Report from NPO 2050

During GPF-Japan 2008 five organizations were chosen among many Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) working towards world peace and were awarded and given grants. NPO 2050, one of the five organizations awarded, sent an acknowledgment and a report about its current project.

NPO 2050 is a Non-Profit Organization that aims to raise awareness of people to think what the world would be like by the year 2050.  NPO 2050 organizes study tours to educate people about global problems such as the population growth, HIV and AIDs infection and provides grants and facilities to people in developing countries. The organization works mostly in Asian countries such as China, the Philippines, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. For details, please see their website http://www.npo2050.org/index.html.

With the grants provided at GPF-Japan 2008 Eri-silk worm farming and weaving training center was established in Aborlan and Cabayugan, Palawan Island, Philippines with the purpose to help women become independent.  Below is the summary of the report from NPO 2050.

We would like to provide an interim report as of April 2009 regarding the two training centers established in Aborlan and Cabayugan, Palawan Island, Philippines with your support.

• Aborlan Center

Aborlan is located 10 miles south from Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan Island. There is good transportation and it is a suitable place for farming cassava and Eri-silk worms. The President of Puerto Princesa Eri Silk Association, Helen M. Quijana is from the local. Since she has possessed 1 hectare (2.5 acres) of cassava fields there we decided to build Aborlan Center and provided weaving tools for the members.

In February new sheds for farming Eri-silk worms and weaving were built and since then members are training local women how to weave and farm Eri-silk worms. At present the Center is training two weaving trainers and three local girls. President Quijana’s family takes charge of production of cocoon. The project at Aborlan Center is in progress.

• Cabayugan Center

Cabayugan is located two hours north from Puerto Princesa by car and is close to the world famous St. Paul’s Underground River, an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many travelers come here. We are hoping Cabayugan Center to be a resting spot for travelers once the Center starts doing well. This Center was established to help Mrs. Nitor resume cocoon production as her original facility was destroyed by typhoon in the last autumn.

This center has about three hectares of land and cassava plants are being grown. Once they grow well we can expect to farm a large number of Eri-silk worms which produce cocoon. The shed for growing Eri-silk worms has been repaired. 75 worms are in the state of becoming moths and 500 worms are being grown as of the end of April. There is only one loom at the center and Mrs. Netol and her assistant are practicing at the moment.

This Center has just completed rehabilitation and it is about to begin working. However, we are expecting things to improve quickly as Mr. Nitol offers to support his wife and the Center.