups (one of them with twenty-six
members) are organized, trained and monitored. They share whatever finances remain afterplanning for inputs for the next season, and do use some fowl droppings and fish foliar as
fertilizer on their farms. The organization has also been involved in planting trees in a local
preserve with a goal of developing it further as a tourist area.
85

Artemesia is an aromatic or bitter-tasting plant of a genus that includes wormwood, mugwort, and sagebrush andused in herbal medicine for the treatment of malaria.
86

Moringa is a drought-resistant oil-yielding tree, native to northwest India and widely cultivated elsewhere for its

water purifying, nutritional and medicinal qualities.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES83

One graduate (Interviewee 487) works with seven pig cooperatives. He feels his honesty has
inspired people to follow him as a leader and views individual gifts to him of pineapple, paupau
and corn as indicators of individual success. He sees groups failing because members do nottake responsibility, and servant leadership requiring that he needs to do all of the work himself
when they fail to participate. Bokashi from one training event was used to cover two hectares ofland but it is too soon to know whether or not the scant amount was effective. Proceeds frompig rearing introduced by a foreign adolescent in a pass-on-the-gift project cover group member
expenses for school fees, medications and funerals. The group has also planted trees for theircity council.
One graduate (Interviewee 1066), after returning to find her SB (Org 137) “was not yet stable”
established her own NGO (Org 37). Staff in three offices work with orphans, women andagriculture, human rights and advocacy, microfinance, and non-timber forest production. She
travels long distances to train rural farming groups, preferring to go to them because they do
not have the resources to leave their communities and because “working with farmers was awhole treasure on its own”. Delegates for training are selected by their communities, thenrepresentatives from ten farming groups at a time learn organic methods in two-day seminars
four to five times a year. Fifty-seven groups began with market analysis, credit unions havebeen established, and all groups receive monitoring and backstopping. There is a waiting list ofgroups wanting to join and three farmers earn enough with indigenous tree nurseries that they
have stopped raising agricultural crops. The government also recognizes the increased school
attendance among children of group members.
In the short time one graduate (Interviewee 1116) spent with his organization (Org 123) before
external funding ended, he participated in encouraging the growing of grain crops and shea87 in
micro-business savings and loans activities that were in operation for four to five years. He
currently works for the government in unrelated activity and has a twenty-four acre farm being
cared for by someone else while he is in the city. Of interest is the fact that he is married to an
ARI graduate from another country that he met when they attended ARI at the same time.
7.8.3.3

Government employees

One organization (Org 49) supposedly referred two graduates to ARI; neither seemed to know
anything about the status of that organization presently. One graduate (Interviewee 1045) is apastor along with full-time government responsibilities, in which role she partnered for shortperiods with numerous development organizations. She combines training on organic fertilizer
with being in charge of government distribution of chemical fertilizers. Fertilizer and cattle
projects lasted about three years until project funding ended; she tries to refer those groups toother funding sources. She also trained people on food processing and using less expensive
ingredients to increase market profit margins. She worked with another graduate (Interviewee
1072) to produce organic fertilizer commercially but that ended when external funding stopped.
Quality of the product seen on one test plot seemed questionable – the bag of fertilizer seemed

87

Shea a small tropical African tree that bears oily nuts from which a butter is obtained and used in food, soap andcandles.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

84

little different from surrounding soil and the crop where it had been applied was less healthythan surrounding rows. Concerned that bokashi ingredients need to be adapted to specific soils,
this graduate (Interviewee 1045) published a document on bokashi (unavailable to reference)and has returned to school to be more knowledgeable and respected in teaching organic
agriculture.
The other graduate referred from this defunct organization (Interviewee 635) consulted withseveral government ministries and NGOs regarding micro-projects such as sheep and goatraising, oil processing, artemesia growing, and registering cooperatives. Some of the slow workof changing marketable produce from cabbage to tomatoes is being continued by young men
several years later. The completion of a road and opening of a market in the community during
the researchers’ visit will likely be a good impetus for this to continue. In recognition of his
contributions to the community this graduate was elected to the Chamber of Agriculture.
He shared that change has been more successful with integrated pest management (IPM)systems than following pure organic methods. He also noted that positive change takes about
ten years to happen and that the most sustainable changes are those which are introduced inschool settings. On his return from ARI, he formed an organization (Org 148) to develop his
family farm into an independent training center. Many years later, that center is still a dream
because he has not had sufficient financial resources make it a reality. However, he does offer
informal advice in response to community requests.

7.8.3.4

Independent graduate activities

The termination of project funding affected not only the graduate working for the government
but also several others. One (Interviewee 1059), whose church did not renew his position but
required he establish his own supporting congregation in his denomination, is studying andteaching at a university. His study on unemployment revealed that most of the jobless in thearea are youth because of lack of education, skills, work experience and knowledge of available
opportunities. In addition, interest charged on micro-credit loans is exorbitant and government
policies to combat problems of youth are ineffective. He says these factors have resulted in
rampant property and cyber-crimes in this society.
Three other graduates are farming. One of those (Interviewee 1041), after not finding ameaningful niche in his organization (Org 168) on return from ARI, further developed his own
integrated farm and is looking to add coffee plants this year with government assistance aspreviously mentioned. He also joined a group of pig farmers who learn from each other. Theirlearning about improvements in pig raising and IPPM is accompanied by a loan fund. This
foreign supported fund helped members with loans to restart their pig raising after losses todisease. Group selling also allows better prices to be negotiated.
The two other graduates who are farming are doing so together after being placed on “technicalleave” by their organization (Org 36) when donor funding priorities changed. Together they
farm on 1000 m2 , implementing organic technologies researched by one of them (Interviewee
1045). The latter has assisted an international organization in establishing a demonstration
plot, providing some training on research regarding organic pesticides. He does have a desire toA STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

85

produce fuel from jatropha88, a crop promoted as biofuel in 2007-08 with less than desirable
results. It competes with food crops and, although it can survive droughts and poor soils, it does
not produce seeds in those conditions (Charles, 2012). It also takes a very large amount of seeds
to produce a small amount of fuel: fifty kilograms of jatropha to produce six liters of biodiesel
according to one graduate (Interview 937).
The other graduate (Interviewee 1117) has helped three groups (Anglo and Francophonemembers in separate groups) save $200 by adding value through food processing and making
handicrafts; profits are shared to meet home needs.
One independent graduate (Interviewee 1067) provides care for forty-three children (20% HIV
positive) with foreign support, including internet contacts that raise $2000 per year. His
natural garden is eight years old, includes eighteen plant varieties and requires no weeding.
Three indigenous plants raised with seeds from an ARI colleague in Myanmar have survived.
His garden has a year around supply of water from two sources: a well and the government
community water system. That water is supplied prior to chlorination as part of a special
agreement he has been able to negotiate. He saves his own seeds and asserts that, althoughnatural farming is less costly and workable for a family of three, it is not adequate for a larger
number of people. A home-made wind turbine he adapted from a model learned at ARI
generates electricity for his home use during power outages. He also trains women gardening
skills on a community plot near a river on school property where eucalyptus and cypress trees
have been removed to preserve the water table. He does this in spite of some physical disability
and raises eighteen pigs along with two other disabled individuals who each have two pens ofpigs. Pigs were chosen over chickens because they are less vulnerable to theft.
Three (3) graduates have retired; two are in ill health. One, very elderly, has significant
memory issues but the words “That we may live together” struck a cord and were repeatedseveral times during the researchers’ visit. The other graduate with poor health has anindividual oil palm plantation and a backyard farm with maize, cow peas, and cocoa to support
family needs. The third (Interviewee 1091) left the organization (Org 148) founded by agraduate (Interviewee 635) when there was no money to support his family. He has consulted
with a wide network on training to build civil society and monitor election fraud in addition to
managing his own small family farm.
One recent graduate (Interviewee 1214) was very discouraged after returning to find herorganization (Org 41) unhappy about communication during her time at ARI and the two parted
ways. She receives some informal support from another social service organization she
volunteers with, but is challenged as a single parent to support two children with no salary.

7.8.3.5

Other

Although graduates in various contexts in all countries in the study anonymously referred tothose who had “escaped” from ARI, the only graduate (Interviewee 550) researchers met who
had actually done so was in Western Africa. He shared a poignant story of family loss,

88

Jatropha includes any of various plants or shrubs of the genus Jatropha (family Euphorbiaceae), one species ofwhich (Jatropha curcas) produces seeds that can be used in the production of biodiesel.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

86

remoteness and the need to repay a fraudulent SB that led to his decision to stay in Japan toearn money. He was detained but during his time in a detention center developed relationships
with authorities that resulted in later opportunities to study in Japan. A government position
back home in the capital city now provides a way, not only for income to support his ruralfamily, but also connections for government support to his home community.

Figure 45. African hoe. Photo courtesy of Steven Cutting.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES
7.9

Japan

7.7.1

Context

Often called the “Land of the Rising Sun” because of the kanji that
forms its name, Japan is a composite volcano archipelago of several
thousand islands with the four largest ones, Honshu, Hokkaido,
Kyushu and Shikoku making up the majority of the land mass.
With a population over 127 million, the world’s longest life
expectancy and lowest infant mortality, Japan ranks 10th in
the world in terms of its Human Development Index (HDI)
and has no foreign debt (BFW, 2015). It experienced rapid
growth until a major recession in the 1990s and then aslow recovery under a constitutional monarchy with an
Emperor holding limited powers.
World War I, on the side of the victorious Allies, enabled
Japan to expand its holdings and influence until its surprise
attack on Pearl Harbor in December, 1941. War was
declared against it by several nations and Japan
unconditionally surrendered in 1945 following the atomic
bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A new constitution in1947 emphasized more liberal democratic practices withJapan granted membership in the United Nations (UN)in 1956: in 2015 it was elected to a nonpermanent
seat in the Security Council, more often than any
other country (Japan Times, 2015).
Although it has officially renounced its rightto declare war, the Self Defense Force isa modern military with the world’s 8thlargest military budget used for selfdefense and peacekeepingroles. Japan does
have some

Figure 46. Map of Japan. Copiedfrom https://upload.wikimedia.org

87

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

88

territorial disputes with its neighbors and the current leadership’s changes in interpretation of
Article 9 of the constitution allowing troops to go abroad are controversial in the country (Japan
Times, 2016).
ARI had its roots in the Southeast Asian Christian Rural Leaders Training Course whichstarted in 1960 at the Tsurukawa Rural Evangelical Seminary of the United Church of Christwith Toshihiro Takami as its first full time director in 1962. ARI was founded in its present
location 180 kilometers away in Tochigi Prefecture in 1973.
This campus was deeply impacted in March 2011 by the country’s strongest recorded
earthquake that damaged buildings and triggered an earthquake that resulted in the
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. This was one of the worst disasters in the history of
nuclear power and was just 130 kilometers northeast of the campus. Due to the general northand easterly direction of the winds, ARI was spared the brunt of the radioactive fallout.
However, it was affected enough that measures were put place to regularly measure radioactivity in air, soil, water, and food, and take appropriate actions when radiation readings went
above a limit set by the institution. The service of measuring radio-active contents in food was
also extended to the wider community.
Japanese participants have been a part of ARI since its beginning. The first one was recorded in
1960, then none until 1971 after which numbers fluctuated between zero and five until thepresent. Active recruitment of Japanese participants began in 1995 to equip Japanese youth
having an interest in international social work, mostly through the Japan Overseas Cooperation
Volunteers (JOCV) run by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). A secondary
reason for their participation was to boost revenue for ARI as Japanese participants pay theirtuition in full, not a requirement for other participants at ARI.

7.9.2

Findings

As further follow-up of Japanese graduates is more readily possible because of their close
proximity to the ARI campus, a sample of only eleven were interviewed. Several fellow of one
graduate employed at ARI verbalized how they have been positively impacted by that person’s
testimony of the existence of God.

7.9.2.1

Secular development organizations

Four graduates worked with Japanese programs in other countries, three of them working with
Org 108. One (Interviewee 1263) found it very difficult to work in an African culture where
people have a different work ethic, no knowledge of other countries and low literacy. Feeling it
is better to have someone who knows the culture, this graduate decided to return to Japan andis managing a farm shop and natural restaurant on a family farm. Another (Interviewee 847)
volunteered in a South American country for two years and returned to Japan after being
challenged by the lack of infrastructure in the host country. He then made a challenging
attempt in Japan to grow organic grapes before joining a university, now as Director General.
The third (Interviewee 515) worked in an Asian country for ten years managing twenty staff in
empowering women in ecological farming, raising ducks in rice paddies, food processing,environmental education, and forest management. Understanding of local language deepened

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES89

the interaction that supported a methodology of working “with”, rather than “for” people.
Married to a woman from that country, this graduate is back in Japan as Program Officer of thesame organization. Here he coordinates activities of multiple country offices.
The forth (Interviewee 1266), with another NGO, found organic farming in another Asian
country too challenging because of pests, so returned to Japan and works in two cafés with someorganic products.

7.9.2.2

Independent graduate activities

Two (Interviewees 1002 and 1267) married ARI graduates from other countries and are doing
farming activities there; one (Interviewee 1002) is also writing stories on rural life in his hostcountry for Japanese audiences.
In Japan, one (Interviewee 688) is helping out in a nursery school while looking for land to
farm. Another (Interviewee 1264) is farming with her husband in Japan and enjoying
motherhood. A third (Interviewee 1142) in Japan is cheering the lives of elderly by writing
their stories, and a fourth (Interviewee 717) translates news stories from English to Japanese.
Some work a combination of part time activities. One (Interviewee 1142) who, after working forseveral years on an organic farm with a restaurant, now is in a rural communal living
arrangement with part-time work managing recreation activities in a park. Another(Interviewee 1265) distributed relief supplies to disaster survivors in Japan following thetsunami and now provides care to handicapped children but is disappointed in their lack ofinterest in farming.

Figure 47. Rural Japanese village. Photo courtesy of Steven Cutting.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

8.

90Factors contributing to successes and challenges

Graduates come to ARI with anticipation mixed with apprehension of the unknown and
expectations that often are not realistic. However, all are molded to see the world and their own
contexts in new ways by living and learning in community for nine months. When they return
home, eager to share new learning, they search for ways to adapt their learning into the realityof family, SBs, communities and wider contexts. Many factors contribute to both the successes
and challenges they face, arising from their specific situations and what they learned at ARI.
8.1

Situational factors

8.1.1

FamilyGraduate successes come with many personal and family commitments. Researchers met or
heard about the families of 50% of those visited. About 10% of the graduates visited are single
and most of those married, have children. Family sizes average three to five children, about
half the size of previous generations, researchers were told. Extended families, many
intergenerational, provide graduates with support but also may present significant care
responsibilities. Responsibilities weigh heavier than in developed countries because of
inadequately supplied health systems that are more curative than preventative in nature andfamilies being responsible for care of the elderly and disabled. Stigma towards the disabled insome contexts often results in families hiding the handicapped individual from even care
workers (Interviewee 1051).

8.1.2

Community

Graduates’ ability to facilitate change in a community depends on a community’s ability to work
together. Poor rural education, especially for girls, results in low literacy and people “slowly
learning and hard to put into practice” (Interviewee 1191). People establish their priorities indifferent ways: one graduate (Interviewee 491) shared how people prefer to buy bicycles overmalaria medications “because a mosquito net only helps you at night and a bicycle helps you in
the day”. Community members’ need to balance family obligations with community activities
often results in slow growth of VDCs, few groups graduating from development activities, anddifficulties in managing cooperatives. Graduates may need to act as intermediaries between
donor organizations and communities for accountability and interpreting needs on both sides(Interviewee 1191). Dependency on development organizations is needed according to one
graduate (Interviewee 1171) who observed that 200 villages, with a population of 100,000 andonly one organization working in the community, could not survive if they did not grow opium
poppies. This is in agreement with a journalist’s explanation of the resurgence of opium
growing in this graduate’s area (Fuller 2015).

8.1.3

HealthGraduates’ work with communities can be seriously compromised due to health problems. Boththe health of graduates and the health of community members are impacted by a number offactors. Four graduates or organizational staff spoke of increases in cancer, one director (Org42) reporting the presence of cancer patients in hospitals having increased from 0% to 75% of
inpatients in the last twenty years. An additional five graduates, four of them from Sri Lanka,
spoke at length of the increase in “kidney problems” in areas where the green revolution had

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

91

significantly increased rice production, with the chemicals leached into rivers and ground water,
affecting both drinking water and fish being consumed. This concern has been supported instudies linking glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup) as acquiring the ability to destroy
renal tissue when in combination with “hard water” and nephrotoxic metals (Jayasumana,
Gunatilake & Senanayake, 2014). As a result, the government of Sri Lanka banned the use of
the product (Chavkin, 2014). Low literacy with inability to read warnings on packaging further
exacerbates the health risks when containers of toxic materials are recycled for water or foodstorage.
Nine graduates have been challenged with long lasting effects of injuries or illnesses and at
least two by deaths of spouses or colleagues. One graduate (Interviewee 510) feels nutritional
issues in her context are the result of lack of nutrients rather than hunger. In another country,
restaurants place a complete array of food before diners, untouched plates are returned to the
kitchen and served again to the next guests, and dish washing and toilet activities are
sometimes carried out in the same spot. Hygiene issues are also a challenge where animals
share the same living spaces with humans and one graduate, a hospital worker (Interviewee
830) admits “’til now I don’t have that health mind”. One graduate’s customs learned at ARI of
covering her hair, wearing an apron and washing her hands before food preparation has
increased business in her local restaurant (Interviewee 1183).

8.1.4

Gender

Women hold the key to food production and are involved in every stage of food production ascompared to men who generally participate in specific activities of ploughing and handlingdraught animals (FAO, n.d.). In addition women bear the major burden for household duties
and child care. However, often they carry out these responsibilities with dependence on men forsafety, permission and/or resources because of cultural values. Arranged marriages, often at a
young age and in exchange for valued cattle, decrease opportunities for girls to attend school.
These culturally specific gender norms can have a significant impact on how female graduates
are able to carry out their work. One graduate (Interviewee 541) quietly wept during the
researchers’ visit as she spoke about being supported through her suffering at ARI because ofleaving her parents as a single girl, having her grandparents die while she was away, and now
experiencing a lack of freedom in living with in-laws. She was one of two graduates that others
spoke of that face stigma because of giving birth to only girls. Two other women (Interviewees
1129 & 1129) may only travel beyond their villages in the company of a known male family
member. Women in another country have just recently been allowed to ride rural buses in anarea where roads have improved because there is no longer a regular need for passengers topush the bus through the mud or up hills.
Gender disparities in land ownership are pervasive even though land provides rural householdswith the basic means for subsistence and market production as explained by the Food andAgriculture Organization89 (FAO, 2010). Without collateral it is difficult for women to get loans
for capital, and even in Japan, it is more difficult for women to get land according to one

89

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a United Nations agency that works on international efforts to defeat

hunger by helping developing countries modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

92

graduate (Interviewee 688). In war situations this is especially traumatic as women whose
husbands are killed also lose the assets of their deceased husbands. They are especiallyvulnerable to exploitation during and after conflict, often needing to provide sexual favors inorder to feed their families.
Almost half of the interviewees acknowledged male superiority in home and work life in theircommunities. Rarely did women (two of 285 women interviewed) speak of being able to handhome duties off to their husbands for work responsibilities. In contrast, husbands handing their
responsibilities to wives in their absence was a common practice. Graduates described learning
about equality in gender roles at ARI by observing and participating in activities shared equallyby men and women, such as cooking and cleaning which are stereotypically women’s roles.
Women in leadership described their experiences as varying from “different” to a “struggle".
One (Interviewee 9002) described the situation for men as “it's like heaven everywhere, even in
the office, and they (men) always command you." Another (Interviewee 677) maintained her
employment position by reminding others that “Pregnancy is not a disease”. Responding tosituations like these has been especially challenging when the graduate is a lone woman inleadership or where traditional leadership roles are reversed and men report to her.
There was recognition that girls do better in school than boys (three Interviewees) and thatwomen are often the power behind vocal men (three Interviewees). One graduate (Interviewee118) openly attributes his success to his wife (Interviewee 1216) and has promoted her becauseof her training and financial skills. Several spoke of only men’s voices being heard in publicforums and, when women were too timid to speak up, men took credit for their ideas. One of thewomen graduates, who in her culture needed to be accompanied by a family male travelcompanion spoke of only being able to work with women and wondered about the advisability of
sending women from such a culture to ARI. One graduate also verbalized a sense of ARI staff
shutting down the voices of women during an earlier time at ARI.
Others, generally with supportive families, have persevered through the challenges andempowered other women through their examples. Four graduates spoke of ways they haveworked to equalize these power dynamics by focusing on women in training events and inviting
their husbands to join them. The fact that a majority of women who participate in training
events head single households is related to need, especially in areas of conflict where husbands,
who previously often even decided meal options, have died or where there is no formal
employment for women over thirty-five years of age.
Graduates working with such groups spoke of the importance for women and children invulnerable situations to know their rights and to have sustainable means of income. Evidence of
women’s increased dignity was seen in the savings and credit groups facilitated by one graduate(Interviewee 538) for 600 women in forty villages; their confidence was also bolstered andcultural barriers diminished by exchange visits.
Graduates are deeply concerned regarding human rights and trafficking issues and one
graduate (Interviewee 685) is deeply involved with rehabilitation centers for trafficked women
who become social outcasts. She also works with pastors and government to strengthen rescue
and prevention efforts. One graduate (Interviewee 1159) shared that a Buddhist government
invites him to do training on trafficking in spite of knowing he does so from a Biblical basis.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

93

Several graduates use Biblical approaches to gender awareness training because, as one
graduate (Interviewee 682) articulates “we need the power and energy of all”.
Several women in leadership roles in church structures and social organizations have been more
active in referring suitable candidates to ARI, both from within and outside of theirorganizations. They also have been successful role models in combining the challenges of
cooking, cleaning and child care with work in the wider community but not always as successful
as they would like to be. This was expressed by one graduate (Interviewee 1149) whose efforts
at gender equality in the kitchen at her institution failed after a year. In the words of anothergraduate (Interviewee 575) “We still have a long way to go but it is much better than 20 years
back when I went to ARI.”

8.1.5

Infrastructure

Every graduate faces infrastructure challenges, especially when compared to Japan. Many inrural areas have intermittent electricity at best and even urban areas experience regular load
shedding. Graduates in six countries shared how this directly disturbs communication andincome generating activities such as food processing. Roads vary from good tarmac to paths
where graduates have walked many miles or ridden buffalo to reach their destinations. Most
graduates depend on public transportation with infrequent or erratic schedules as privately
owned “buses” do not depart until they are full. These are often vans with drivers who also
serve as mechanics, quickly repairing breakdowns as passengers, accustomed to these delays,
wait patiently. Travelers may also be delayed by multiple military checkpoints or be subject toambush. Farmers generally are dependent on marketing middlemen for selling andtransporting products (Adams, n.d.).
This disparity between Japan and graduates’ home countries often means families andcommunities have unrealistic expectations of graduates on their return: expectations that they
are returning with wealth or, at the very least, gifts for everyone. One graduate (Interviewee
1091) was able to return with a car because of the support of extended family, but twelve others
spoke of the painful challenges of trying to explain why they returned with only invisible
knowledge, no money to implement practices, and no formal diploma.
Graduates are also active in community infrastructure development: two led road construction
projects providing access to their home villages (Interviewee 889 and 1046) while another drives
his own electric car in a metropolitan area (Interviewee 730).

8.1.6

Land tenure

At least twenty-seven graduates, along with many of their small-holder farming communities,
struggle with arable land being neither available nor affordable (including in Japan) for theirown farming operations and/or demonstration models. Reasons for this include the increase in
the amount of land being annexed by urban communities, tenure disputes and rising land
values. One graduate (Interviewee 1152) does have thirty acres, one (Interviewee 1023) is inyear twenty-two of a thirty-five-year land grant, and another (Interviewee 951) is renting land
for a demonstration farm. One (Interviewee 652), living in a city to be able to educate hischildren, has someone else working his ten acres of paddy land some distance away. Others in

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

94

urban areas have only small areas around their homes and neighbors who would be disturbed
by chickens or animals.
By contrast, land lies idle in some areas where people have migrated and one graduate(Interviewee 1052) has land but lacks knowledge to engage in the milk production he would liketo engage in.
The global rush for land has resulted in those without documentation, such as in Kenya, losing
their land in a process commonly referred to as land grabbing90. Oxfam (2016) reports that in
the last decade more than 81 million acres of land have been sold off to foreign investors in thelast decade. Although the deals are supposedly intended to grow food, the crops such as oil palm
and rubber in Indonesia and Malaysia are generally grown for export rather than feeding local
communities.

8.1.7

Agriculture

The myriad definitions of organic agriculture generally converge to say it is a system that relies
on ecosystem management rather than external agricultural inputs (FAO, 2016). There is
general global agreement that sustainable agriculture is desirable and some equate organic
agriculture with sustainable agriculture; however agreement even on the meaning of“sustainability” is nebulous. The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (2010) defines sustainableagriculture as “the efficient production of safe, high quality agricultural products, in a way that

protects and improves the natural environment, the social and economic conditions of farmers,
their employees and local communities, and safeguards the health and welfare of all farmed
species.” The economic conditions of farmers appears to be one of the most significant challenges
in reaching this goal. Some feel that organic agriculture cannot feed the world (Connor, 2007)
and governments often offer incentives for chemical inputs to farmers in many locations toincrease production.

Figure 48. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs copiedfrom McLeod 2014.

It is not surprising that farmers would be
attracted to chemical methodologies
according to one graduate (Interviewee
1206), who shared that when people are
hungry they do not care whether the food ischemical or organic. When people arestruggling to survive they also generally livewith a predominant value on the present
rather than the past or future (Kluckhohn,1944) so focusing on long-term less concrete
benefits of organic food is less of a priority.
This fits with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs(McLeod, 2014) and is generally
exacerbated in times of conflict when safety
is an additional major issue.

Land grabbing is the contentious issue of large-scale land acquisitions: the buying or leasing of large piecesof land in developing countries, by domestic and transnational companies, governments, and individuals.
90

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

8.1.8

95

Marketing

Graduates find the slow transition from chemical to organic practices especially challenging in
the face of widespread government and business promotion, and sometimes incentives, forchemical products. It is only in some remote areas of the world, such as in areas of Northeast
India and Myanmar, that this has not changed the face of agriculture to going beyond
subsistence.
Numerous marketing challenges included distances from available markets, transportation
costs, vulnerability to middlemen who control prices, and/or lack of demand for products being
produced. As an example, several graduates in one context spoke of local chickens and theireggs being worth more than others, while another (Interviewee 1100) stopped using an
incubator because of a lack of market for local chicks. One (Interviewee 1130) spoke of thechallenge of supplying sufficient products without seasonal price increases and another(Interviewee 1174) of the challenge of farmers wanting money faster. One creative graduate(Interviewee 510) helped a group, in the face of no market for weaving, to transition activities tomaking pickles and selling used clothing. Others say adding value could bring better prices but
they often lack skills in food processing and/or experience shortages of suitable affordable
packaging materials.
Often there is no organic price advantage with niches for organic products generally found only
in big cities. One organization (Org 167) is working to connect rural communities with an urbanorganic market opportunity. Complying with certification requirements can be difficult in theface of regulations that do not always consider cultural values but are a priority in seeking thebetter prices of specialty markets (Interviewee 1097) or organizing farmers to work for fairtrade (Interviewee 1222).
Graduates have mixed views on cash crops: some seek to supplement family incomes bybalancing short-term crops with long-term crops such as cardamom, tea, coffee, and rubber.
One graduate (Interviewee 614) is working on a collaboration with a rubber company tointroduce rubber to farmers. However, without any guarantee of market, falling rubber prices
and the environmental impacts of rubber agriculture (Ziegler, 2009), this may hold risk for the
future. In addition, dependence on plantation mono-crops may leave people with money but noavailability of food in some areas.
Two crops introduced by foreign interests, have proved especially challenging. In Western
Africa, one graduate (Interviewee 1045) is struggling to grow sufficient jatropha for biodiesel
while another (Interviewee 1072) teaches women how to press it for washing products in thelight of insufficient production for biodiesel. Eucalyptus is the other: a tree indigenous toAustralia and introduced to many parts of the world. On the one hand it has been very popularin the market for building materials and electrical poles because of its fast, straight growth; onthe other it has devastating impacts on water tables and consequently on agriculture. Attempts
are being made to remove it in most places (Albaugh, 2013 & Dessie, 2011). Graduates in
Cameroon explain that getting rid of it is no easy task and when burning the stumps fails,
people often resort to chemicals.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

8.1.9

96

Environment

Graduates are challenged in introducing new crops as crops that do well in one context may not
do well in other contexts depending on soil conditions, altitudes, latitudes, and access to water.
Rain fed agriculture is becoming increasingly difficult with climate change and more chronic
cycles of drought. In many cases soils have already been depleted with deforestation, erosion,mono-cropping, or crops being destroyed by animals that are allowed to roam freely.
Two Kenyan graduates (Interviewees 49 and 51) were distressed to see lumber from thedepleting forests near their home being used for construction in Japan.
Three graduates raised concerns regarding the practices of Japan and other industrializedcountries of sending banned pesticides to less developed countries. In addition, heavily
promoted chemical inputs leach into ground water and rivers making environments unfriendly,and even dangerous as discussed in section 8.1.3.

8.1.10 Government
Often national government policies are well written but not followed as seen in the example ofthe low representation of women in government explained in section 7.3.2.2. Lack oftransparent government policies result in situations such as the extensive destruction ofIndonesia’s rainforest (Vidal, 2014). One graduate (Interviewee 1081) explains that forests arebeing cleared and burned to make way for plantations and companies have been responsible forchemical accidents such as chlorine leaks with major impact on humans, paddies and fish.
Graduates or donors become discouraged in the face of politicians attempting to claim credit for
activities graduates have implemented in communities; this happens with greater frequency
around election times and often has led donors to attach their names to projects they havesupported communities with, when in fact they would have preferred to honor the community
efforts.
In many places, political appointments benefit cronies, government staff are “expected just toobey orders” (Interviewee 510) and politicians siphon money for personal interests. Government
policies also raise concerns such as those regarding the ASEAN trade agreement (DevonshireEllis, 2014) revisions taking place in December 2015. The removal of customs duties on imports
from these countries is expected to increase market competition between Cambodia, Laos,
Myanmar and Vietnam. Graduates worry this may have a negative impact on subsistence
farmers.
Recognizing the role of government constitutions, policies, and services as important tocommunity well-being, fourteen graduates have worked or are working in government positions
to introduce their ARI learning in these contexts. Another ten who are part of collaborations
that support communities with resources such as land, education and products, areintermediaries for accountability in development projects or activists for accountability inhuman rights and/or community projects. One graduate’s (Interviewee 1099) concerns about
the potential of conflict with loss of land and culture when a current leader dies, points to theimportance of good interpersonal relationships with all sectors of the community for effective
stewardship of resources. Another (Interviewee 730) has been instrumental in advocating forgovernment benefits for families of those who have died while working outside the country.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

97

Political decisions often connect cultures who may not know each other or are even in conflict.
Relationships are especially critical in those situations for graduates attempting to work inanother culture where they are not trusted and perhaps even feared, which is common in areas
with ethnic conflicts, such as Sri Lanka (Interviewee 1193). Several graduates have been a partof conflict relief efforts, sometimes with government protection, and working toward long-termreconciliation. This is not easy as pain runs deep and only surfaces occasionally in agonizedfacial expressions such as upon hearing labels with negative meanings, or seeing a government
tourism project on confiscated land. Comments by graduates and community members carrieda theme that alluded to structural genocide dismantling educational and traditional
institutions. One graduate (Interviewee 718) in another context of conflict and living near amilitary base, spoke of trying to change physical appearance with a different hair style andgrowing a mustache to be harassed less.
One mature graduate (Interviewee 921) participated in developing a country’s new constitution
and supporting local oral communities in holding their representatives accountable; this has
included accompanying the community to court. Others have received personal threats becauseof their advocacy work; one (Interviewee 558) who has had personal land confiscated describes“discrimination here is very visible and ignored. If you have money you can have your way”.

8.1.11 Globalization“It’s a small world after all” is becoming increasingly true and has brought positive changes,
such as countries being able to tap into global economies to improve health and education
systems. Media tools have made it possible for many in developing countries to imitate culturesin developed countries, often with less desirable results. Traditional clothes and languages are
disappearing while drug abuse is increasing and deadly diseases are spreading more rapidly(Hamdi, 2015). Several graduates spoke of a societal trend to devalue rural life and farming,
especially where educational systems use “digging as a form of punishment (Interviewee 1008)”.
Several graduates noted contrasts with Japan, such as one (Interviewee 199) who defineddevelopment as having all of the facilities that are available in Japan but not in most graduate
home contexts. Several were critical of development in Japan: one (Interviewee 1109)
questioning how the high rate of suicides (Wingfield-Hayes, 2015) fits with development while
another (Interviewee 1000) emphatically shared that “Japan is not development… because
many people (are) going to elder’s house; many people suicide; many, many day care center” andseeing it as lacking inspiration of family and community. However, seeing how technology isincreasingly isolating individuals in Japan, a graduate (Interviewee 1258) warns of the“Hikikomori”91 witnessed there. Japanese graduates found it particularly challenging to workin other countries because of community members’ limited resources, more relaxed culturalvalues regarding work, and lower literacy levels with little knowledge of the outside world.
Globalization, in addition to leading people to want more, brings tourism to once remote areas.
On one island the presence of tourists has promoted an attitude of “relaxing” among the local
population (Interviewee 935). In other places anger wells up against American media
91

Hikikomori is the phenomenon of reclusive Japanese adolescents or adults who withdraw from social life, often

seeking extreme degrees of isolation and confinement.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

98

portrayals of negative images of Africans (Interviewee 934). One Asian graduate (Interviewee
1257) dreams of changing the perception that people from a remote forest community are likemonkeys. The wake of increased migration away from rural life into urban centers and evenabroad has also introduced rural communities to new anti-social behaviors such as substanceabuse and human trafficking.
One graduate (Interviewee 615) notes that although globalization is generally seen as a blessing
for people it is not so for the environment. Slash and burn agriculture, mining and logging byinternational companies contribute to deforestation. Waste management of imported plastics,
which should not be burned, is problematic. Even organizations promoting organic production
are not always consistent in their message: an example was given of an international conferenceon organic food issues using disposable products for meals (Interviewee 145).
Even global aid efforts may have negative consequences. International NGOs can further
decrease agricultural productivity as people learn to depend on handouts. With the diminishingpost war recovery services in one country people “are suffering but it is too late” (Interviewee701). The NGO response to the 2004 tsunami and earthquake on Nias Island, Indonesia
resulted in new buildings in urban areas but people losing their community work ethic and now“they want instant - like noodles” (Interviewee 1223). In other countries, communities are
becoming disillusioned with the NGO world as they attempt to respond to as many as fourNGOs coming to any one village while still trying to engage in their own farming activities tofeed their families. One director (Org 4) spoke of the coordination attempts of an NGO working
group to build the capacity of VDCs to respond appropriately in the face of all the NGOs
wanting to be first with short projects, but requiring extensive monitoring and evaluation.

8.1.12 Migration
Migration has also increased with awareness of a wider world. Youth moving from rural tourban areas often abandon farms to squat in cities in their search of work or better educational
opportunities, depleting the strength needed for agricultural activities. Young men and women
are the majority who migrate to other countries in search of a better future or means of support
for their families. When women leave, the children left behind are often marginalized. One
graduate (Interviewee 618) explains that often daughters of these women not only drop out ofschool in early adolescence, but are often abused by their own fathers or other males in thefamily. This is exacerbated by increasing substance abuse, especially in areas of the world
where drug and human trafficking has escalated near the Golden Triangle.
Nepal has one of the highest and steadily increasing rates of migration (World Bank, 2016).
Many migrants return ill or dead (as described in section 7.6.2); however, Nepal‘s GDP depends
significantly on remittances from its diaspora. Although not statistically as high, Sri Lankan
graduates also spoke of dependence in their country on remittances (section 7.7.2).
One graduate (Interviewee 27) who left for a developed country, spoke of the hard reality of“wasted years” in needing to retrain because the education of his home country was notrecognized. However, others in Myanmar and Nepal share about more positive experiences intheir communities as they see returning migrants establishing businesses and providing new
employment opportunities. Some East Africans, mostly males, who left for education, also
return with new skills to help their communities.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES99

It is encouraging that migration has decreased where rural life has improved in terms of
quality, education or job opportunities. Graduates committed to making that happen include
people such as one (Interviewee 1191) who spoke of deciding to stay in his challenged mountaincommunity in spite of being encouraged to migrate to an affluent country to work. He firmly
believes that “the solution is there only, not from the outside”.

8.1.13 Conflict.
The horrors of war mean redefining success; sometimes “success is staying alive” (Interviewee
1195) as many victims go from being wealthy to impoverished. Several graduates spoke of theirown refugee experiences, of having lost all and living with constant military presence but noprotection. An African proverb “When two elephants fight, the grass gets trampled”
summarizes what happens when innocent people are caught in the middle of fighting by
opposing sides and forced to provide food or porter supplies.
Women are even more vulnerable, with abuse and rape common. According to one graduate(Interviewee 27), even in IDP camps, that are filled years after conflict has ended, raped womenare unable to leave camps for HIV treatment. He also spoke of the challenges of recovery going
far beyond physical, as child soldiers even at thirty-five years of age psychologically continue tobe between child and adult. He sees hope for the future lying in education - education that is
not about buildings but the greater challenges of access, paying teachers and providing meals as
incentive. Some tribal leaders even burn schools to maintain their control of people. Girls haveeven fewer educational opportunities, especially when a girl’s worth at age twelve is 100 cows.
Then she is readily sold off for the cows.
Even after fighting has ended, graduates spoke of not being able to share their culture for a longtime because of military occupation with rigidly controlled movement, “spies everywhere”(Interviewee 1159), and strong distrust of other cultures or tribes involved in the conflicts.
A Buddhist affiliated government has replaced a number of Christian sites with pagodas andproclaims evangelism of any Buddhist by a Christian, graduates say including spouse to spouse,as using force and subject to as much as two years in jail (Christian Aid, 2015). Clergy are notallowed to vote; however, recently that government has approved a doctor and nurse for a
Christian clinic that was closed for several years when no Christian doctor was available and noone else would come. Buddhist influence in another country is attributed to redistributing
mission land when a land grant expired, leaving the mission with only one of the original one
hundred acres of an active integrated program (Org 110).
All areas suffer when any area is destabilized as the person with the gun in reality has thepower. Economies slow, and shortage of landmine detection deters return to agriculturalactivities, and corruption escalates with unstable infrastructure.
8.1.14 Corruption.
Corruption is not limited to conflict situations. At international levels, companies may makeunrealistic promises and employ only expatriates in leadership positions. Graduates speak ofthese companies also having poor employee policies (low wages, long hours and child labor) andproducing inferior infrastructures such as roads.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES100

At the community level, finding honest managers can be a challenge and reporting to donors,
who may not understand the context well, leads intermediaries to report on what is expected
rather than the reality in order to keep funding (Interviewee 1191). One graduate (Interviewee
891) spoke of bringing assistance for children but “the elders have a need even more than thechildren and they have the authority; they end up taking it”. Communities’ stewardship offoreign funds is less stringent than for community owned funds. Theft of personal property ofpigs, chickens and crops is prevalent, especially in West Africa, and careful monitoring of selfhelp groups is needed to carefully analyze each situation for individual dishonesty. In one
Asian military context, people may be forbidden to host foreign guests if the government official
is not given a gift (Interviewee 1159). One graduate (Interviewee 1109) summed up a
discussion on corruption with the words “We are all corrupt to allow it to happen.”
8.1.15 Organizational dynamics
A large barrier to success of any endeavor centers around the need of families, including those of
graduates, to survive. For graduates, this often means needing to supplement their salaries as
pastors or intermittently volunteering for their organizations to keep them operational during
funding gaps between projects. It has been a frequent source of frustration to graduates whenleadership or direction of a SB changed while they were at ARI. However, SBs are challenged
by donor interest in short term projects that may have ended while the person was away, orlack of donor interest in new endeavors a graduate would like to pursue.
Graduates spoke of ARI’s focus being entirely social and being challenged on return in facing
the need to combine business and social programs. While ARI does not focus on profit,
organizations and individuals in communities need to consider it to survive: one graduate
expressed the feeling that ARI didn’t really care if things didn’t work and a community staff
person in a struggling organic shop asserted “Organic is only one of 1000 ways to help increase
people’s quality of life”. This conflict, as well as the need for their own personal livelihoods, has
prompted several graduates to leave their SBs. Sometimes graduates themselves migrate tourban areas where they are further challenged in the face of needing to modify their skills. In
urban contexts income generation and marketing skills are limited but even more important.
Management issues related to government policies and relationships with NGOs both hinderedand supported communities. In one country, government policy forced foreign development
workers to leave; in another the decision to limit size of local chicken flocks to 1000 birds
protected interests of small farmers (Interviewee 651). NGOs, fearing loss of future funding,
may find it hard to turn down donor practices inappropriate for local contexts; one example
includes fresh water fish tanks in drought or salinized areas (Interviewee 1152).
Transition from relief to development in post disaster contexts is challenging (Vogt, 2015).
Governments may focus only on visible infrastructure development at the same time as NGOs
are trying to support staff in transitioning from the immediate gratifying experiences ofproviding relief to the long slow work of development.
Internal disputes also challenge progress as in the example of an internal split (Org 97), when agraduate (Interviewee 935) project was taken over by the group which had attached itself to thegovernment and assets disappeared. Ten of the twelve graduates from this organization who
attended ARI expressed frustration with hierarchical attitudes and behaviors. They noted a

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

101

resistance to organic agriculture and a drift away from servant leadership coupled with poor
salaries and lack of concern for people with disabilities (Interviewee 1051). ARI agricultural
skills were not often able to be used in the usual arbitrary assignments and frequent transfers.
Staff working with other faith-based organizations also felt some rigidity, along with the stressof small salaries for pastors, and bosses who tend to be directive, even when those bosses were
ARI graduates. With declining numbers of church members in several places, and resulting
depleted revenues, staff felt stressed when increased responsibilities were combined withdwindling resources and time constraints.
8.2

Integration of ARI learning with context

Both leadership and practical skills were acquired at ARI. Arriving home with muchenthusiasm about ARI practices, graduates had varied experiences in being able to implement
them. In spite of challenges shared regarding organizational work, most graduates (83%) weresatisfied that they were able to meet their aspirations and family needs as reflected in Table 2.
Satisfaction was significantly greater for those working in faith-based or secular development
organizations than in other areas. The greatest percentages of those who faced challenges werein West Africa and Japan where satisfying employment opportunities utilizing skills learned at
ARI were more difficult to obtain.
Table 2. Satisfaction in meeting personal aspirations and family needs.
* Retiree satisfaction is tabulated as prior to retirement

Satisfied

Challenges

Independent
Independent
Employment
NonAgriculture
agriculture2

All types of
employment

Percent ofgraduateswithchallenges

Country

Organization1

India

26

3

2

7

8

17%

Myanmar

25

1

3

1

6

17%

Sri Lanka

23

5

2

6

6

14%

Indonesia

21

1

3

5

5

14%

East Africa

12

5

3

1

3

13%

6

2

5

2

5

25%

5
2

3
5

1

2
1

2
3

15%
27%

53%

11%

9%

11%

17%

Total 229

West
AfricaNepal
Japan% of total

1 May or may not include other individual activities.
2 Includes activities such as consulting, managing own hospitality businesses.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

8.2.1

102

Practical skills

ARI practices and teaches methods of integrated organic farming that incorporate sustainable
techniques of enriching the soil, cultivating crops, and rearing livestock. It promotes the use of
local materials and technologies to reduce dependency and to more readily lead toward selfsufficiency in food and feed production participants, staff, and volunteers working together toproduce the food eaten at the institution. A number of graduates alluded to staff having little
knowledge of products available in their homecontexts (such as Interviewee 1232).
80%
70%
The majority of graduates were able to implement60%
agricultural skills, skills to raise livestock, or both,50%
as depicted in Figure 49. A total of 163 (71%)
40%
30%
graduates visited had tried to implement some sort20%
of agricultural activity either with their SB or
10%
individually on their return home. It was possible0%
only to document whether or not they had made theAgriculture
LivestockBothattempt to do any type of agriculture. Different
Figure 49. Practical skills application.
approaches were tried with varying degrees ofsuccess. Many stopped after one or more failures;
deeper analysis was not possible within the context of this study because application of organic
practices was so sporadic and ARI had no definition of success.

8.2.1.1

Organic agricultureWith a deep sense of being expected by ARI to participate in organic practices, mostconversations first went toward practical skills which eighteen graduates explicitly identified asdifficult. They shared examples of only being able to do bokashi on a small plot, or “knowing alittle bit about many things”. They voiced having many ideas but lacking skills to apply them oranswer questions (7). Materials suggested by ARI were sometimes nonexistent or expensive:
one graduate (Interviewee 1046) said “the food of pigs at ARI is more than we eat here.”
Figure 50 shows the contexts in which
graduates applied agricultural skills. In
addition to applying agricultural skills in work
places, 39% also were able to have some sort ofagricultural activity in their own homes.
Implementation of agricultural practices
depended on the cultural, climatic, andresource opportunities and challenges of homecontexts. More graduates spoke about
challenges than successes that they faced upon
returning home. The organic production easily
done as a community in ARI is a challenge forindividual families or small groups because of
the manual labor entailed. This was resolvedin one context by using a “food for work”

Faith-basedorganization*
3%
5%
29%
19%

Seculardevelopment
organization
Independent

15%

Government

RetiredFigure 50. Application of agricultural
skills.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

103

approach that resulted in extending the practices to every community home already having ahome garden (Org 1470).
Some spoke of it being very difficult to get started; some still speak of unrealized dreams years
after their return, such as one (section 7.8.3.3 re Interviewee 635). Challenges varied, such as
paddy rice failing in a context where upland rice is now being trialed (Interviewee 51), or being
unable to implement agricultural practices because of the absence of policies limiting animalroaming (Interviewee 718). Graduates also were confronted with community members’
concerns with yield rather than nutrition (Interviewee 951) and/or being unable to meet
community expectations of being an expert after returning from ARI (Interviewee 1089).
Introducing home gardens was said to be effective when accompanied by promoting locallyavailable seeds or grants and credit for seeds and organic fertilizers. It often failed on larger
plots because of the lack of sufficient organic material for fertility. In those instances,
graduates adopted, some with a sense of guilt, integrated methodologies for fertility and pest
control. One (Interviewee 272) creatively adapted what he had learned at ARI through acontroversial visit to a hydroponic greenhouse to organic gardening in gunny bags in an urban
slum.
Perspectives of graduates (Interviewees 637 and 673) that “organic is the same everywhere” and“Everyone can do organic, no matter where you live” were not shared by the majority ofgraduates. Many feel challenged by resistance to change, lack of appropriate materials formaking bokashi, negative attitudes towards using manure, and greater incidence of pests anddiseases with organic methodologies. Because of these factors, most agree that it is only
possible to do organic agriculture on small scale plots; few farmers are ready to endure theeconomic problems one graduate (Interviewee 614) says they are certain to have in making thetransition on a larger scale. He explains “We cannot be providing them the money needed to do
the organic farming, so it will never be sustained.”

8.2.1.2 Livestock
A total of fifty-one graduates visited are engaged in at least two types of livestock activities: thenumber in each activity are shown in Table 3.
Table 3. Graduate work with livestock.
Type of Livestock

Personal
activity
attempted

Personal
activity
stoppedOrganizational
activity
attempted

Challenges inorganizational
activity

Cattle

11

2

30

12

Fish

11

1

24

2

Pigs

22

4

40

14

Poultry

41

14

47

14

Rabbits

3

1

8

3

Total

88

22

149

45

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

104

Three organizations using cooperative structures have been successful in building functioning
dairies and one organization is endeavoring to expand a cooperative model in response to 70% of
the milk in that country being imported (Interviewee 711). Other cattle projects failed forreasons such as poor location, donor funding, or graduates leaving. Although cattle are a major
expense and responsibility, they are important for cultural practices such as dowries and insome contexts even valued more than women (Interviewee 27). With livestock grazing freely,
conflicts arise between herders and farmers; night paddocking with its exchange of grass formanure has been a way graduates (Interviewees 605 & 988) have found to build peacefulrelationships (section 7.8.3).
Pigs are an important part of several Asian cultures, often running freely and raised on kitchen
scraps. Many people prefer the flavor of local pig varieties, especially when fed a cooked mash
very different from pig feed in Japan. Pig manure is valued for agriculture and in one case evenbought by Muslims (Interviewee 911) for their fields. Those working with organizations andone working with government (Interviewee 857) generally worked with community groups, but
not all monitored communities after animal distribution and/or training activities. Activities
that were stopped were most often the result of shortage of food or money to buy food, disease,lack of vaccine, or theft. Larger projects ended when external funding was withdrawn. Somechose not to raise pigs because of the challenges of climate, food and housing or resistance byothers of pig raising as an appropriate activity for a pastor (Interviewee 1015).
Three organizations have been involved in fish breeding and one government stocks lakes andrivers with gold fish that are important in extending cultural hospitality. Challenges in fourcontexts have been related to loss of external funding, polyethylene breaking and leaking, fish
not adapting, or being too costly a venture when using tap water in an area with a high saline
water table. One graduate (Interviewee 1060) speaks of people only constructing fish ponds
after more crucial needs for health care, food and education are met; another (Interviewee 1074)
has not introduced fish ponds because of deeming them inappropriate in contexts of water
shortages. Others (Interviewees 649 & 1060) speak of fish dying in paddies and irrigation
reservoirs because of chemicals in the water. Three graduates work with groups on adding
value to fish to improve market prospects.
Although poultry raising was the most popular livestock activity, it also met with the mostchallenges: the time needed for close supervision, neighbor dislike of the noise and odor, disease
and theft. Dislike was especially prevalent in large scale efforts or when free-range poultry
invaded neighboring agricultural plots.
Rabbits were least common but graduates found them quieter, less disease prone and fastergrowing than chickens: the only challenge reported was trying to care for their large numbers
when other employees were on vacation (Interviewee 735). Meanwhile two female graduates
spoke specifically of community appreciation for their skills in castrating pigs.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

105

Several spoke of the importance of beginning with small animals as building on people’s skills
for animal care helps them build up gradually. For example, three or four pigs may be sold tobuy one cow. This process is described by ILRI (2004) as a livestock ladder92.
The addition of goats at ARI was seen as important in teaching skills regarding animal rearing,
while those missing the cow spoke of it in terms of the milk it provided for ARI consumption, notin terms of learning for cattle rearing back home.
Those livestock projects that resulted in more family food security occurred where they were
integrated with other activities, especially agriculture, microfinance and/or value addition.

8.2.1.3

Demonstration models

Graduates often felt a need to demonstrate success in agriculture in order to convince farmers
to try new innovative ideas because farmers are often in vulnerable states and needing tosupport their families. Most graduates desire a demonstration farm modeled after that of ARI
although those are very costly to establish and maintain. Researchers visited some excellent
demonstration farms (Interviewees 605, 614, 651 & 911), some in poor condition (Interviewees
1045, 1049 & 629) and heard how others disintegrated when the graduate left the area
(Interviewees 234 & 1007). Conflict between organizations and graduates (Interviewee 1184)
arose around the length of time needed for a demonstration farm to be profitable: one graduate(Interviewee 1089) left his organization because “social business is not easy” and takes at least
five years. Another graduate (Interviewee 482) refuses to call his farm a demo farm “because
demo farms generally have no sense of generating resources for their own operations” andwithout resources the farm will not be sustainable.
Some (Interviewees 574 & 614) combine successful integrated models in their private homes
with their work in organizations, or with natural neighbor affinity relationships (Interviewees
1067 & 1204). Those graduates who have successful demonstration activities within theirorganizations (Interviewees 605 & 574) or who establish their own independent training centers(Interviewees 614, 651, 911, 934, & 1124) are valued as resource persons by other individuals
and graduates in their areas.
Other graduates working in organizations (6) found various models of FFSs (FAO, 2016) to be
more effective because people could learn, practice, apply on their own farms and share theinnovation with others (Interviewee 1184) without taking risks on their own vulnerable farms.
A private consultant (Interviewee 651) has adapted his intensive pig raising experience at ARI
to a wider variety of animals. He also incorporates a wide variety of ARI practices including
wood vinegar, fish ponds and fermented flooring for his chickens who live in the comfort oftwenty-four-hour music on his demonstration farm.
Twelve graduates spoke of fermented flooring: three failures were noted, one graduate was
confused about the concept and one was sure the ARI system would have improved by now.

92

A livestock ladder is a process of a farmer beginning with small animals: chickens are at the most basic level,

followed by sheep and goats, local cattle and finally dairy cattle. Those with dairy cattle “ are considered to berelatively well-off”.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

106

Three were among the fifteen who spoke of making fermented plant juice; two of those combined
it with other local methods to make it work in their contexts.

8.2.2

LeadershipWith even the basic mechanization of ARI andcomposting materials often lacking in graduate
contexts, graduates had much more success inutilizing their leadership skills in multiple
walks of life. They recognized servant
leadership skills gained at ARI as preparing
them for sharing with sending bodies andcommunities; one (Interviewee 724) saying “You

90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

have even the guts of standing before people.”
Figure 51 shows graduate application ofleadership skills in the slow work of community
transformation that begins with listening. Ten
Figure 51. Leadership skills application.
graduates shared their thoughts on this process
as one which involves people in thinking,practicing and planning to stand on their own rather than receiving handouts
One of ARI’s 40th anniversary resolutions (Appendix F) identified ARI’s “central aim is todevelop the capabilities of women and men, transforming them to become effective change
agents in their own grassroots rural communities to achieve inclusive growth with sustained
blessings from God”. Exposure to a wider world at ARI has affected the way graduates are
accepted into their own communities. Some experienced communities as being slow to respondwith comments such as “maybe okay for Japan” (Interviewee 1164). Some graduates felt
communities were more willing to listen to foreigners or expertise beyond a local graduate.
Many graduates have deep rooted respect from their communities while a few, generally
younger, are better received in places they are less known. They noted that it is generally
easier to work with younger people and in communities that are more committed to growing
together rather than splitting into multiple smaller villages. Recent graduates (2) struggled totry to articulate a long-term vision for how they would use their leadership skills. Especially
younger graduates were challenged in trying to introduce values of democracy and servant
leadership into cultures that do not allow one to speak out against anyone older. Connections
with authorities help voices to be heard, especially in human rights lobbying efforts. One(Interviewee 1060) attests that “one voice is not enough; however, the government is afraid if
the voices from all nine districts are combined.”

8.2.2.1 Community mobilization
During visits to graduates, 132 of them took researchers to visit their sending bodies,
employers, groups they work with and/or neighbors. The characteristics of communities wherelarger numbers of members have achieved, or shown progress in working towards food security
and secure livelihoods included those working in groups. These groups were engaged in
integrated activities such as animals, crops and value-added income generation activities thatwere supported with savings and credit and/or cooperative buying and selling. Group formation

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES107

had generally been through a variety of participative methodologies that help communities
realize their potential, and sometimes were combined with exchange visits to provide further
positive impetus. Work with groups and schools was reported to be more successful thanworking with individuals (Interviewee 635). Those depending on externally funded and directed
projects found themselves needing to bribe community attendance with handouts such as foodor travel support. For some, projects ended when external support ended, especially when
production had been subsidized by the program in times of no market (mushrooms), thegraduate left the area, participants were unable to imitate the practice, or products could notcompete in the market, especially export markets.
Those who were more successful in helping larger numbers of people move along the continuum
towards sustainable livelihoods, including having enough food for their families and sharing,
had captured the importance of being like the people (28) whether or not they actually weremembers of that community. These graduates acknowledged the importance of balancing
personal and family health and education needs (Interviewee 509) with that of working together
alongside, rather than for, communities. One graduate (Interviewee 1066) does demonstrations
plots in rural communities because it is expensive for community members to travel, saying “I

prefer working with them there, to serve them there and when they are happier everyone issmiling and they sing and dance and when they’re happy, you’re happy. It really consoles; youreally know what you are doing has an impact.”
Those graduates who were successful had a good understanding of the communities they
worked with, in addition to the knowledge of, and ability to connect with local and international
resources (church, government and NGOs) to create opportunities for helping people to standalone. They maintain an attitude of humility, as noted by the director of one organization (Org
166 & Interviewee 700), even after being provided with a vehicle; or the graduate (Interviewee934) who reluctantly admitted “They call me the director.” One widely sought after consultant
on community development (Interviewee 570) spoke of his own ongoing transformation, andneeding to share beyond one organization to impact the wider community. He also highlighted
the importance of personal assets “Now I’m rich I can share. If I’m poor I cannot share.”Researchers observed him modeling Christ-like love to the smallest children in a large meeting
context and pointing out three core trainers with the words “They are to pass me, not to follow.
Pass me. Pass me. Pass me!”Those successful in equipping others most often used participatory tools such as Participatory
Rural Appraisal93 (PRA) and Participatory Learning and Action94 (PLA) contribute to a bottom
up approach that “wakes people up” (Interviewee 250). In these approaches leaders andcommunities together identify strengths and challenges and participate in the decision for thebest way forward while focusing on affordable activities, several bring together people of93

Participatory rural appraisal (PRA) is an approach used by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and otheragencies involved in international development. The approach aims to incorporate the knowledge and opinionsof rural people in the planning and management of development projects and programs.
94

Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) is an approach for learning about and engaging with communities. It

combines an ever-growing toolkit of participatory and visual methods with natural interviewing techniques and isintended to facilitate a process of collective analysis and learning.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

108

different faiths and promote peace in training communities on sustainable livelihoods. On
occasion this means becoming involved in wider aspects of advocacy to help local communities
claim or maintain their rights while fitting into a regional and global context (Interviewee 921).

8.2.2.2 Servant leadershipAs servant behavior was strange in their contexts, some faced ridicule because their behavior
was not in keeping with cultural norms of directive leadership (16) or colleagues felt they werebeing mocked (Interviewee 1143). Three said it is not always possible to apply, such as insituations of church hierarchy (Interviewee 594) or locations of illicit crop growing where one’s
life could be threatened when taken to be a spy or detective (Interviewee 1171). One(Interviewee 1171) went so far as to say “Servant leadership is very good, but not good foreveryone, every community” and another (Interviewee 536) spoke of needing to get rid of
feelings of superiority on returning from Japan. Those who focused on listening andparticipative approaches were more successful in helping communities transform their thinking.
As would be expected following the ARI experience, “doing” was very important to twenty-two
graduates but understandings of what that meant varied. One graduate (Interviewee 1232) felt
one needed to close one’s eyes to many things because “if open can't be servant leader because
you see group projects fail and individual ones succeed. Leader needs to do or it fails.” Others
captured the concept of servant leadership as carrying out physical activities, sacrificing
everything. Varying degrees of helplessness and sense of failure were voiced because of nothaving finances for demonstration farms that people could observe.
The role of a servant leader is a lifelong process of self-discovery and bringing quality of life tocommunities (Interviewee 1118); ARI was an impetus of this journey for fifty-nine graduatesinterviewed. Sixteen went on to get university degrees and another twelve attended numerous
conferences or short term courses on leadership, democracy and gender aspects. Fifteen
attended courses specifically focusing an agriculture, livestock or water issues; three of these at
Makino School of Continuing and Non-formal Education95 in Allahabad, India (Makino, 2011),
an institution founded by one of the original ARI founders. There are no official connections
between the two institutions but many parallel philosophies and methodologies. Many
graduates learned additional skills from donor organizations and/or volunteer mentors both intheir own contexts and abroad; a number have also presented in international conferences.
8.2.3

Relationships

Sometimes ARI philosophy created conflict for graduates back home: children resenting thetime a parent was away or stress on a marriage. One graduate’s marriage dissolved when she
insisted on working to apply the values of ARI in her community (Interviewee 646). Several
families would have preferred their children to have government jobs rather than futures inorganic agriculture or service organizations; one family became supportive only after a graduate(Interview 1257) saved the family’s pig population from disease. Personal challenges include
inability to influence other family members or servants who do the cooking but do not buy
organic products or have an understanding of nutrition, lack of available space for those living

Makino School of Continuing and Non-Formal Education a constituent school of Sam Higginbottom Institute ofAgriculture, Technology and Sciences of Allahabad, India.
95

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

109

in urban areas to do agricultural activities, and/or organic products not being available oraffordable for family consumption.
Graduates need supportive relationships to determine what aspects of ARI learning to try to
implement in their contexts, especially in the challenging opportunities such as described by
one graduate (Interviewee 1144) working as a Christian within a predominantly Muslim context
who shares “If we start with religion, we fight but if we start with culture we come together.”
Graduates especially appreciated being in proximity to each other when they did not feel
supported or were in conflict with their organizations (Interviewees 1117 &1194).

8.2.4

Project sustainability

Of graduates who mentioned challenges in long-term impact of their projects, key issues
centered around management (33), conflict in values around traditions, faith and work ethics(10) and the vision ending when the graduate left the community (5). Limited resources ofpeople, materials, money and time also are a challenge, especially when associated withunrealistic expectations of instant profit (9) and inadequate physical structures because of lackof funds or shared vision (5).
More than forty graduates spoke of funding challenges, usually with the expectation of external
resources. Seven spoke of project funding approaches of donors resulting in losing good people.
Donor approaches are often too short termed for development results such as when they expect
unreasonable reports (crop results before crops can be harvested) or make sudden changes inprogram directions according to popular trends. Because of inability to access funding, four
graduates felt the ARI experience had benefitted only themselves personally, two of those in
independent farming. Seven graduates referred to funding shortages with no explanation.
None of the four graduates who were asked if they’d seen the information in the Nov. 2014 ARI
Newsletter regrading donor possibilities recalled seeing it. One other (Interviewee 1184)
spontaneously mentioned it as a run around for funds with no concrete results.
Project funding challenges resulted in six graduates leaving their organizations; another two
were placed on technical leave (Interviewees 1117 & 1194) in hopes of further funding.
Meanwhile graduates need to live with the reality of feeding and educating their own (often
extended) families now and during retirement when, in many places no retirement benefits
exist. As a result, some have migrated or work at long distances from family; they shared ofsome of the challenges of trying to keep families intact and functioning during those times(Interviewee 664).
Lack of more formal certification from ARI, not possible with its license in Japan as a registeredvocational institute, is seen by many graduates as limiting their credibility for individual
progress in competitive employment markets. As a result, one couple (Interviewees 49 and 51)
established the African Rural Institute for local training and has linked it with a university toprovide the accreditation needed for meaningful employment (Interviewee 700) in their country.
A significant challenge to long-term sustainability is the lack of graduates and organizations
monitoring communities following training. The difference was evident in visits to struggling
efforts in communities of six graduates who, when asked, spoke of verbal or no follow-up andvisits to two grassroots farmers who attributed their success to the monitoring received by

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

110

graduates (Interviewees 580 & 2610). Visits to successful community farmers included threethat were retired school teachers and two agricultural extension workers.
Table 4. Graduate role in change in communities visitedCountryWest
AfricaEast
AfricaIndia

Organization

Government

4

Independent
Agriculture

Independent
Nonagriculture

2

1

12

4

2

1

13

1

2

2

Indonesia

14

1

1

1

Malaysia

1

Myanmar

11

Nepal

5

Sri Lanka

17

Total

77

6

8

6

% of total

79.4%

6.2%

8.2%

6.2%

1
1

As per table 4, graduates have most often been part of implementing change when working inorganizations. Change has been most effective when there are monitoring systems in place.
Organization 6 works with more than 9000 groups learning about sustainable development:
being together, learning together, staying together, and working together. Organization 104
organizes communities as well as campaigns and advocates for implementation of agrarian land
rights with methodologies from the Institute of Cultural Affairs96 (ICA). A part-time employee(Interviewee 1174) in another area is helping to develop agricultural skills at the lowest level ofcommunity government for those with newly acquired land. Yet another (Org 77), recognizing
political trends in the country, reorganized into four organizations led by ARI graduates andsupports them in implementing integrated activities and holding staff and communities
accountable through results based management97 (RBM). Its widespread work has had successhelping youth transform from “gun holding home guards” to democratic organizational leaders
to ensure the rights of people, especially women and children, in forming organizations.
Immediate and aftermath effects of natural disasters, war, internal conflict and repressive
political systems are major threats that require the resilience of starting over again(Interviewee 889) or result in the near demise of organizations. One of these SBs (Org 110)helped seventy-seven families with housing and integrated agricultural activities: children of96

The Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA) is a global community of non-profit organizations advancing humandevelopment worldwide by empowering authentic and sustainable transformation of individuals, communities andorganizations, through methods and values.
97

Results based management (RBM) is a management strategy which uses feedback loops to achieve strategic goals.

All people and organizations (actors) who contribute directly or indirectly to the result, map out their businessprocesses, products and services, showing how they contribute to the outcome.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

111

these families own cars and “have many things”, some even driving buses and trucks. Another(Org 35) helped women with loans that successfully launched them into businesses that
supported their families: this was the impetus for one graduate accepting employment with theorganization but being very disappointed to be on technical leave because of a lack of resources.

8.2.5

Implementation of core ARI concepts
8.2.5.1 Foodlife

Although graduates were articulate in what the concept meant to them (section 3.3) they spoke
less of being able to implement the concepts. Fifteen graduates working in organizations,churches or government spoke of teaching the value of food, safe food, and organic agriculture.
One expressed that the concept was good but not practical in hot climates that contribute to
rapid food deterioration (Interviewee 921).

8.2.5.2 Dignity of labor
Of the nearly forty graduates who spoke about perspectives of work, three spoke of the dignityof work in farming more readily being felt when it provided a good income. This most often
happened for large farmers or those who combine farming with government jobs that
supplement farm income. Four graduates spoke of two types of farmers: large profit making
ventures with owners living elsewhere and small subsistence farmers. Ten graduates voicedthat most subsistence farmers are involved in agriculture because they have no other options.
For farmers with less than half an acre of land, seasonal migration is often needed tosupplement family incomes. Eight graduates spoke of farming being seen as outdated or a poor
man’s occupation and less desirable than activities such as mining or even waiting for relief
handouts.

8.2.5.3 Local resource utilization
Learning to manage resources effectively is a valued skill at ARI. Several graduates
demonstrated their ability to manage financial resources: some saved their stipends, received
grants, or solicited Japanese funds outside of ARI for personal or organizational needs. One
graduate (Interviewee 1091) said he was not the only one to return from Japan with a car andeven the cost of changing the driving system from one side to the other was worth the flexibility
and mobility this has provided him in working with rural communities. Furthermore, the ARI
credit union model was helpful to those graduates returning to contexts where credit unions area model for entry into community development work. Some of these graduates are evenintroducing teikei98 models.
Material waste management was learned by observation rather than as part of the ARI
curriculum and graduate concerns regarding ARI practices were explained in section 4.2.4.
Efforts to implement waste management in home contexts were mixed with one graduate

98

Teikei is the system in Japan where consumers purchase food directly from farmers. It is closely associated withsmall-scale, local, organic farming and volunteer-based, non-profit partnerships. It is popular to many Japanese andcited by many as the origin of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in other contexts.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

112(Interviewee 1109) successful in community-wide change and another sharing about it to others“whether they understood or not” (Interviewee 26).
ARI “emphasizes the importance of making the best use of locally available resources, bothnatural and human… with effective use of organic materials.” The most commonly available
organic material identified by graduates was manure, although in limited amounts. Mention
was also made of rice husks, but those needed to be substituted with coffee pulp or sawdust
when rice husks were not available or were needed for more urgent needs such as animal fodder
or fires. In one situation rice husks are such a valuable commodity that they are not returned
to farmers who take their rice for milling. One innovative graduate (Interviewee 969) created asystem where rice husks fuel a machine that in turn hulls rice and presses sunflowers. Fortybaskets of rice husks are able to run the machine for four hours.
Charcoal making is common and often a last resort activity for families in times of hunger;
however, it contributes significantly to deforestation. Extracting its vinegar was a new skill
learned at ARI mentioned by ten graduates. Three of them needed to substitute bamboo, palm
wine or sawdust in places of scarcity of wood. The nine graduates producing IMOs (two foranimal fodder) were one-third of the number whose reflection papers revealed plans to use it.
Shortages of local resources in terms of money, skills and materials are sometimes compoundedby illness and/or death and those graduates with assets say the large number of people coming
to them for assistance is “like a mission field” (Interviewee 821). While more than 10% of thosevisited spoke of needing external resources to be able to implement their learning from ARI,
four spoke of local or personal donations making their work possible. Three were adding value
to local resources to improve livelihoods. One organization (Org 166) took this to a larger scaleby hiring local people to process locally available raw materials; local people profit with thewages and sales support from the organization’s activities. The external resources used to set
this up exemplify the kind of partnership seven graduates identified as necessary for success.
Local knowledge was noted as crucial in adapting to different human desires and animal feeds
from those common in Japan (Interviewee 1105). Leadership is essential in bringing together
community members as “the most important resource, it’s ‘we’ in the community” (Interviewee
1135). One graduate (Interviewee 904) is intentional about the future by encouraging young
people to raise pigs in their free time where wild fodder is readily available, providing bothmeaningful activity and assets at a time of life many might be tempted to leave the community.

8.2.5.4 Time management
Graduates found it challenging to apply to their own contexts the systematic time managementof an industrialized country where everyone is equipped to do their own work (Interviewee
1054). Some tried to establish daily schedules in their workplaces with limited success achieved
through penalties for lateness such as shaming (Interviewee 970). One (Interviewee 656) used
more harmonious penalties such as singing or dancing. The latter also spoke of learning at ARI
having contributed to staff in her organization now discussing and implementing work plansthat previously were only on paper. However, most often graduates laughingly responded withcomments such as a rubber growing context contributing to “rubber time management”(Interviewee 1097) or “We left that in Japan” (Interviewee 677).

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

9.

113

Recommendations

These recommendations are the result of an analysis of comments from 173 graduates (86% of
those interviewed) during interviews; it also includes comments and observations recorded intrip notes of visits with 229 graduates in addition to organizations and communities. Some ofthese recommendations were already being considered and/or implemented at the time of a staff
review of the initial draft of this report in March, 2016. Others may not be able to be
implemented for a variety of reasons, but are included here to respect those who contributed tothe study.
Graduates first responded with their gratitude for their ARI experience and learning. Specificaffirmation was regularly expressed for particular staff, observation and study trips, andespecially for the introduction to international contexts and servant leadership by living incommunity and the benefit of cultural interchange. Although some recommendations were
offered spontaneously, most were in response to requests for suggestions to “make ARI an evenbetter place.”
Graduates were frequently reluctant to express anything that was not affirming to ARI so were
reminded that ARI is seeking this information. Even then, for some there was reluctance(section 2.2) such as that of one graduate who acknowledged concerns but “no time to think each
one through seven times before speaking” or one who felt his community had given too positivea report of what is happening in their community but did not elaborate further. Thesesituations imply that recommendations were given with deep sincerity rather than superficial
observations as graduates reflected on life before, during and after their ARI experience.
9.1

Recruitment and preparation of potential participants

Choose participants who have commitment and vision for communities wherever they are
working.
In order to select candidates with the most potential for sustainable future impact, key criteria
should be the candidate’s commitment and vision for communities, selected from a wider rangeof possibilities. There is a need to be open to candidates from different entities: faith-based or
secular organizations, governments or individuals recommended by other graduates. It alsomeans being open to considering people of different qualifications or different organizational
levels: pastors and lay workers, grass roots or senior employees. Often a more senior personwith good servant leadership qualities can have a wider positive influence than someone
working in a single community. Sometimes graduates have had to leave their organizations inorder to do this, such as the five who were part of starting new organizations to be able to havea wider impact.
Develop deeper relationships with SBs and potential candidates.
Sending bodies and trusted and respected graduates can be helpful in the important process of
selecting candidates to go to ARI. Increased mutual understanding of opportunities andexpectations between ARI, sending bodies and applicants would help to clarify roles andexpectations of each. Skype communication is a readily available and affordable tool that could
be used for this. Clearer ARI orientation during calls could help organizations selectA STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

114

appropriate candidates and decide whether benefits outweigh the sacrifice of employee timeaway. ARI staff could assess interaction between the potential applicant and SB as well as
English skills and motivation. English skills were identified by several graduates as more
important than educational levels for learning.
Often more value is attributed to something when it is not given for free and graduates had
mixed perceptions around whether or not SBs and participants should be expected to pay a
portion of the training costs. Some, especially those with a passion to not waste ARI’s valuable
resources, felt that if organizations and applicants were required to pay a portion of expenses
there would be more commitment to the program and fewer adventure seekers. Others would
not have been able to attend had it not been for this support so it is important to continue thecurrent practice of scholarships for those who have a strong case but otherwise could not afford
to attend.
Great financial involvement by SBs may also increase ARI’s accountability to deliver useful
results to them and is an aspect that merits ongoing analysis by ARI in light of ever changing
world situations.
Accept two, but not more, participants from any one organization, area or language group at
any one time.
It was recognized that individuals from less developed contexts will glean more from thetraining; however, they are often those with fewer language skills or cross-cultural experience.
Being together with someone else with the same language and/or similar culture can help themprocess what is being learned as happened in the case of two early graduates (Interviewees 470& 475). They were allowed to be roommates as one had no English skills; their relationshipdeveloped into a long-term supportive one.
This might also be an opportunity to have a man and woman participant from an area where
women are not generally accepted in leadership roles that could possibly help the man become
an advocate for the women in their communities.
It was also recommended not to have more than two from any one entity at any one time toprevent the formation of cliques while at ARI.
Develop teams of two to three trusted graduates in geographic areas to assist in screening
applicants.
Graduate associations and individuals are a helpful resource in learning about organizations
and individuals in their contexts; there is graduate interest in helping with this but with adesire for clear expectations of the role. Arrangements for remuneration of expenses insituations of travel should be worked out in advance.
9.2

ARI participant experience

The learning that takes place at ARI is a combination of curriculum and experiences of dailyliving that cannot be separated.
Strengthen the leadership component beyond rotation of leadership roles to providing tools that
support development of leadership and transformational community activities.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

115

Although not the verbalized intent of ARI, organic agriculture is often seen as the main focus of
the institution. Even many who verbalized satisfaction with the leadership aspects of the
training blamed their inability to mobilize communities on their inability to establish an ARIstyle demonstration farm. This is a natural tendency as hands-on skills are easier to grasp
than less concrete ones, especially where language skills are a barrier. However, the priority of
ARI for leadership is affirmed by those graduates successful in organizations, demonstration
plots or FFSs within rural communities. One graduate (Interviewee 78) explained that it is the“soft skills” of values such as sharing labor and respect that help most and that the “hard stuff”
could have been learned as well in other places.
Prepare participants for group facilitation.
As group activities were the most productive in long-term impacts, it is important forparticipants to become proficient in a variety of team building methodologies. An opportunity topractice them could decrease the amount of “learning the hard way” in working with grassrootscommunities. It is also important to understand how to choose the most appropriate ones andadapt them for specific cultural contexts. Skills in PLA, PRA and Asset Based Community
Development 99(ABCD), and methodologies have proven effective and in wider contexts and arecompatible with the principles of servant leadership important to ARI.
A change from 80% practical to somewhere closer to equal time forBaseline
Participatory
surveyplanning
practical and classroom experience would allow time for going beyond“good job” (Interviewee 618) to understanding the theories anddeveloping skills for baseline surveys, participatory planning,proposal writing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating to
Evaluation
Implementing
repeat the cycle. With these skills, graduates can take on moremeaningful roles in their SBs and wider contexts such as donor
Monitoring
and government sectors. This would contribute to increased
effectiveness in a rapidly changing world where networks are
Figure 52. Planning andbecoming increasingly important for long-term sustainability.
monitoring cycle.
There are several graduates with expertise in thesemethodologies that could be helpful resources.
Another crucial area of leadership is in the area of conflict management: graduates often facechallenges of domestic and community violence, business and government corruption, and/or
war and human rights violations. In 2012 an external consultant attempted to incorporate acomponent into the program but participant needs at the time were beyond the skills of theconsultant to address. Ongoing efforts for staff learning about restorative justice arerecommended to support this significant issue (IIRP, 2016).

99

Asset based Community Development (ABCD) is an approach to community based development, based on theprinciples of appreciating and mobilizing individual and community skills and assets (rather than focusing on
problems and needs). It is community-driven development rather than development driven by external agencies; andbuilds on appreciative inquiry, social capital, and participatory approaches to development, community economic
development models and efforts to strengthen civil society.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

116

Prepare participants for leadership in gender equity.
Seeing the impact that gender roles have had on the ability of graduates to have an impact intheir home communities, training on gender analysis tools should be added to the curriculum sothat both men and women graduates are more aware of their own culture, be better equipped toboth analyze inequities and address them in culturally appropriate ways. Tools are available
from the Asian Project Management Support Programme (Shankar, 2013) and
Understand and respect participant contexts.
Of those commenting on ARI curriculum, 57% suggested ARI have more knowledge of theparticipant contexts (geography, culture, and resources) “beyond the five-minute asking about
their countries” (Interviewee 1077). This includes more opportunities for peer learning,
applying knowledge from a wide range of contexts, treating all participants with the same
respect, and where possible, educating volunteers and guests to do the same. Equal respect
without regard to age, culture and status is important to discover the potentialities of each; “In
ARI we are learning about integrated farming, why not integrated human being?” (Interviewee
726). Care needs to be given to not overrate certain cultural values such as the work ethic ofJapan. This could help to avoid instances such as one graduate (Interviewee 548) publicly
telling young school children of subsistence families that they were hungry because theirparents were lazy. It is recognized that people can be over sensitive to situations in which no
negativity was intended; however, increased opportunities for staff to learn from participants
would help participants to feel understood. Staff biases should also be acknowledged andaddressed to avoid perceptions that sometimes exist that participants, whether it be for countryof origin, culture or gender, are not valued equally.
ARI staff identified the value of the country context sections of an early version of this report for
future orientation of new staff and participants. It is recommended that this be used as abeginning and be updated as new information becomes available. Aspects such as land
distribution, unemployment and migration, human and substance trafficking patterns,
dependence on relief, international policies, new technologies and access to them are everchanging and increase the importance for ARI to always be a learning community.
Go beyond working with hands in agricultural and livestock aspects, to teaching the scientificmethod and practical cost-effective methodologies that graduates can translate to their own
contexts with fewer or significantly different resources.
The transition to organic agriculture is one that takes several years, even under the mostfavorable environmental conditions; most grassroots families live in less than ideal conditions
with little margin for risk without endangering family food supplies. Providing people with low
risk options to begin small incremental changes can be a way to start. To do this graduatesneed to be able to provide good explanations and respond to questions in order to instill
confidence to try something new: a way of practicing this could be to have them prepare
workshops for staff, fellow participants and guests to the campus.
More time is needed for understanding practices. One graduate expressed this as needing moretime learning how to make compost or cattle feed rather than just the duties of cleaning andfeeding (Interviewee 705). Another said “Not just how to make bokashi but what it is so you canA STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

117

teach it to others” (Interviewee 919). Composting is only one of a wide range of activities thatmake up conservation agriculture100 (Patton, 2016) that can make a difference in graduate
contexts: choosing appropriate ones to be explored for particular graduate contexts should beconsidered.
Understanding the strengths and challenges of a variety of methodologies such as FFSs andmodel farmers for teaching agriculture in addition to the ARI demo farm can help choose
appropriate approaches for specific contexts. This includes contexts such as those where landavailable for agriculture is becoming ever more limited. Graduates in urban settings,
increasingly important for food production, need skills for implementing high intensity
agriculture in small spaces.
Although animals are important in providing composting material, they also compete withhuman needs for food: the livestock ladder of starting with smaller, hardier animals helps
people build the skills they need for larger animals that they can then buy themselves with an
added sense of ownership and care (ILRI, 2004). Skills in livestock breeding and castrating,analyzing appropriate fodder and building animal shelters with locally available materials areimportant. Only one graduate farm visited had the capacity to implement large scale pig andchicken raising taught at ARI; this makes it important to provide practical and theoreticallearning on how to manage a few chickens, pigs and/or rabbits in small numbers with locallyavailable resources.
Graduates suggested providing training on basic technologies, some of which are included in thecurrent curriculum: small biogas models, tree grafting, crop diversity, germination testing,repelling insects, treadle pumps, SALT, and how to help people change systematically fromshifting to permanent agriculture while still being able to feed their families.
Graduates had little knowledge of green manure cover crops; this topic is important inpresenting suitable options for fertility beyond kitchen gardens. Cover crops101 are beneficial
for erosion protection, weed suppression, nitrogen fixation, soil structure creation, and insect
pest reduction. Using green manure102 adds to soil fertility and structure with certain crops
also valuable as livestock fodder (Card, 2016). A helpful decision tree for determining
appropriate cover crops is included the book “Restoring the Soil” (Bunch, 2012).
Present curriculum material step by step with repetitive, frequent cycles of action and new
information.
The value of illustrative handouts that can be taken home was especially seen in a visit where
one graduate (Interviewee 711) of more than ten years ago pulled out ARI handouts from his
office drawer that he still made use of from the time of his training.

100

Conservation agriculture is any system or practice which aims to conserve soil and water by combining surface

cover (mulch) with reduced or zero tillage to minimize runoff and erosion, as well as improve the conditions for plantestablishment and growth.
101

A cover crop is one grown for the protection and enrichment of the soil.

102

Green manure is fertilizer consisting of growing plants that are plowed back into the soil.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

118

Staff indicated that most technical material ispresented during the first few weeks of the program
when English skills are very basic. Presentations do
include photos but explanations are often in a level ofEnglish that may be challenging for those with low
skills. Providing information in small amounts
interspersed with activity and frequent repetition canbe helpful in comprehension. A review near the endof the curriculum at the time take-home resources are
distributed may also result in greater use.
Figure 53. ARI curriculum material
Include strategies on how best to decide whichsample.
technologies are appropriate for adapting to homecontexts. As possible, allow participatns to study
aspects relevant to their own contexts more deeply and/or link with appropriate learning
expereinces beyond ARI at the end of the program.
Include marketing, adding value and microfinance components in the curriculum.
Graduates and especially grassroot communities have a need to make their actvities support
their livelihoods. The ARI credit union is managed by participants and also includes staff andvolunteers. Competencies learned there were deeply valued: incorporating theory and skills inthe value and development of community savings and credit organizations (SACCOS) would
strengthen graduate abilities to contribute to this growing movement in many contexts.
The words of one graduate (Interviewee 1002) “We learned farming but not how to sell” also
point to needed skills on evaluating markets and related components such as adding value,
processing, packaging, and quality control103. Techniques for storage and managing early orlate planting to maximize market advantage are also important. Adding value to agricultural
products can contribute significantly to family livelihoods: activities such as food processing,which has been offered on occasion, should be consistently offered.
Include systems of developing economic calculations for cost benefit analysis of which animals
are profitable in which environments, as many cannot afford to buy animal feed and do not haveaccess to the free waste products of Japan. One successful and well respected graduate(Interviewee 614) also suggested including skills on helping people to evaluate pros and cons ofcash crops rather than totally discouraging them. A methodology for helping participants
develop and practice business plans might be able to be adapted from Earth University104(2014).

103

Quality control is a system of maintaining standards in products that are produced by testing a sample of theoutput against the required specification.
104

Earth University (2014) is a university in Costa Rica with an innovative curriculum where “You will develop andrun your own business while at EARTH. In your first year, you will form a company with four to six classmates andcreate a business plan that analyzes financial, social and environmental factors. Once the project is approved, theUniversity will grant your company a loan to operate the business during your second year. In the third year, you will

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

119

Be aware of, and include aspects on changing world trends.
Since the beginning of ARI the world has changed greatly. Computerization, internet and cell
phones have resolved some of the communication issues of earlier years for participants instaying in contact with families. Reliance on these tools to access resource information has also
created increased need for training in their use, especially for those coming from areas wherethese are still rare or unavailable.
Changing world patterns mean water harvesting techniques and biosand water filters have everincreasing importance as clean water sources in the world become less available. Creative
methodologies for minimizing and disposing of increasing amounts of garbage without polluting
the environment are important such the six Rs: refusing to generate waste, reinventing,
reducing, reusing or repairing, recycling, and rebuying (Alatervo, 2013). Current strategies arealso needed for confronting climate change, globalization, disasters or other emergencies. Someof the learning around ARI response to the 2011 earthquake may be helpful in developing this
aspect of the curriculum, combined with learning from graduates and participants from varying
contexts to determine the most crucial aspects to be taught in a specific year. These need to bereviewed and changed over time to be relevant.
Take whatever steps are possible to formalize certification for graduates.
In a changing world where donor funding is based on short-term projects, graduates are often
searching for jobs. Employment through an organization is usually necessary because mostoften graduates do not have personal resources to implement community wide changes. The
need for credentials valued by employers was highlighted by one graduate who said “At ARI we
get skills but you can’t find jobs without the paper” (Interviewee 1192). Some jobs have also
been threatened by not having a formal diploma (Froede K, personal communication, March, 8,2016).
It is recognized that ARI under its legal status as a vocational institute is not allowed to issue
diplomas and is now including more information on certificates about what is covered; this may
be helpful in some situations. Some graduates also suggested having more competency
requirements while at ARI, in the words of one (Interviewee 1067) “to upgrade the ARI, not tomake people to fail but to grade people after three or two months to make you know that you
have to work.” Perhaps an arrangement with a local university could be made for participants
who are interested in meeting more stringent requirements for a diploma being able to do so,while others, especially those with lower language skills or educational levels, could continue as
per the present process.
This lack of certification was also identified by several graduates as a deterrent to recruitmentof quality potential candidates, yet another reason for ARI to explore what might be possible
within the realities of Japan.

close the business and formally evaluate its profitability and effectiveness. After repaying your loan with interest, youshare the profits among your group.”A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES
9.3

120

Post-graduation monitoring by ARIThe concept “That we may live together” has great potential beyond ARIGraduate
campus life in guiding relationships between ARI, sending bodies, andgraduates in encircling communities to help them flourish for the
long-term. Mutual learning, celebrating successes andCommunity
providing encouragement all are key to that future. In
SendingBody
addition to the much appreciated newsletters (paper copies for
those without internet access), and Facebook page for graduates,
ARI
a number of other recommendations are offered for these
relationships.
Figure 54. Community support
Organize ARI staff visits to graduates, sending bodies andcirclecommunities for purposes of deepening relationships andlearning.
Interviewees expressed deep appreciation for the researchers’ visits. It is recommended thisbecome a regular ARI staff practice to all graduates’ home countries. Suggested frequency forsuch visits varied from every one to ten years: the cost implications to be borne by ARI are asignificant factor in determining that. Clear parameters need to be spelled out in advance that
expenses incurred for food, transportation and lodging not become a burden for graduates but
are part of the ARI budget for this purpose. Every staff person having at least one opportunity
to participate in such a trip would have multiple benefits.
The benefit for staff would be a deeper understanding of non-Japanese contexts, learning needs
and celebrating graduate accomplishments and encouraging them. One very specific way forthe latter is done by not responding to community questions as the “outside expert” butreferring questions to the graduate along with the affirmation that the graduate is able tocombine both ARI training with knowledge of the local context. The staff person has little
knowledge of the local context and asking solid questions is a helpful way for both staff andcommunity to learn. Documenting and sharing the learning from such visits would help theentire staff to stay current on what is happening without embarking on a study such as thisone.
The benefit for graduates would be affirmation that ARI cares about what they are doing andbeing challenged to do their best as a result. This would also result in increased status in thecommunity “because there is no people come from outside to give motivations for the grassroots”(Interviewee 615). These energizing visits can also be the impetus for graduates to meet
together, participate in exchange visits, exchange ideas and information, as well as feel
connected to ARI without the expense of a trip to Japan, unaffordable by most. Communication
with graduates ahead of time could develop the most beneficial itinerary responding to specificneeds or requests for short courses.
Graduates come together eagerly when someone representing ARI is visiting, so graduate
associations may be strengthened or organized as the result of such visits. Formal graduate
organizations are seen to have challenges with internal politics and/or funding but there are anumber of informal relationships equally or more effective in providing mutual support andlearning. Their value should not be discounted.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

121

Such visits should also include sending bodies or employer organizations. In addition to those
aspects discussed in section 9.1, sending bodies are an important asset for ARI. They can aid in
identifying potential participants, internship possibilities and resources for learning and canwork with ARI to develop a shared vision of an appropriate curriculum. Links with otherpotential sending bodies could be established through organizing and facilitating meetings ofgraduate organizations within readily accessible geographic areas. Some organizational staff
also suggested ARI convene a meeting at ARI for key leaders from sending bodies to facilitate
their understanding of ARI and include them in ARI visioning and planning to be more relevant
to graduates’ contexts.
Explore opportunities for ARI graduate internships near their local contexts.
Most graduates who followed their ARI training with a three-month experience at the Santa
Rita Training Center105 or later attended the Makino School of Continuing and Non-Formal
Education spoke of how this benefitted their application of ARI learning in their own contexts.
A number of organizations affiliated with ARI graduates have the capacity to do this with somehaving experience with interns from other places and/or indicating a willingness to participate
in this way. Doing a pilot experiment with one or two graduates in one or two locations would
be a way to explore this option and deepen ARI relationships with organizations and networks
within regions. Some SBs spoke of a willingness to participate in hosting interns; they areincluded along with other possibilities identified by researchers in Appendix J.
Explore feasibility of seed money for projects to sending bodies.
Relationships with a number of organizations some years ago made it possible for ARI to
provide some seed money to graduates on return home. A few of the graduates involved sharedstories of how this benefitted individual or organizational plans to implement ARI learning but
it is unknown how widespread this was. To meet the challenge of returning to organizations
with a plan for a new activity but no funds for implementing it, 20% requested ARI plan to help
in this aspect either by considering grants for selected competent graduates or connecting themwith granting organizations. Should ARI decide to implement this sort of plan, it isrecommended that the grant be given to the SB for implementation of a plan mutuallydeveloped by the SB and graduate, submitted to ARI in accordance with guidelines developed by
ARI in collaboration with key sending bodies, possibly at a meeting as suggested above.
Linking this with the suggested adaptation of the Earth University entrepreneurial model
might also be a possibility. Skills in small grant writing and use of the internet are importantfor graduates to explore possible sources of funding in their own countries such as the small
pots of money embassies often have for community development and poverty alleviation
projects.
9.4

ARI Continuity

Provide continuing education opportunities to equip staff to provide the optimum quality
training for participants.
105 The Santa Rita Training Center on Negros Island, Philippines, established with the cooperation of ARI, was thebase of the Negros Training Project beginning in 1996. ARI graduates attended as an optional training extension from1996 to 2003. Since 2004, the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation have continued to run it independently.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

122

Providing opportunities for all staff to continue learning about aspects identified in this reportand new ones that may arise in future is important for ARI to continue to be relevant in an everchanging world. Recognize that staff can learn much from TAs and participants about contexts
outside of Japan and utilize those learning opportunities, in addition to providing opportunities
for external courses or conferences to stay current. It is also essential to provide an adequatebalance of work and rest to model care of families and to have the energy and enthusiasm for
new learning.
Clarify the role of Training Assistants and recruit accordingly.
Of the twenty-three TAs interviewed, all had come to deepen their learning and some to sharewhat they had learned in the intervening years. They can be important resources for staff andparticipant learning although few appeared to have had the opportunity to share these skills.
Those interviewed agreed they had been a major component of the labor force and a“middleman” between staff and participants. If this is indeed the intent of the position, it isadvisable to change that to having staff take more responsibility for developing deeper
relationships with participants. This would help to mitigate the feelings in of staff having little
understanding and concern for their specific contexts (section 8.1.15). If it is not the intent,
more clarity for all regarding the role would be helpful.
Being clear on expectations ahead of time and providing appropriate time for learning
opportunities promised, as well as for teaching can make this a rewarding experience for all.
Develop a strategic plan for long-term sustainability that responds to changing world realities.
Although most graduates want ARI to continue because of their very positive experience there,a few verbalized deeper perspectives on the importance of ARI to have a strategic plan thatconsiders funding streams: not being solely dependent on donors and having multiple donors in
addition to ending debt. One graduate (Interviewee 145) even offered to come to Japan tofundraise for ARI in organic farming venues in Japan.
Although nostalgic about their experience, some were surprised to see so little change overdecades in the light of a changing world. One organizational director spoke of the specific focus
on “rural” limiting choices of candidates best able to learn because of limitations with English inrural areas; another spoke of the limitations of learning by participants also not understanding
Japanese.
Clarify roles and relationships of staff levels, governing bodies and American Friends of ARI(AFARI) and find an appropriate place for sending body participation.
An organizational chart that shows the relationships of all of the entities would be helpful inexplaining the organization to others.
According to ARI’s Act of Endowment, the board makes decisions regarding the legal body of
ARI and manages the execution of board member functions. The board is comprised of ten
members: the ARI Training Center Director, four members elected in a Councilors’ meeting andfive intellectuals elected by the board members. Councilors (21) are comprised of four members
recommended by the board, three ARI graduates and fourteen intellectuals elected by the board.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

123

Councilors need to approve the following issues prior to being discussed in the board meeting
including:











Budget and loan
Annual plans
Bearing/abandoning responsibilities stated outside budget
Changes of Act of Endowment
Merging with another organization
Termination of school due to inability of execution of main activities
Recruitment of donation and donation items
Selection of Director
Changes of school regulations
Any important items which are decided to be discussed by Councilors.

In addition, Councilors can give opinions regarding the businesses of finances, states of job
execution of board members, and respond to inquiries or receive reports regarding thesematters. It seems Councilors have more authority because all the important agendas have to beagreed upon by them before they come to Board meeting. “But in ARI's case, we usually have
Board meeting and Councilors meeting at the same time. It looks there is no difference”(Arakawa T. personal communication April 5, 2016).
The Steering Committee is comprised of the Director, Associate Director and General Manager
with the roles determined by the Director. The latest version of key concepts was drafted with
input from the majority of the staff based on learning from the impact of having the previous
version done with a small group (Arakawa T. personal communication, April 8, 2016). Clarity ofthe organizations decision making processes would be helpful for all to know what is expected ofthem.
American Friends of ARI (AFARI) is an American based organization whose purpose on paper
appears to be raising funds in North America to support the work of ARI (Appendix K). No
mention of a relationship to ARI other than that is evident although AFARI board members
have been noted to participate in staff meetings and participant interviews.
9.5

GeneralRespond to graduate suggestions and give reasons when ideas are not implemented.
There were several conversations where graduates explained that they have raised issues
before, sometimes on several occasions, with no response from ARI. Responding to people withreasons for a lack of action would help with their understanding, as well as help them feel lessdisappointment when candidates they refer are not accepted.
Note: A number of other aspects were spoken about but there was no definite pattern sorecommendations are not made regarding them. As examples, some wanted the program to belonger, others wanted it to be shorter; some wanted longer homestays, others wanted fewer or
shorter homestays; some requested shorter refresher courses.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

10.

124

Conclusion“That we may live together” has been the guiding principle at ARI for more than forty years
as the now more than 1300 individuals from more than sixty-five countries have been
trained to be servant leaders in rural communities. Living in community with people from
more than twenty countries at any one time on a working farm, participants, volunteers
and staff, participate equally in all of the aspects of daily and seasonal activities. The focusof all activities from field to barn to kitchen culminates in the joy of sharing food andfellowship in a central gathering place, Koinonia.
Although the intended focus of ARI is that participants would learn leadership throughorganic farming, graduates often first focus on organic farming. Many graduates felt guilty
when they were unable to implement pure organic practices or develop a demonstration
farm based on ARI’s model. However, the leadership skills of graduates were implemented
with an impact to wider communities through work in faith-based organizations, seculardevelopment organizations, government, individual agricultural endeavors or nonagriculture related employment. Several were instrumental in establishing neworganizations to be able to have a wider influence in community development and advocacy
issues.
Core concepts have always guided ARI; however, how these are understood by graduates
varied. The meaning of “rural” in Japan with its available infrastructure is vastly different
from that of the grassroots communities that the majority of graduates come from withsome saying “There is no rural in Japan”. They were more likely to identify rural settingsby the things that are lacking there, although many also realized the potential of rural
areas and it being “a privilege to live in a rural setting IF you can make that setting a
happy place to live in”. Graduates also experience less difference between rural and urban
in their own contexts than in Japan; they spoke of “grassroots” and “community leaders”
being more appropriate terms in striving for flourishing communities through capacity
building and development in whatever settings. Most of the graduates interviewed were
Christian and identified their faith as a major source of inner strength that had beenenriched by interactions across cultures and faiths; others spoke of being energized byrelationships with families, communities and ARI.
Learning at ARI was more experiential than theoretical, which is understandable becauseof the limited English skills of both participants and some staff. As a result, understandingof complex topics was limited. For example, foodlife was often understood as the aspect ofchores rather than the deeper meaning intended. Graduates also felt limited by knowing
how to make bokashi at ARI but not the principles behind it so that they could better adapt
it to their own contexts. Resource management was seen to be inconsistent with graduate
values as they saw food or material items being discarded that would have been useful intheir home contexts. ARI’s style of time management was not able to be implemented inmany cultures. Opportunities for graduates to learn beyond the nine-month course weredifferent for Japanese GIs who focused on deepening learning in a specific area than forA STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

125

TAs whose role focused on staff support and being intermediaries between staff andparticipants, rather than on finding opportunities for learning.
Graduates leave ARI with a dream or plan for the future. The ability, of the 53% that wereable to implement these in whole or part, was impacted by the plan itself, whether concreteor abstract, and how it fit into the graduate’s local context. Even more important waswhether or not it fit into the vision or financial and time constraints of the SB.
Countries, and specific regions and even communities present unique opportunities andchallenges as those relate to geographic, climatic, political, economic and social
circumstances. Family styles, community structures and health issues impact whatstrategies can be explored in specific locations.
Globalization has been a double-edged sword, bringing health, education, materials andcommunication on one hand, but dissatisfaction and desire for more on the other,increasing migration of youth and trafficking of both substances and humans to the extent
that some governments are increasingly dependent on remittance revenues.
Women in particular bear a heavy burden in agricultural and family responsibilities
although not having the same access as men to capital or land, a commodity that is
becoming less available because of environmental degradation, generational subdividing
and land grabbing. Many migrate in desperate efforts to support their families and areespecially vulnerable to sexual exploitation in trafficking war situations.
War, tribal conflict, religious conflict and natural disasters have often resulted in people
fleeing for their lives. Corruption at all levels of society leaves recovery from thesechallenges even more difficult with people sometimes making simple choices of what to
grow based simply on what is less easily stolen (section 7.5.2.1).
It is into these contexts that ARI graduates return. Although efforts at organic agriculture
and livestock raising have been challenging, when combined with effective skills in
leadership they have made a significant difference. Graduates’ roles in night paddocking
have promoted peace between pastoralists and farmers (section 7.8.3), introduction ofconservation agriculture has helped families themselves and orphans (section 7.1.4.1), anda reflexology practice brings physical healing (section 7.1.4.4). Advocacy of graduates with
communities and governments has resulted in stable pork markets in one remote area
(section 7.3.1), death benefits to families of deceased migrants (section 7.6.22) andcommunities are supported in advocating for their rights with governments in several
countries.
This has happened mostly in the context of organizations that graduates have helped tostrengthen or have formed in their passion to help communities flourish. These have been
most effective when participative methodologies, monitoring mechanisms and positive
relationships with communities, governments and donors have been used. In spite of theirleadership often being challenged by virtue of their gender, female graduates have also
been a significant part of this movement for communities to flourish.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES126

The recommendations in this report take into account recruitment and preparation ofpotential participants, participant experiences at ARI, post-graduation monitoring, andcontinuity of ARI itself, all intended to help ARI be the best it can be as its journeycontinues into the next forty years. May “that we may live together” guide that journey ofbuilding on the values of “rural” of the past to be relevant in the myriad of changing“grassroots” realities of today’s world. It is a journey well on its way with the theme at its
fortieth anniversary, already well on its way with the fortieth anniversary theme“Transformation at the Grassroots: walking with grassroots leaders” and the efforts of staff inalready implementing some of the recommendations proposed here.

Figure 55. Community group meeting. Photo courtesy of Steven Cutting.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

127

References
Adams D (n.d.). What is the middleman in marketing? Small Business.
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/middleman-marketing-21577.html
Albauth J, Dye P, King J (2013) Eucalyptus and water use in South Africa. International
Journal of Forestry Research. http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijfr/2013/852540/
Alatervo, S (2013). The 6 Rs: Making a sustainable impact. A prosperous way down.
http://prosperouswaydown.com/6rs-making-sustainable-impact/
Asian Rural Institute (2016). How to apply. http://www.ari-edu.org/en/ourtraining/%E5%8B%9F%E9%9B%86%E6%96%B9%E6%B3%95/
Atai, n.d.) Credit market inefficiencies. Agricultural Technology Adoption Initiative.
http://www.atai-research.org/our-approach/credit-market-inefficiencies
Atlas Obscura (2016). Nias ceremonial stone jump. http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/niasceremonial-stone-jumpBajoria J (2009) The Sri Lankan conflict. http://www.cfr.org/terroristorganizations-and-networks/sri-lankan-conflict/p11407
Balani, S (2013). Functioning of the public distribution system: An analytical report.
http://www.prsindia.org/administrator/uploads/general/1388728622~~TPDS%20Thematic%20N
ote.pdf
Barton J (2015). Cameroon: Africa in miniature. https://africa.knoji.com/cameroon-africa-inminiature/
BBC (2015). Nepal earthquake: Dozens die in new tremor near Everest.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32701385
BBC (2016). Myanmar swears in first elected civilian president in 50 years. BBC News.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35923083
BFW Bread for the World Institute Hunger Report (2015). When women flourish…We can end
hunger. http://hungerreport.org/2015/full-report/
Birke S (2010). Ethnic tensions grow in Myanmar. The National World.
http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/asia-pacific/ethnic-tensions-grow-in-myanmar
Blanchard K, Hodges P. (2003) Servant leader. Pub. Thomas Nelson. ISBN 0849996597
Borah A (2014). India ‘green village’ turns tables on hunters. Environment. Aljazeera.
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/06/india-green-village-turns-tables-hunters20146524428539715.html
Britannica (2016). Encyclopedia Britannica. http://www.britannica.com/place/Ghana
Bunch R (2012). Restoring the soil: A guide for using green manure/cover crops to improve thefood security of smallholder farmers, pp 27-56.
Burma (n.d.). A web resource for combating human trafficking.
http://www.humantrafficking.org/countries/burma

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

128

Card A, Small M (2016). Cover crops and green manure crops. Colorado Master Gardener
Garden notes. http://www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/Gardennotes/244.html
CBFP (2016). Congo Basin Forest Partnership. http://pfbc-cbfp.org/home.html
CDC (2016). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2014 Ebola Outbreaks in West Africa– Case Counts. http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/case-counts.html
CFOB, Canadian friends of Burma. History of Burma. Retrieved 2016 fromhttp://www.cfob.org/HistoryofBurma/historyOfBurma.shtml
Chacour A. E. (2016). Tanenbaum’s Peacemakers in action: Tanenbaum combating religious
prejudice. https://tanenbaum.org/peacemakers-in-action-network/meet-the-peacemakers/abunaelias-chacour/Charles D (2012). How a biofuel dream called jatropha came crashing down. NPR.
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/08/22/159391553/how-a-biofuel-dream-called-jatrophacame-crashing-down
Chavkin S (2014). Sri Lanka bans Monsanto herbicide citing potential link to deadly kidneydisease. Mystery in the fields. https://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/03/13/14418/sri-lanka-bansmonsanto-herbicide-citing-potential-link-deadly-kidney-disease
Chen, C.P. (2016.) Dutch East Indies. World War II Database.
http://ww2db.com/country/Dutch%20East%20Indies
Christian Aid Mission (2015). Obstacle to conversion looms for Burma’s beleaguered
evangelists. http://www.christianaid.org/News/2015/mir20150129.aspx
Connor D (2007). Organic agriculture cannot feed the world. Science Direct.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/David_Connor6/publication/228387654_Organic_agricultur
e_cannot_feed_the_world/links/00b7d5395dfe7a6d54000000.pdf
Constable D (2015). An eyewitness account of Sri Lanka’s remarkable recovery from the Boxing
Day tsunami of 2004 that saw 90-foot walls of water crash into the coastline. Daily Mail.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-3131893/An-eyewitness-account-Sri-Lanka-sremarkable-recovery-Boxing-Day-tsunami-2004-saw-90-foot-walls-water-crash-coastline.html
Cooperrider D, Godwin L (2010). Positive Organization Development: Innovation-inspiredchange in an economy and ecology of strengths. Appreciative Inquiry Commons.
https://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/intro/comment.cfm
Craine AJ (n.d.) Joseph Kony: Uganda rebel. Encyclopedia Britannica.
http://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Kony
Dessie G, Erkosa T (2011). Eucalyptus in East Africa: Socio-economic and environmental issues.
Forestry Department and Agriculture Organization in the United Nations.
http://www.fao.org/3/a-am332e.pdf
Detik News (2008). Suharto, from village to village up Klompencapir.
http://news.detik.com/berita/879014/soeharto-dari-desa-ke-desa-hingga-klompencapir

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

129

Devonshire-Ellis C (2014). Understanding ASEAN”S free trade agreements. ASEAN Briefing.
http://www.aseanbriefing.com/news/2014/02/13/understanding-aseans-free-tradeagreements.html
DFAT (2016). Sri Lanka country brief. Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs
and Trade. http://dfat.gov.au/geo/sri-lanka/pages/sri-lanka-country-brief.aspx
Duggan T (n.d.). What is the train the trainer model? Demand Media.
http://work.chron.com/train-trainer-model-5463.html
Earth University (2014). Entrepreneurial Project. Study at Earth.
https://www.earth.ac.cr/en/study-at-earth/academics/what-you-need-to-know/
Erickson-Davis (2014). ‘Better late than never’: Myanmar bans timber exports to saveremaining forests. http://news.mongabay.com/2014/04/better-late-than-never-myanmar-banstimber-exports-to-save-remaining-forests/
Estabrook B (2015 Denmark’s drug-free pigs.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/03/opinion/denmarks-drug-free-pigs.html?_r=2
Eubank D (n.d.) Under attack: a way of life.
http://www.fmreview.org/sites/fmr/files/FMRdownloads/en/FMRpdfs/FMR30/10-11.pdf
Fernando L (2013. April 1971 JVP uprising: Not to make the same mistakes. Colombo
Telegraph. https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/april-1971-jvp-uprising-not-to-makethe-same-mistakes/
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2001). Ethical issues in food andagriculture. FAO Corporate document repository.
http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/X9601E/X9601E00.HTM
FAO (n.d.). Women, agriculture and food security. WFS FS 07-E.
http://www.fao.org/worldfoodsummit/english/fsheets/women.pdf
FAO (2010). Gender and land rights: Understanding complexities; adjusting policies. Policy
briefs. http://www.fao.org/economic/es-policybriefs/briefs-detail/en/?no_cache=1&uid=40497
FAO (2016). Integrated production and pest management programme in Africa.
http://www.fao.org/agriculture/ippm/programme/ffs-approach/en/
FAO (2016). Organic agriculture. http://www.fao.org/organicag/oa-faq/oa-faq1/en/
Fuller T (2015). Myanmar returns to what sells: Heroin. Asia Pacific. The New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/04/world/myanmar-returns-to-what-sells-heroin.html?_r=0
Gakuba D (2016). Post-election stalemente in Zanzibar. Made for minds.
http://www.dw.com/en/post-election-stalemate-in-zanzibar/a-18967117
Gamburd M (2010). Sri Lankan Migration to the Gulf: Female breadwinners – domestic
workers. Middle East Institute. http://www.mei.edu/content/sri-lankan-migration-gulf-femalebreadwinners-domestic-workers
Gates B (n.d.) Bill Gates; Leadership case study. Situational Leadership.
http://www.leadership-with-you.com/bill-gates-leadership.html

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES130GALS (2015). What is gender action learning at scale? Gender action learning for sustainability
at scale. http://www.galsatscale.net/
Government of Nepal (2014). Labor migration for employment: A status report for Nepal:
2013/2014. https://asiafoundation.org/resources/pdfs/MigrationReportbyGovernmentofNepal.pdf
Greenleaf R (1977). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of the legitimate power andgreatness. Paulist Press. ISBN 0-8091-2527-7.
Hamdi F (2015). The impact of globalization in the developing countries. Pulse.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/impact-globalization-developing-countries-fairooz-hamdi
Hamling A (2015) Rohingya people: the most persecuted refugees in the world.
http://www.amnesty.org.au/refugees/comments/35290/
Hamzah A & Ngui Y (2014). State fund to take over Malaysia airlines, plans ‘complete
overhaul’. Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-malaysia-airlineidUSKBN0G807E20140808
Hartman, E (n.d.). Why UNICEF and Save the Children are against your short-term service inorphanages. http://globalsl.org/why-unicef-and-save-the-children-are-against-you-caring-fororphans/
Hattaway, P (2006 ). From head-hunters to church-planters. Piquant Editions Ltd. Carlisle, UK.
ISBN1-902689. Pp 4-8;106-112.
Head (1979). Definition and history of community development. Ontario Healthy Communities
Coalition. http://www.ohcc-ccso.ca/en/courses/community-development-for-healthpromoters/module-one-concepts-values-and-principles/defini-0
Hoover J (2015). Thinking critically about what we do: Comparing conventional and alternative
approaches to community organizing. ARI Handout.
Human Development Reports (2015). http://hdr.undp.org/en/2015-report/download
IIRP (2016). Restoring community in a disconnected world. International Institute for
Restorative Practices. http://www.iirp.edu/
ILRI (2004). From poor to well-off. Livestock can make a difference.
http://www.ilri.org/ilrinews/index.php/archives/105
Indonesia (2007. Worldmark Encyclopedia of nations. Retrieved March 16, 2016 from
Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2586700200.html
Indonesia Investments (2015) Oct. http://www.indonesiainvestments.com/business/commodities/coffee/item186
India’s Rainforests (2016). Indonesia’s rainforests: Biodiversity and endangered species.
http://www.ran.org/indonesia_s_rainforests_biodiversity_and_endangered_species
Jackson, A. n.d. Transmigration in Indonesia.
https://geographyas.info/population/transmigration-in-indonesia/

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES131

Japan Times (2015). Japan elected for record 11th time to U.N. Security Council nonpermant
seat. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/10/16/national/politics-diplomacy/japan-electedrecord-11th-time-nonpermanent-unsc-member-ukraine-also-gets-seat/#.VwbqfPkrIY0
Japan Times (2016). Abe’s drive to amend constitution.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2016/03/15/editorials/abes-drive-amendconstitution/#.VurHDOIrLX4Japan Times (2016). As new era dawns in Myanmar, some question Suu Kyi leadership.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/02/02/asia-pacific/politics-diplomacy-asia-pacific/newera-dawns-myanmar-question-suu-kyi-leadership/#.Vv6Lz_krLX4
Javelle A (2013). Land Registration in Cameroon. Focus on Land in Africa.
file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/cameroon-land-registration-in-cameroon.pdf
Jayasumana C, Guantilake S, Senanayake P (2014). Glyphosate, hard water and nephrotoxic
metals: Are they the culprits behind the epidemic of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology
in Sri Lanka? Int. J. Envirn. Res. Public Health 2014, 11, 2125-2147.
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1084784-jayasumana-glyphosate-study.html
Jlang S, Armstrong P, Cullinane S (2015) China unveils two-child policy.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/27/asia/china-two-child-policy/
Kably L (2016). Women have only 11% representation in India’s parliament. The Times of India.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Women-have-only-11-representation-in-IndiasParliament/articleshow/26384347.cms
Kaphle A (2014). Nepal, once known for farming now exports people; migrants earn big but facerisks. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/nepal-once-known-for-farming-nowexports-people-migrants-earn-big-but-face-risks/2014/03/23/5858ca52-8441-11e3-bbe56a2a3141e3a9_story.html
Kimenyi M, Kibe J (2014). Africa’s powerhouse. Brookings.
http://www.brookings.edu/research/opinions/2013/12/30-kenya-economy-kimenyi
Kishore A, Joshi P.K., Hoddinott J (2014) India’s right to food act: A novel approach to foodsecurity. http://www.ifpri.org/publication/india%E2%80%99s-right-food-act-novel-approachfood-security
Kluckhohn C, Mowrer O.H. (1944). Culture and Personality: A conceptual scheme. From Brink
P (1990) Transcultural Nursing. ISBN 0-88133-486-3
Kumar S (2015). Understanding Nepal’s Constitutional Crisis: A conversation with Prashant
Jha. http://thediplomat.com/2015/09/understanding-nepals-constitutional-crisis-a-conversationwith-prashant-jha/A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES132

Larner B (2015). Can India’s land of former headhunters make peace? National Geographic.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/08/150826-nagaland-india-myanmar-headhuntersbaptists/
Leadership for Life (2015). Values based leadership. Leadership: Transform your business into
a force for social change. https://leadershipforlife.wordpress.com/the-speed-of-trust/valuesbased-leadership/2/
Lim, R (2016). What is the state of freedom religion in Malaysia?, Panang Monthly.
http://penangmonthly.com/what-is-the-state-of-freedom-of-religion-in-malaysia/
Lim, R. (2008). Federal-state relations in Sabah, Malaysia: The Berjaya Institute of Southeast
Asian Studies, pp. 4.
Lonely Planet (2016). East Africa entry and exit formalities. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/eastafrica/visas
Lopez G (2009. Neutrality and non-interference, Malaysian style. East Asia Forum.
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2009/07/16/neutrality-and-non-interference-malaysian-style/
Makino (2011). Makino School of Continuing and Non-Formal Education. Sam
Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences. Allahabad, India.
http://mscne.org/About%20Us/index.html
Mandela N (1995) Long walk to freedom: the autobiography of Nelson Mandela.
http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2501119-long-walk-to-freedom-the-autobiography-ofnelson-mandela
Mansfield, S (2012). The Padaung.
http://www.myanmargeneva.org/tourism/THE%20PADAUNG_files/THE%20PADAUNG.htm
Maps of India (2013). Nagaland Festivals. http://www.mapsofindia.com/nagaland/society-andculture/festivals.html
Mathie A & Cunningham G (2013). From clients to citizens: Asset-based community
development as a strategy for community-driven development. Oxfam GB. Taylor and francis
Group. https://www.coloradocollege.edu/dotAsset/27454fab-98e8-4d89-80a0-044837593aa0.pdf
Mayberry K (2015). First-class refugees: Malaysia’ two-tier system.
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2015/12/class-refugees-malaysia-tier-system151221061627431.html

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

133

McDonald, S (2013). The Taunggyi Fire Balloon Festival.
http://www.travelfish.org/beginners_detail/burma_myanmar/29
McLeod S (2014). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Simply Psychology.
http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
Military (2016). Insurgency in Nepal.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/nepal_insurgency.htm
Misra r (2015). How this lake in Asia became a floating tomato farm. io9 We come from thefuture. http://io9.gizmodo.com/how-this-lake-in-asia-became-a-floating-tomato-farm-1695012409
Morung Express (2011). Gun survivors say Maipur will be land of widows. The power of truth.
http://morungexpress.com/gun-survivors-says-manipur-will-be-land-of-widows/
Mugerwa R.D., Marum L.H.,Serwadda D. (1996). Human immunodeficiency virus and AIDS in
Uganda. East Africa Medical Journal 1996 Jan:73(1):20-6.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8625856
Maxwell, J (2005). Qualitative research design: an interactive approach. Applied Social
Research Methods Series volume 41, 1-9.
McKenzie D (2015). For China, three decades of one-child policy proves hard to undo. CNN
World. http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/30/asia/china-one-child-policy-undo/
McNeill, Desmond. The state of development research. Annual Conference of the Norwegian
Association for Development Research, Oslo, 1992. From Mikkelsen, Britha (2005) Methods forDevelopment Work and Research, 31-2.
MERC (2014). Maasai Education, Research & Conservation. http://www.maasaierc.org/themaasai-people
Nepalese Farming Institute (2016). Zero Cold Energy Stores. http://www.nfi.org.np/index.php
Ndikintum NF (n.d.). The role of night paddock manuring in the reduction of poverty andconflict amongst farmers and grazers in Small Babanki (Cameroon). The University of theWestern Cape institute for poverty, land and agrarian studies.
http://etd.uwc.ac.za/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11394/2695/Ndikintum_MPHIL_2009.pdf?sequence=1
Newton P (2014). The long goodbye; Why funerals are big deals in Ghana. On the road: Ghana.
BBC. http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/11/world/africa/on-the-road-ghana-funerals/

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

134

Niwano Peace Prize (2016). The international committee for the Niwano Peace Prize.
http://www.npf.or.jp/english/peace_prize/nppc/
NPHC (2011) National population and housing census: National report.
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/sources/census/2010_phc/Nepal/Nepal-Census-2011Vol1.pdf
Oakford S (2014). Indonesia is killing the planet for palm oil. Vice News.
https://news.vice.com/article/indonesia-is-killing-the-planet-for-palm-oil
Oxfam (2016). The truth about land grabs. Oxfam America. http://www.oxfamamerica.org/takeaction/campaign/food-farming-and-hunger/land-grabs/
Patton B (2016). Conservation Practices. Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
http://www.mda.state.mn.us/protecting/conservation/practices.aspx
Practical Action (n.d.). Early warning systems in Nepal: Strengthening the capacity ofcommunities to manage early warning systems to reduce the impacts of floods.
http://practicalaction.org/dipecho
Ramon Magsaysay Transformational Leadership Institute (2012). Awardees.
http://www.rmaf.org.ph/newrmaf/main/awardees/filter/all/t/all/all/1
RJI (2016). Restorative Justice International: An online community for the world’s leading
justice practitioners and advocates. http://www.restorativejusticeinternational.com/
Roach M (2013). The gut-wrenching science behind the world’s hottest peppers. Smithsonian.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-gut-wrenching-science-behind-the-worlds-hottestpeppers-73108111/?no-ist
Rosli M (2006). The automobile industry and performance of Malaysian auto production.
Journal of Economic Cooperation 27, 1(2006) 89-114.
http://www.library.sesrtcic.org/files/article/28.pdf
Rossitto S (2015). Bridging the grassroots: A study about the influence of the Asian Rural
Institute on Rural Leaders. http://www.ari-edu.org/en/2015/06/18/graduatestudy-reportdownload/
SAI (2010). Definition. Sustainable agriculture initiative platform: The global food value chain
initiative for sustainable agriculture. http://www.saiplatform.org/sustainableagriculture/definition
Santoshini S (2015). India: The disappearing children of Assam. Aljazeera.
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2015/12/india-disappearing-children-assam151221080131614.html
Sarayrah Y.K. (2004). Servant Leadership in the Bedouin-Arab Culture. Global Virtue Ethics
Review, Volume 5, Number 3, pp. 58-79. http://www.spaef.com/file.php?id=625
Shankar J (2013). Rocky road to diamond dreams: Gender action learning system in value
chains. Asian project management support programme (APMAS).
http://asia.ifad.org/web/apmas/resources?p_p_id=1_WAR_resource_libraryportlet&_1_WAR_reso

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

135

urce_libraryportlet_jspPage=%2F%2Fhtml%2Fresource_library%2Fentry_detail.jsp&_1_WAR_resource_libraryportlet_entryId=5118
Sinha B (2014. Northeast: the role of narcotics and arms trafficking. Indian Defence Review.
http://www.indiandefencereview.com/spotlights/northeast-the-role-of-narcotics-and-armstrafficking/Smith M (n.d.) Factsheet: Explaining Nigeria’s Boko Haram and its violent insurgency.
https://africacheck.org/factsheets/factsheet-explaining-nigerias-boko-haram-and-its-violentinsurgency/
Spears L (2010) Character and servant leadership: Ten characteristics of effective, caring
leaders. The Journal of Virtues and Leadership, Vol. 1 Iss. 1, 2010, 25-30.
http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/jvl/vol1_iss1/Spears_Final.pdf
Sri Lanka Tourism (2016). http://www.tourism-srilanka.com/religion.html
Su-Lyn (2015). Growing Islamic fundamentalism seen pushing Malays to quit country. Malay
Mail Online. http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/growing-islamicfundamentalism-seen-pushing-malays-to-quit-country
Sunam R, Goutam K (2013). The rise of Maoists in Nepali politics: from ‘people’s war todemocratic politics. http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2013/03/15/the-rise-of-maoists-in-nepalipolitics-from-peoples-war-to-democratic-politics/
Swift, R (2011). Art Barter: Founder and CEO of Servant Leadership Institute, owner and CEO
of Datron World. http://www.servantleadershipinstitute.com/sli-bios/art-barter-ceo-of-datronworld-communications-inc-and-founder-and-ceo-of-servant-leadership-institute/
Sword K. A. (2012). Lake Bosomtwe. http://www.dearghana.com/attractions/lake-bosomtwe/
Szczepanski,K. (2014) Indonesia facts and history.
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/indonesia/p/indonesia
Takami T (1976) Integrated rural development. Asia YMCA planning seminar for Development.
Chaingmai, Thailand Nov. 23 – Dec. 2, 1976
The Talking Drum (2003). HIV/AIDS: The untold story. http://thetalkingdrum.com/aids.html
Terrenato L, Shrestha S, Dixit KA, Luzzato L, Modian G, Mopurgo G, Arese P (1988). Annals of
tropical medicine and parasitology 82(1):1-11. http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/3041928
Times of India (2011). Now, only Pak & China nationals need special permits to visit NE.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Now-only-Pak-China-nationals-need-special-permitsto-visit-NE/articleshow/7199004.cms?
Townsend C (2009). Servant leadership through history.
http://www.creatingnewworlds.org/servinghistory.htm
UNHCR UN Refugee Agency (2015) UNHCR subregional operations profile –South Asia.
http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e4878e6.html
UNHCR UN Refugee Agency (2015) UNHCR country operations profile – Thailand.
http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e489646.html

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES136

University of Central Arkansas (2016) India/Nagas (1747-present).
http://uca.edu/politicalscience/dadm-project/asiapacific-region/indianagas-1947-present/
UNHCR (2015). UNHCR country operations profile – Cameroon. UNHCR, The UN Refugee
Agency. http://www.unhcr.org/pages/4a03e1926.html
UNOWA (2013). Bakassi: Towards the completion of the Greentree Agreement process between
Cameroon and Nigeria in August 2013.
https://unowa.unmissions.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=LR2TXoQWOqw%3D&tabid=889&mid=
1997
Vallangi N (2014). India’s last surviving headhunters.
http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20140811-indias-last-surviving-headhunters
Vidal A (2001). Faith-based organizations in community development. U.S. Department of
Housing and Rural Development. Office of Policy Development and Research.
https://www.huduser.gov/portal/publications/faithbased.pdf
Vidal J (2014). Rate of deforestation in Indonesia overtakes Brazil, says study. The Guardian.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jun/29/rate-of-deforestation-in-indonesiaovertakes-brazil-says-study
Vogt A (2015). Caritas, Luxembourg. European Year for Development.
https://europa.eu/eyd2015/en/civil-society-alliance-voice/posts/bridging-relief-and-development
Wallace, M (2015) From principle to practice: A user’s guide to Do No Harm.
http://www.principletopractice.org/from-principle-to-practice/a-brief-history-of-the-do-no-harmproject/
Wangari Maathi (2003). The green belt movement: Sharing the approach and the experience.
New York: Lantern Books.
West A (2016). Ashanti people. African guide.
http://www.africaguide.com/culture/tribes/ashanti.htm
Wilson, T (2015) Is Myanmar’s nationwide ceasefire agreement good enough?
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2015/10/21/is-myanmars-nationwide-ceasefire-agreement-goodenough/Wingfield-Hayes R (2015). Why does Japan have such a high suicide rate? BBC News.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-33362387
Wolozin R (2014). Citizenship Issues and Issuing Citizenship: A Case Study of Sri Lanka’s
Citizenship Laws in a Global Context, pp18-24. Retrieve fromhttp://blog.hawaii.edu/aplpj/files/2015/01/APLPJ_16.1_Wolozin.pdf
World Bank (2014). Population Density. http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.POP.DNSTWorld Bank (2015). Overview Malaysia.
http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/malaysia/overview
World Bank (2016). Personal remittances, received (% of GDP).
http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/BX.TRF.PWKR.DT.GD.ZS

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES137

WPR (2016). World Population Review. http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/tanzaniapopulation/
Yu, K.P. (2008) Karenni Festival. http://www.huaypukeng.com/KTBfestival.htm
Ziegler A, Fox J, Xu J (2009). The Rubber Juggernaut. Science.
http://science.sciencemag.org/content/324/5930/1024.summary

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES138

Appendix A: ARI Philosophical Level

Mission Statement:
The mission of the Asian Rural Institute is to build an environmentally healthy, justand peaceful world, in which each person can live to his or her fullest potential. This mission isrooted in the love of Jesus Christ.
To carry out this mission, we nurture and train rural leaders for a life of sharing.
Leaders, both women and men, who live and work in grassroots rural communities primarily in
Asia, Africa and the Pacific, form a community of learning each year together with staff andother residents.
Through community-based learning we study the best ways for rural people to shareand enhance local resources and abilities for the common good.
We present a challenge to ourselves and to the whole world in our approach to food andlife.
Motto: “That We May Live Together” (Review Writings / Teachings of Dr. Takami)

Purpose and Three Conceptual Pillars of ARI’s Rural Leaders Training Program
The purpose of the ARI Training Program is to discover the meaning of the motto “That We May
Live Together.” Humans, nature and all living creatures are God’s creations and we must live
together on Earth; however we all know how difficult this is. Failure to live together is the causeof many problems in the world.
Food is the result of the joint work of God, nature and human beings. Therefore, we strongly
believe that in order to value all life on Earth, sharing food is essential; by sharing food we may
live together.
“Let’s create a world in which human life and the food that sustains it have the highest value‘That We May Live Together’”
The three conceptual pillars which support ARI training are:Servant Leadership – ARI is a place where every person can learn about himself or
herself through new experiences and ideas and come to a deeper understanding of what
it means to be a leader who serves people.
Foodlife – is a special word used at ARI to show that food and life cannot be separated;both depend upon each other. ARI is a place that values the soil – including the farmers
and rural communities that work the soil – and finds dignity and satisfaction in
producing food with our own hands.
Community Building – ARI is a place where we can learn through sharing – sharing
food and sharing life. We come as people of different cultures, ethnicities and faiths,
choosing to live and grow together through our differences and difficulties. In our life

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES

139

together, we work toward the goal of becoming effective servant-leaders, learning withand from one another.

Ten Key Concepts of the ARI Rural Leaders Training Program and Guiding Questions
That We May Live Together
 What is the meaning of "That We May Live Together"?
 With whom do we live?
 How do we live together?
Servant leadership What are the characteristics of a servant leader?
 Who is your model example of a servant leader?
 How can you be a servant leader in your community?
 Is a servant leader "a leader who serves", or "a servant who leads"?
Foodlife What is the connection between food and life?
 What does "sharing food" mean?
Community building What is community?
 Who are my community?
Spiritual growthWhat is spirituality?
What did you learn from people of other cultures, other faiths and people with noreligion?
 Who affected your spiritual growth and how?
 What does prayer mean to you?
Dignity of labor Can all forms of labor be respected?
 What is the meaning of "dignity of labour"?
 What is the meaning of rest?
 How does labour bring meaning to life?
To live in harmony with nature What is the connection between nature and farming?
 What is the meaning/purpose of farming for human beings?
 What is the cycle of life? What is our place in the cycle of life?
Value of rural lifeWhat does it mean for a community to be self-reliant?
What do richness, true development, happiness and money mean?
What is globalization? What is localization?

To live in harmony with peopleWhat are the skills needed to live in harmony with people?
What must I do to live (happily) in community?

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES140

What is good communication?
Serving the marginalized Who are your neighbors when we say "love your neighbor"?
 Who are the marginalized?
Attitude toward learning

What are the learning opportunities in this community (ARI)?
What are the learning opportunities in your community?
What can we learn through our differences, our miscommunications, our commonalities
and our working together?
How do you connect "learning by head" and "learning by muscle"?

Three Pillars and Three Loves

ARI Foodlife

Foodlife is a special word used at ARI to express the reality that food and life cannot be

separated; both depend upon each other. God has given us the gift of nature so that we cansustain our lives by making food. Human beings cannot survive without food, so we work tosustain life through a healthy relationship with nature. At ARI we are making an effort tocreate Foodlife in which the soil becomes richer as we produce food, and human relationships
become more beautiful.
Encompassing much more than just producing food to alleviate hunger, Foodlife places greatvalue in producing and sharing healthy food through the cooperative efforts of the community.

A STUDY OF ARI GRADUATE INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITIES141

It emphasizes the importance of making the best use of locally available resources, both naturaland human, and it leads toward the development of vibrant self-sustaining rural communities
and villages which are essential for the peace and stability of a people.
It is a joyful experience for community members when we can produce food through our labor in
the morning and evening and gather in Koinonia for meals, the center of our life. We give
thanks to God and to the people who labor to produce and prepare our food. Whenever we havea meal, we can experience the blessings of God and the heart of the community. Let us make aworld in which people value both food and life “so that we may live together.”
ARI Foodlife involves activities such as producing, processing, cooking and eating food andsharing with others. Foodlife provides learning opportunities to deepen our understanding oforganic farming, the importance of food, the dignity of labor and the necessity of food selfsufficiency for people’s self-reliance.

A-142

A-143

Appendix C. Study time line
September, 2013: 40th Anniversary events.


Approval of intent to do the study.

External Research Coordinator included in Fetzer group interviews.

Meeting with potential donors.

September to December 2013
Proposal written and submitted to donors.



October: United Church of Christ confirmed funding of $80,000.

Research and acquisition of equipment and software (NVIVO) appropriate for
qualitative research.

January 2014 through April 2015


UMCOR approval of $50,000.

Travel, visits and interviews to graduates and sending bodies as in Table 1.



Meetings with ARI steering committee and staff September 2014.

Intern completion of reflection paper and reality comparisons.

Intern developed web based platform for sharing of graduate profiles.

Interview transcriptions in process.

May 2015 through April, 2016


Meeting of ARI and External Research Coordinator with UMCOR staff in June 2015
regarding extending the project.

Meetings with ARI staff June 2015 and March 2016.

Completion of interview transcriptions and coding.

Completion of research report.

Both the Internal and External Research Coordinators received a stipend for the period fromJanuary 2014 through December 2015; all work before and after those dates was provided
free of charge. Throughout the study both put in hours far beyond the 0.6 full timeequivalent agreed on in the original proposal.
Note: Pending funding availability, the book is anticipated to be completed by the end ofJune, 2016 and translation of both the book and report into Japanese will occur as soon as
possible after that, pending available funds. An event to launch the book will be planned
once translation publications have been completed.

A-144

Appendix D. Staff questionnaire
Dear ARI Staff:
It has been a delight to listen to graduates in so many places talk about the influence you
have had on their lives, reflected in your daily interactions with them. As we work on
analyzing the impact of ARI specifically we humbly request your help with sharing yourthoughts on some of the questions we have asked graduates during this study. There are noright or wrong answers so please just share your honest thoughts and your responses will be
kept anonymous. Do not sign your responses unless you specifically want to do so.
Gender: M___ F___Time with ARI: Less than 5 years:____ More than 5 years: ____

1. What about your work gives you the most satisfaction?
2. What is the biggest challenge in your work?
3. What is your dream for your graduates?
4. In your own words, what is the vision of ARI?
5. What is a rural community?
6. What is a rural leader?
7. What is a servant leader?
8. What does dignity of labor mean?
9. What does foodlife mean?
10. What is meant by using local resources?
11. What is the importance and relationship between sustainable agriculture,organic agriculture and natural farming?
12. What is the focus of time management?
13. Which, if any, of the practices mentioned above do you implement in your own
home? Why?
14. What is the role of a TA?
15. What is the role of graduate associations?
16. What advice would you give to ARI for the future?

A-145

A-146

Appendix F. 40th Anniversary resolutions

The Asian Rural Institute's
40th Anniversary Community Statement
ARI’s 40th Anniversary Celebration and Symposium was a unique and historic event allowing
approximately 300 people from twenty three countries, including various community members fromthe past and present, to gather in Tochigi giving us all an opportunity to relive the Institute’s motto“That We May Live Together,” and celebrate the great harvest ARI and her graduates have achievedin rural areas over the past four decades throughout the world.
Those present included present staff, participants, volunteers and domestic individual andorganizational supporters as well as graduates from throughout the world and history of ARI,
representatives of supporting churches and sending bodies from overseas, representatives of AFARI
and local government officials. The success of this event was a product of everyone’s cooperation, andspurs us towards a continuation of sustained collaboration among all sectors of the ARI community,
The theme of the symposium was, Transformation at The Grassroots: 40 years walking withgrassroots leaders, and the community had the opportunity to hear from graduates, who talked about
the transformation they see that ARI graduates have brought about in their communities and vision
for the future.
The 40th anniversary challenged us to think of ongoing situations in the world. This includes theincreased migration from rural to urban areas, climate change and it's impacts on rural communities,
the intersection of our training with peace and conflict and how people of various cultures, faiths andworld-views can truly live together. We are committed to both an immediate response and long-term
actions in regards to these issues.
We seek to reaffirm several of our values.
1.

Seeing the importance of life giving agriculture to rural empowerment and autonomy, we willcontinue to use organic farming as one of many tools in our training program, all with the aim andgoal of forming servant leaders. That is, we recommit to our mission to nurture rural leaders to beservant leaders. We seek to reclaim the word rural. Recognizing how the word rural has beenstereotyped to be synonymous with "backwards" or "uneducated," we seek to promote the value ofA-147
rural life and the dignity of labor. As food sovereignty is an issue for growing numbers of people, we
commit to our belief in the importance of having rural leaders who work for the food of all people andremind urban people of their dependence on rural communities for life2.

ARI is a community rooted in the love of Christ where faith is practiced and not just preached,

and we commit this community to continue to be a place where each one of us can grow as we eachshare from our own diverse religious beliefs and traditions. We will continue to be a place for spiritual
growth, a place where people can express, consider and expand their understanding of the sanctity oflife as taught to us by the diverse religious faiths and spiritual traditions present in our community.
We seek to live together across any and all boundaries created by the systems of the societies in which
we live, both here at ARI and in our own communities throughout the world
3.

Recognizing that the world is changing around us, ARI strives to diligently work at

understanding and addressing the issues at hand. To this end, we also commit to continuing educationof our staff to better meet these emerging needs.
4.

ARI will seek to assess the transformative impact of the work of both our graduates and their

sending bodies, which we believe to be the organizations working for transformation on the ground,and to also find how best we may partner with them. ARI will also seek the support of graduates in it's
ongoing curriculum improvement and recruiting process of future participants. In particular throughtwo ongoing studies (The Basic Learning on Love and Forgiveness Case Study of the Asian Rural
Institute and The Asian Rural Institute Graduate Impact Study) of our graduates impact we commit toutilizing these studies, using these results to improve and hone our training and our ongoing
partnership with graduates.
At ARI, we continue to believe that our central aim is to develop the capabilities of women andmen, transforming them to become effective change agents in their own grassroots rural communities
to achieve inclusive growth with sustained blessings from God. We hold as important “learning by
doing” and “learning by sharing,” in humility and again call for a renewed importance placed on foodlife as a secure method of gaining trust and transforming rural communities and our world.

A-148

Appendix G. Key Concept Descriptions (2016)
Life of Sharing
Life of sharing is the sacrifice a living organism do or perform to support, protect, save andsustain the life of another. In ARI we try to recognize the interconnection of each and every
living creature and try to understand each and every role they perform to support eachother. The plants, animals, insects, microorganisms, human being, and we include the soil
and water. All of them play a role to support life.
In ARI we live together as a community. We recognize the importance of every member ofthe community. We try to take care of each other. We take care of our source of life, the soil,
the plants, the animals, microorganisms- they sacrifice their life to provide us FOOD which
is our source of life. To do this, we share in the labor of taking care of our source of food
which we call as FOODLIFE WORK. As a community, we work together and help each other
Diversity“A body isn’t really a body, unless there is more than one part. It takes many parts to makea single body.”
1 Corinthians 12:19-20
Diversity is a core value of ARI training in a community; composed of people from many
countries, cultures, languages, backgrounds, religions, values, ages and customs. We canachieve personal growth by adapting and adjusting, understanding and appreciating social
and natural diversity. We understand diversity to include bio-diversity, the basis to realizing
our goal of a sustainable way of living. The richness in difference in nature, humanity andthe world is necessary to realize our motto, “That We May Live Together.”
Servant LeadershipA servant leader is one who loves people and takes action based on this love for his/herpeople. Jesus exemplified servant leadership as he reached out to the sick, the poor andpowerless, listening, healing and teaching them with deep love and humility. He
demonstrated this love by washing the feet of his disciples, a task considered to be lower
than any other. He gave his life for others.
The life of a servant leader serves as an example and inspiration to empower people to reach
their highest potential. A servant leader is a person who willingly takes up all tasks
required to serve the people, beginning with those that are most needed or most hated, andwho seeks to help by putting other people and the community first.
Personal Growth
ARI as a place where one can carry out self-reflection through exposure to new experiences
and ideas and come to a deeper understanding of what it means to serve as leaders for theirpeople.
Spiritual Growth
ARI strives to be a place where all people can come to explore, deepen and share their faithand spiritual lives. It is a place where we can become more fully human. There are different
faiths in the world such as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. We cannot express
fully what spirituality is, but we can experience it when we share life, love and service. “At
ARI we have many different kinds of Christians, as well as other religions and those with noreligion, and we all equally participate.” (Takami)

A-149Empowering the Marginalized
ARI training is especially centered on serving marginalized peoples living in grassroot rural
localities—with a focus on the landless, peasants, child laborers, street children, outcasts,
refugees, war victims, the disabled, and those who are politically oppressed, economicallydeprived or who experience discrimination. Through reflection and activities to raiseawareness, we empower and help them reach their highest potential. At ARI we attempt tobuild a network with marginalized people in our area.
Awareness (Mindfulness)
ARI is a community where we acquire knowledge of how to accept cultural and religious
differences with respect. It is a community where we appreciate and celebrate role rance,
recognition and creativity. We motivate ourselves in order to live out our dream of learning
to build a better life and a supportive community
Foodlife

Foodlife is a special word used at ARI to express the reality that food and life cannot be
separated; both depend upon each other. God has given us the gift of creation so that we cansustain our lives by making food. Human beings cannot survive without food, so we work tosustain life through a healthy relationship with nature. At ARI we are making an effort tocreate Foodlife in which the soil becomes richer as we produce food, and humanrelationships become more beautiful.
It is a joyful experience for community members when we can produce food through ourlabor in the morning and evening and gather in Koinonia for meals, the center of our life. We
give thanks to God and to the people who labor to produce and prepare our food. Whenever
we have a meal, we can experience the blessings of God and the heart of the community. Let
us make a world in which people value both food and life “so that we may live together.”
ARI Foodlife involves activities such as producing, processing, cooking and eating food andsharing with others. Foodlife provides learning opportunities to deepen our understanding oforganic farming, the importance of food, the dignity of labor and the necessity of food selfsufficiency for people’s self-reliance.
Food Sovereignty
Food sovereignty is the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced
through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own foodand agriculture systems. It puts those who produce, distribute and consume food at theheart of food systems and policies rather than the demands of markets and corporations. It
defends the interests and inclusion of the next generation. It offers a strategy to resist anddismantle the current corporate trade and food regime, and directions for food, farming,
pastoral and fisheries systems determined by local producers. Food sovereignty prioritizes
local and national economies and markets and empowers peasant and family farmer-driven
agriculture, artisanal fishing, pastoralist-led grazing, and food production, distribution andconsumption based on environmental, social and economic sustainability.
(Forum for Food Sovereignty in Mali, 27 February 2007, about 500 delegates from more than
80 countries adopted)
At ARI we seek to establish a life of self-reliance using local resources. We produce as muchof our own food as possible, emphasizing the connection between life, food and nature. Urban
people become out of touch with this connection. Self-sufficiency of a community or societyA-150that leads to a stable and secure life is found in a life of sharing. Self-sufficiency is protection
against the instability of monoculture, the exploitation of globalization’s changing markets,and a tendency to take control over land, undermining local culture. Food security is one of
the most important basic human rights. It should be considered in relation to the factorsthat are threatening it, such as the dangerous side effects of the Green Revolution, chemical
farming, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), and global trade. With this in mind, ARI
practices self seed collection for food sovereignty.
We are producing many varieties of food (more than 80 varieties of crops/vegetables, eggs,
meat and so on) throughout the year. Most of the production goes to Meal Service for ourown consumption on campus, and the rest to staff members, neighbor families and the Food
Processing section as ingredients for sales products.
Living in harmony with nature
Nature means the world with all its features, living things, and the physical power that
produces these. It is the natural condition of living, uncultivated or undomesticated, before
the spread of civilization. Throughout civilization and the advancement of humandevelopment, nature was disregarded and destroyed by over exploitation. It was not regarded
by human being as part of our life but as a commodity that can readily be traded or disposed.
In ARI we regard Nature as the best practice in supporting and sustaining life. The naturalforest is an example of how nature, and the living things inside it ― the plants and animals(flora and fauna), and microorganisms, without the intervention of human being, have createda balanced relationship to build a rich environment where everybody could live harmoniouslywith each other. We try to go back and learn from nature. Through the training program, we
try to seek the best way on how to live our life, considering the important roles of plants,
animals, the soil, and microorganisms, and so we seek the best way to take care of them thatsustains life.
The Value of Rural LifeThose who till the soil create food that supports human life. In producing food to sustain
people’s lives we experience the connection of nature, food and life in God’s creation. In rurallife we gain appreciation for other life that is sacrificed for food to provide for our humansurvival. We have a vision that people celebrate and appreciate the value.
Dignity of Labor
The labor of farmers who produce food is of the highest importance for feeding the world.
From administration and food preparation to caring for livestock and raising crops, all labor
has dignity and equal value. Even though one may be formally educated, that person’s laborand physical work is as valuable as any other work. We give our life through labor to
produce food to sustain our lives and the lives of others.
Community of Learning
Every year ARI gather participants, volunteers, study campers, visitors, and including thestaffs, form a community. The ARI community is much diverse that it is compose of people
from different nationalities from Asia, the Pacific, Africa, the America and the Europe.
As a community, we try to support each other by sharing work, food, knowledge and skills aswell as culture. We try to learn from each other. The diversity of people in the community has
so much to offer for learning through our shared daily activities and thus we form a communityof learning.
Community BuildingA-151
Community begins to build when people genuinely listen and openly share with each other.
Each foodlife work group, dormitory meeting, or committee can become a community. A
community develops from a superficial level, through conflict, and confusion to a genuine
community where there is acceptance, understanding, freedom, responsibility and love
among the members.
Equality
A basic policy in ARI is working toward equal relationships not based on title, status orgender. Even though roles are different we stand in the same line. There is nodiscrimination or favoritism in distributing work or offering learning opportunities.
Everyone joins Foodlife work, community work, meal service, dish washing, cleaning, and soon.
Independent Learning
Independence in Learning is an attitude toward learning, not a technique or methodology. It
is the attitude that learner take responsibility for learning, decide the focus of learning,monitor and assess his/her own learning.
In traditional attitudes to learning, student receive knowledge and teachers give knowledge.
Teacher gives an assignment, and student complete the assignment. The teacher is
responsible for learning of student. But in independent learning, student learn and share,find his/her learning, reflect and check his/her learning. The student takes responsibility for
their learning
ARI is not your typical school. At ARI we approach learning in many different ways;
Learning by Doing, community based learning, and process oriented learning. Everything at
ARI is a learning opportunity such as dorm life, vegetable fields, our sweat and labor, dishwashing, Morning Gathering, after meal discussions and so on.
Learning by Doing
Real learning comes through actual practice in daily life.
If we hear, we forget.
If we see, we remember.
If we do, we understand.
Most of the learning in ARI is through the experience of active participation. Graduate John
Nyondo said, “From the ARI way I have knowledge inside me.”A-152

A-153

A-154

A-155

A-156

A-157

A-158

A-159

A-160Appendix I.

Plan/dream content samples

Year 2002

Year 2012

Introduction
Section 1
1.1 Country overview: geography,
administration, religion, currency,
languages, best months to visit,
economy, major problems anddifficulties. Organization: target
group, problem, history of problem,
problem statement and problem tree.
1.2 Solution to the problem: solving,achievements, what still needs to be
done.
1.3 Available resources.
1.4 Conclusion
Section 2
2.1 ARI overview
2.2 Learning at ARI: biogas, bacterial
mineral water and action plan
2.3 Concepts of integrated farming: oldand new ways of thinking, developmental
approaches, PRA, qualitative data
analysis.
2.4 Action plan: poultry management(brooding, identification of chicks,
ventilation, vaccination and hatching); soil
improvement (charcoal, compost, vermicompost, bokashi, IMOs); fish raising(pond construction, location, dikes,
stocking, feed, spawning, dangers ofpesticides)
Section 3 Future plan goal and objectives:
creating an organic/integrated farming
center, empowerment (income
generation).Includes time frame, available
resources and how to obtain and use them,
anticipating difficulties, monitoring andevaluation.
Conclusion.

Introduction
Section 1: Myself
About myself, community, sending body,
work and peak experience.

Section 2: My Life and Learning at ARI
Homestays, foodlife group, summer
individual project, organic farming from
impossible to possible, fellowship withchoir, living together in one room,
relationship with ARI community, study
tours, fellowship with Japanese churchcongregations.

Section 3: My Dream
Organic farming, tei kei system, organic
restaurant, life cycle of collect, produce
and process, processing.
Conclusion; How to make it work?
Final comment

A-161

Appendix J. Potential internship partner organizations
Cameroon:Berwodev Coop NGO - Mrs. Mbivka Jane-Francis Berinyuy

Strategic Humanitarian Services (SHUMAS) – Mrs. Billian Njodzeka Nee
Nyuykighan

Rural Transformation Center – Mr. Collins Yenika Litika

India:


Jamte Plantations Manipur and village – Mr. Letkhojang TouthangCenter for Social Development (CSD) – Ms. Babycha Devi Mangsatabam

Dorcas Noble Fund - Mrs. Toshang Khaling

Indonesia:

Activator for Rural Progress (BITRA) - Ms. Jumarni

Training Center Saung Organic – Tigor Sihombing

Rural Development Action - Mr. Wesly Lingga



YAPIDI – Mr. Kalpin SembiringCenter for Organic Farming Movement – Mr. Janri Parkison DamanikPetrasa Foundation – Ms. Lidia Hotmaida NaibahoCredit Union Modifikasi (TALENTA) - Mr. Liharson Sigiro

Kenya:


African Rural Institute (ARI) - Rev. Misheck Kanake and Ms. Jennifer K. KanakeAnglican Development Services (ADS) – Ms. Catherine Mwangi

Institute for Participatory Development (IPD) - Mr. Mzungu Raphael Ngoma

Myanmar:

Church of the Province of Myanmar - Rev. Daniel Myo Aung

Lisu Baptist Convention - Mr. Sa Mu Ye Sam Bya

Zomi Baptist Convention – Rev. Tuang Khan KapKayah Hpu Baptist Association – Ms. Naw Lee Myar

Thantlang Baptist Association – Rev. Neely Lai Uk

Catholic Karuna Loikaw – Mr. U Htilo

Nepal:


Backward Society Education (BASE) - Ms. Shanta Chaudhary

Didi Ghar (Sister Home) - Ms. Sayni Chaudhary

Sri Lanka:Ekabaddha Praja Sanwardhana Kantha Maha Sangamaya- Ms. Renuka
Badrakanthi Gunawardana Meegaha Koratuwe

A-162
Sevalanka - Mrs. Annet Premalatha Kabistan Royce

Sevanatha - Mr. Lasitha Udaya Kumura Hangawatta



WODEPT – Mr. Thaibu Lebbe Mohammed Makeen



Healthy Lanka – Mr. Chamika Jayasinghe Arachchige

RAHAMA - Recovery and Humanitarian Action Management Agency – Mr.
Loganathan Iyampillai

Tanzania:Community Habitat Environmental (CHEMA) – Mr. Stephen Kileo

Uganda:

Kanita Agricultural Education Center – Mr. John Moses Busulwa



Office of the Chaplain St. Patrick's Center for Integral Development (SPACID) – Fr.
Josemarie Kizito



CIDI - Community Integrated Development Initiatives – Mr. Godfrey Serubanja
Mutesasira

A-163

Appendix K: AFARI Board of Directors
Roles and Responsibilities
v 1.0 6.9.12

●
●
●
●

Title: Board Member
Reports To: Board President
Term: 3 years (36 months)
Purpose: Service as a member of the Board of Directors for AFARI is an honor
and a responsibility. Effective Board service is critical to AFARI’s fulfillment of its
mission and is dependent on the deep and committed engagement of all Directors.
The Board is ultimately responsible for making sure the organization is effective infulfilling its mission and is financially sound.
● About AFARI: AFARI is nonprofit organization based in Seattle with a mission
deepen and broaden support for the Asian Rural Institute throughout North
America.

Essential Duties as an AFARI Board Member
Fiduciary and Governance Responsibilities● Mission and Strategic Planning
Board members embrace the mission of the organization and make a philosophicalor emotional commitment such that they continually help support the mission.
Trustees make decisions about AFARI’s direction and take part in long-range
planning with the Executive Director.

● Fiduciary Duty
Board members learn –and carry out-the legal responsibilities of the board; theboard is legally responsible for making sure that money and resources are being
raised and spent in a responsible manner. This means that board members must
approve a budget that they fully understand and must review income andexpenses on a regular basis. Board members are also responsible for making surethe organization has adequate insurance and an annual audit.

● Serve as Ambassadors in the Community
Board members develop a deep knowledge of the organization to represent it withpride and passion. Board members serve as ambassadors for the organization
throughout community and are responsible for creating the organization’s identity.

● Serve on Board Committee(s)Board members play a leadership role on at least one committee, bringing theirunique talents, skills, knowledge, contacts or other contributions to the work of theboard. The following are a list of current board committees where members canserve:○ Development

A-164○ Annual Board Meeting○ Nominating● Select and Evaluate the Executive Director
Board members make sure the organization is well managed. Board members
have the authority and responsibility to hire and fire the Executive Director. They
also must make sure that the Executive Director has what she/he needs to do thejob, and is supported, held accountable and evaluated on a regular basis.
Fundraising Responsibilities● Support Philanthropy and Donor Relations
Board members are responsible for building relationships with donors and raisingfunds for AFARI. While all fundraising efforts are done in partnership with staff, theboard takes a strong leadership role by making their own personal philanthropic
commitment and inspiring, soliciting and stewarding other donors to theorganization. The Board is responsible for approving the budget and for insuringthat the budget is raised to fuel the mission of the organization.
There are many ways that board members can support fundraising and donor
relations. Not all board members need to solicit gifts, but each board member is
asked to make the following commitments annually:○ Make a personal philanthropic contribution in an amount that is significant
for him or her. The Board’s leadership with their own philanthropic giving
sets the tone for the community to follow. All board members are rolemodels for others with their generosity.
○ Make introductions to people in the community who may have an interest in
learning more about the organization.
○ Steward donors throughout the year by making thank you calls or joining
the ED on donor visits to express appreciation to new or returning donors
Other Responsibilities● Participation in Meetings and Special Events
Board members come to board meetings, retreats and special events prepared toparticipate fully. They are open to working with other people, respecting new ideas,
and taking reasonable risks while maintaining confidentiality where needed.

● Communication
Open and respectful communication is essential to a highly functioning Board. All
members commit to holding space for new ideas and sharing opinions with respectand grace.

What a Board Member Can Expect From AFARI
AFARI will provide:A-165

●
●
●
●
●
●
●

Clear and reasonable expectations
Orientation and periodic assessment of the board’s performance
Consistent, timely communication from staff
Access to any information needed about the organization
Training, encouragement and strategic advice to carry out tasks
Respect for the time, views, and talents you offer to the board
Gratitude and appreciation for your gift of service

Estimated Time Commitment: 4-8 hours per month

I acknowledge that I understand the Roles and Responsibilities of being an AFARI Board Member
and that they have been made clear to me through a conversation with the Board President.

_____________________________________________________________________
Board Member Signature

Printed Name

Date_____________________________________________________________________
Board President Signature
Printed Name
Date