AIYP COVID-19 Response Small Grants Projects
In more ways than one, indigenous youth all over South and Southeast Asia have in many ways been disproportionately impacted by the effects of COVID-19. As governments all over the regions have imposed strict lockdown and curfew measures to help stem the spread of the pandemic, many indigenous youth (particularly those working as migrants or in the informal sectors) have not only lost their jobs, but have also been unable to access quality health services and medical supplies that could help them avoid getting sick. The closure of roads connecting communities to larger towns has also ensured that food and other basic commodities have become scarce. Due to the shift to online learning implemented by schools across the regions, many indigenous students, especially those living in rural and remote areas, have been unable to log on and continue their studies.
From January to May 2021, the Asia Indigenous Youth Platform (AIYP), with support from UNESCO Bangkok and the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), supported ten indigenous youth-led small grants projects to respond to some of the challenges facing indigenous communities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. These projects, which were based in Bangladesh (1), India (2), Indonesia (1), Myanmar (1), Nepal (2), and Philippines (2), were selected in October 2020 from among 200 applicants, and addressed a variety of areas relating to entrepreneurship, agriculture, access to education, access to information, and mental health.
Re-watch the launch of video stories of some grant winners.
Project team: Mekong Washer Hub
Project Title: Financial resilience among women-owned MSMEs in an ethnically diverse population amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. Case studies in the border areas of An Giang province, Vietnamese Mekong Delta
Project location: Tinh Bien and An Phu districts, An Giang Province, Vietnam
Project targets: 97 indigenous women who own Micro-Small-Medium Enterprises in Kinh, Khmer and Islamic population facing financial challenges amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
Project Objectives: 1) To share in Social media on the financial resilience indicators for indigenous women amidst the COVID-19 pandemic; 2) To display flyer at the People’s Committee of Tinh Bien and An Phu district, and 3) To organize community meeting on sharing project findings of indigenous women’s responses to COVID-19 pandemic.
Project Outcomes: 1) A short video clip about indigenous women’s business activities in the context of Covid-19 pandemic is produced by the Mekong WASHER Hub; 2) A final report/paper for the dissemination and research translation is published on the website of Mekong WASHER/AIYP and other platform.
Project team: Rural Peoples Upliftment Foundation
Project Title: Enabling Covid19 affected Vulnerable Youths for alternative livelihood with Entrepreneurship Education in North Chin state, Myanmar
Project Location: At Cikha covering youths from about 10 Villages in Cikha sub-township, North Chin state, Myanmar
Project Targets: 50 Zomi youth in North Chin state Myanmar
Project Objectives: 1) To generate awareness on importance of entrepreneurship for sustainable local economy & recovery from the Covid19 induced lost livelihoods; 2) To identify returned youths from cities and assist them build viable micro-enterprises; 3) To capacitate 50 youths on entrepreneurship; 4) To generate awareness on importance of health and sanitation.
Project Outcomes: 1) 2.5 day workshop on entrepreneurship and awareness on health, sanitation, and COVID-19 related information; 2) Second workshop & awarding of 100 USD each seed money to 10 youths with best venture plans
Project Links: IYMS Video.
Team Website: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rpufasia/
Project team: Ranu Welum Foundation
Project Title: Creating A Digital Offline Learning Kit as An Alternative for The Learning System During Pandemic for The Students in the Remote Areas in Central Kalimantan
Project Location: South Barito, Central Kalimantan province, Indonesia
Project Targets: Dayak Maanyan youth in South Barito, Central Kalimantan
Project Objectives: 1) To provide alternative digital offline tool consists of the audio recording collection from their teacher and task books; 2) To raise awareness in Indonesia about the challenges faced by students in remote areas without internet access especially in Kalimantan; 3) The alternative digital offline learning kit can be easily replicated and adopted.
Project Outcomes: 1) Creation of digital offline tool called Suara Pintar (Smart Voice) Learning Kit, which is in the form of MP3 recordings of teachers’ voice and task books. 2) Training for teachers on how to use Smart Voice Learning Kit on their own and how to transfer to the parents. 3) Production and Screening of documentary film about the project.
Project Links: Smart Voice Learning Kit; Documentary Film
Team Website: https://www.facebook.com/ranuwelum.foundation
Project team: Asia Young Indigenous Peoples Network
Project Title: Resilience Amid the Covid Crisis: Coping the Mental Stress through Arts and Crafts
Project Location: Baguio City, Philippines
Project Target: Indigenous youth and children in Baguio City and La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines
Project Objectives: 1) To facilitate learning among indigenous youth, artists and advocates on mental health and introduce different coping mechanisms. 2) To produce creative materials for the debriefing process of indigenous youth and children.
Project Outcomes: 1) Seminar on Mental Health and Well Being; 2) Soil and Mural Paintings with Indigenous Youth; 3) Coloring Book on COVID-19 Prevention for Indigenous Children
Project Links: Coloring Book on COVID-19 Prevention for Indigenous Children (PDF)
Team Website: https://www.facebook.com/indigenousyouth
Project team: Cordilleran Youth Center and Progressive Igorots for Social Action
Project Title: Kasiyanna: a compilation of songs on COVID-19 by the Igorot youth
Project Location: Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines
Project Target: Igorot youth and the general public
Project Objectives: “Kasiyanna: a compilation of songs on COVID-19” by the Igorot youth aims to produce an album of songs that describe the situation of indigenous peoples in the COVID-19 pandemic. Using local and national languages in the songs will also help promote our culture and will contribute greatly to the preservation of our languages. The album will also be a documentation of our indigenous stories which can be used further in our advocacies and campaigns for the access to education, health, and indigenous peoples’ rights.
Project Outcomes: 1) Training workshop (discussions to share the issues faced by Igorot youth during COVID-19, their proposed resolutions, and other stories they want to talk about); 2) Production and launching of Album by Igorot youth. There are 5 songs in the Album: 1) Defend Cordillera; 2) Lockdown ti COVID (COVID Lockdown); 3) Suspeta (Suspect); 4) Saludo’t Pagpupugay (Salute and Honor); 5) Humayo’t Lumaya (Go Forth and Be Free).
Project Links: A song "Saludo't Pagpupugay" or "Salute and Honor" (VDO)
Team Website: https://www.facebook.com/PIGSACordillera
Project team: Barsha Lekhi, Danda Bahadur Gurung, Dikesh Prajapati and Subodh Kumar Chaudhary
Project Title: Empowering Indigenous communities of Nepal with COVID-19 preparedness in their native language
Project Location: Tharu community of Bardiya, Newar community of Kathmandu, and Magar community of Palpa, Nepal.
Project Target: Tharu indigenous community (including youth, women and elderly) of Bardiya district, Magar community of Palpa and Newari community of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur, Nepal.
Project Outcomes: 1) Two radio messages/jingles conveying information about COVID-19 broadcast on FM radio stations in Nepali and 3 indigenous languages (Magar, Newari, and Tharu); 2) 4 podcasts related to COVID-19 awareness in Nepali, Magar, Newari, and Tharu; 3) Short documentary film about the impacts of COVID-19 on indigenous communities in Nepal.
Project Links: COVID-19 Radio Messages/Jingles in Indigenous Languages, COVID-19 Podcasts in Indigenous Languages, Short Documentary Film
Project team: COSEF Nepal
Project Title: Indigenous Youth Engagement in Sustainable Farming for Food Security in COVID-19 pandemic.
Project Location: Aginsair Krishnasawaran Rural Municipality, Saptari, Nepal
Project Target: Farmers/Tharu Indigenous Youth in Aginsair Krishnasawaran Rural Municipality, Saptari, Nepal
Project Objectives: 1) To help young indigenous farmers transform towards fully organic; 2) To help farmers to grow healthy, hygienic and organic foods; and 3) To decrease the investment of local indigenous young farmers
Project Outcomes: 1) Two trainings focused on organic farming; 2) Documentary Film
Project Links: Documentary Film
Team Website: https://www.facebook.com/cosefnepal
Project team: Hill Resource Centre
Project Title: Strengthening Indigenous Youth Entrepreneurs through Capacity Building and Networking
Project Location: Chittagong Hill Tracts (Bandarban, Rangamati, Khagrachari), Bangladesh
Project Target: Indigenous Youth entrepreneurs in Chittagong Hill Tracts and other plain land areas of Bangladesh.
Project Objectives: 1) Educate and provide proper guidance to struggling indigenous entrepreneurs on entrepreneurship and ways to move forward in the industry; 2) Create a strong network for IP entrepreneurs in national level for productive collaboration; 3) Bridge the gaps among Indigenous local communities and producers, IP Entrepreneurs and mainstream market; and 4) Create more employment opportunities for IP youth and women through revitalization of culture and traditional knowledge, and proper utilization of natural resources and local products.
Project Outcomes (completed and planned): 1) Indigenous Youth Entrepreneurs Café Online Networking Event (March 2021); 2) Training/Incubation Workshop for Young Indigenous Entrepreneurs (TBD); 3) Entrepreneurship Camp for Entrepreneurs (TBD); 4) Launch of Sales Platform for Young Indigenous Entrepreneurs (TBD)
Team Link: https://www.facebook.com/hillresourcecentre
Project team: Coastal Students Cultural Forum
Project Title: Radio Kadal: Community Radio for Covid 19 response in Mukkuva Community
Project Location: Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, South India
Project Target: Indigenous community (Mukkuva) and youth in Trivandrum, South India
Project Outcomes: 1) To increase the awareness about Covid 19 and related developments (community education and community voice); 2) To build a positive image about the community in the public; 3) To improve educational opportunities using remote learning tools like radio technology; 4) To provide opportunities to youngsters to practice their learned skills, creative capacities and innate talents like music and other opportunities.
Project Outcomes: 1) Production of 20 community radio broadcasts; 2) Documentary film
Project Links: Radio Broadcasts, Documentary Film
Team Link: https://www.facebook.com/ourcscf
Project team: The Neighborhood Care Alternative Classes
Project Title: The Neighborhood Care Alternative Classes
Project Location: Tamenglong, Manipur, India
Project Target: Naga Youths in Tamenglong, Northeastern India
Project Objectives: Through essay/poster competitions and providing young graduates with the opportunity to teach students who are out of school due to COVID-19, the project aims to 1) Give an alternative place and a way to learn and engage right inside their neighborhood; 2) Give an opportunity for the graduate returnees to contribute to society building.
Project Outcomes: 1) Providing regular classes throughout Manipur, Jessami, Ukhrul District, Tamenglong, and other villages along the Myanmar border; 2) Essay competition
