AIDFI Wins 3rd ASEAN Leadership Award

The work of AIDFI 
is doable, sustainable,
and has cross-country applications.

The Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation Inc. (AIDFI) wins the 3rd ASEAN Leadership Award on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication. This event is in conjunction with the 10th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (AMRDPE), which was held last October 6, 2017 in Kuala Lumpur.

AIDFI was among 19 other recipients from 10 ASEAN countries, whose awards were presented by Malaysian Rural and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob. AIDFI was chosen in the NGO sector while Coffee for Peace based in Davao was chosen in the private sector. Each country had an NGO and Private Sector winner.

The ceremony held in the JW Marriot Hotel in Kuala Lumpur last October 6 was also attended by NAPC Lead Convenor Liza L. Maza, NAPC Director Sem H. Cordial and Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia H.E. Charles C. Jose.

Read: AIDFI at UN Solutions Summit

Ismail Sabri said the objective of award was to recognize the contributions and roles of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private sectors in rural community development and poverty eradication. He said the award would encourage the NGOs and the private sector to continue and strengthen their work and contributions to rural community development in their respective countries especially to the ASEAN Community building.

In line with the upcoming 3rd Leadership Award, the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPAC) of the Philippines had opened a competition for NGO’s and private sector for selection of the Philippine winners. The criteria were that the NGO should have work or worked, besides Philippines, in other ASEAN countries.  AIDFI had activities in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.  AIDFI was shortlisted and a community which had received a ram pump system for drinking water was visited by the jury.

AIDFI was represented by two of its Board of Trustees Auke Idzenga and Jose Moven Ligahon during the event. AIDFI is behind the successful Hydraulic Ram Pump Technology, which has been set up throughout the Philippines and has already been replicated in Afghanistan, Nepal, Colombia, and Mexico.