Students from six Jesuit universities in Asia recently spent three weeks dialoguing and working with the Xavier Ecoville community. Xavier Ecoville arose from the devastation wrought by Tropical Storm Sendong (Washi). After the storm, Xavier University together with the city government led the relocation and rehabilitation of affected families on a plot of land donated by Xavier University. There are approximately 600 households residing at Xavier Ecoville, and part of the rehabilitation process is to provide them with opportunities to rebuild their lives.
The 23 students were participants in the 2014 Service Learning Program organised by the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities in Asia Pacific (AJCU-AP) and hosted this year by Xavier University in August. They came with 11 faculty members from Sogang University in South Korea; Sophia University in Japan; Sanata Dharma University in Indonesia; Ateneo de Davao, Ateneo de Naga and Ateneo de Zamboanga Universities in the Philippines.
This being the 40th anniversary of former Superior General Fr Pedro Arrupe’s historic address on Jesuit education titled “Man for Others”, the program was themed “Jesuit Education in the Frontiers of Greater Societal Engagement”. The program aimed to provide an opportunity for interaction with Service Learning Communities to facilitate understanding of present social realities, particularly in Mindanao; facilitate reflection sessions on Jesuit ideals that will strengthen participants’ awareness and commitment to greater societal engagement; and engage participants in actual service learning projects in Xavier Ecoville to encourage initiatives and participation for sustainable community development.
The students began their AJCU-AP Service Learning journey with an immersion period with the families in Xavier Ecoville. This gave them an understanding of the current situation of the community, after which they were oriented on the Service Learning Program project they had to accomplish with the Xavier Ecoville community. They were given two weeks to implement their projects, before giving a presentation on the impact of their project, not only to the community but also on their own growth as individuals.
The 11 faculty delegates took part in a three-day Service Learning Activity that involved visiting a farming community in Claveria, Misamis Oriental coordinated by Farmer’s Alliances for Resources Strengthening and Marketing (XU-FARM), a partnership of Xavier University with Catholic Relief Services. The workshop commenced with a sharing of best practices and knowledge products of the University representatives, and opportunities for future collaboration in sustainable development. They also engaged in a discussion with key officers of the city government on Xavier University’s Service Learning Engagements with local government agencies and offices.
The student and faculty delegates also had opportunities for some sightseeing, and visited places such as the Giant Clam Sanctuary, Museum of Three Cultures, Malasag Ecological Park and Dahilayan Forest Park.
This year’s AJCU-AP Service Learning Program used the Collaborative Service Learning Framework adopted by Xavier University, which follows the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm and places a premium on relevant, concrete and sustainable engagements and interventions for community development. Service Learning initiatives are clustered according to the university’s five thematic areas – environment, peace, governance, food and health – to highlight the projects’ area of concern and to produce knowledge products that will have a long-term impact on the community.