Philippines: Peacebuilders Community Internships

We have a number of tranSend assignment openings partnering with PeaceBuilders Community Inc. in Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines, incorporating a variety of skills and backgrounds.

Peacebuilders Community, Inc. ministers in a context of religious polarization, poverty, displacement, and ongoing violence. Interns with PeaceBuilders Inc. undergo a process of spiritual formation and discipleship while engaged in peace building work in a team setting. Ministry includes a combination of office-based assignments in Davao City, Mindanao and field work in local communities throughout the Philippines.

Assignments: (Length: 1-2 years)

Peace-building Intern
Engage as a peace-building intern, using interests and skills to partner with local agencies and entities in a variety of peace building activities. Study local language(s) and culture. Seeking those with skills and training in biblical peace-building, workplace mediation, and/or corporate conflict transformation.

Business and Financial Services Professional
Seeking accountants, bookkeepers, and marketing specialists.

Community Development Technician
Seeking public relations specialists, community organizers, disaster preparation training facilitators, relief operation assistants, and rehabilitation assistants.

Conflict Transformation Specialist
Seeking negotiators, facilitators, mediators, ceasefire monitors, peace negotiation monitors, and peace agreement monitors.

Inclusive Growth Consultant
Seeking social entrepreneurs, small-and-medium business practitioners, agri-business specialists, and agro-forestry experts.

Information and Communication Technician
Seeking website designers, writers, graphic artists, photographers, computer programmers, videographers, video editors, social networking specialists, and script writers.

Research and Development Technician
Seeking research writers, research assistants, data analysts, data entry technicians, and data gathering assistants.

Context:
Beautiful, verdant Mindanao is the second largest of the multitude of islands that makes up the Philippines. While highly prized as “bread basket” for islands north of her, the most common retort you will hear if you make known your plans to go to Mindanao, is, ”Why would you want to go there? It’s a terrible place. And dangerous.” And they are right. Since the beginning of the 20th Century, Mindanao has been the stage for land grabbing on a scale comparable to the American conquest of the West. Native Moro Muslims were displaced by Filipino “Christians.” American companies were given titles to land in disregard of traditional rights to land and local sovereignty. The Moros have become a largely displaced minority in their own homeland. This flagrant violation of basic rights has been countered by armed revolt. Tensions and violence between the Moro National Liberation Front and various government armed militias continue to the present.

Ministries:
In this context, PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PCBI) is working for a just, radical, and active non-violent transformation of the Philippines through their peace and reconciliation work. PBCI seeks to establish Peace and Reconciliation (PAR) communities throughout the islands of the Philippines that can carry on the work of justice and reconciliation among peoples in conflict over land, resources, and religion.

Contact Kierston Kreider to learn more about this assignment.