Fall 2003

Participation in Rural development Management Training
International Institute for Rural Reconstruction
October-November, 2003

The Rural Development Leadership Network (RDLN) sponsored two participants in the Rural Development Management training given by the International Institute of Rural of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) at the organization center in Cavite in the Philippines from October 13 to November 7, 2003.

The three week session started with orientation and was organized into three modules, action planning, and a four day field trip. On the field trip, the group visited the mountain village of Kalihan, where local people had developed organic gardens, established a cannery that made preserves of fruit from local trees, ran a school, and operated a health clinic. They had a chance to discuss the value of these projects with local people. They learned that most of the kids must move on to find jobs away from the village after leaving school at about age eighteen. The RDLN participants were struck by the fact that both instructors and fellow students expressed surprise that there were U.S. representatives in the training andthat there is poverty in our country. The RDLN Leaders felt that their participation helped disspell myths about the U.S. The credo of IIRR, which was founded in 1923, is "Release, not Relief", and whenever people there receive some relief, they contribute something back. Thanks to the Ford Foundation for supporting this learning experience for RDLN Leaders.