The Maple Tree Foundation

1. The Maple Tree Foundation For Mountain Communities

2. Our Vision To help deprived and underserved mountain communities live healthy, productive, and peaceful lives with sustainable resource development programs that provide basic services, livelihood development, and education.

3. MTF programs are focused primarily on marginalized communities in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte. These communities are post conflict areas. Our strategy is to promote development to sustain peace Where are we?

4. Our Opportunity • In the past 10 years, responsible resource development in Canatuan, Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte in the Philippines has provided a few fortunate mountain communities with the opportunity to improve the quality of their lives with sustainable development programs. • Where once hunger was common, families have established vegetable gardens that supply their daily food needs and provide additional income. • Families who could only dream of sending their children to school or seeing a doctor now have access to primary and college education and basic health care.

5. Our Belief • The Maple Tree Foundation believes that these stories of hope can be replicated and expanded. • Our approach is to target communities in need adjacent to communities where sustainable development has taken hold and replicate the programs that beat hunger, protect the body and train the mind. • Now is the time to replicate and expand.

6. High rates of nutritional deficiency disorders, infections and parasitic diseases are commonly found. Many communities have suffered the devastating effects of past local armed conflicts. Education remains an elusive dream. While schools exist, facilities are minimal, books are almost non-existent, and many children attend school undernourished. Most students fortunate enough to reach Grade 5 or 6 often have the literacy of Grade 2 or 3.     Slash and burn agriculture and illegal mining have left many communities with few benefits and many negative environmental and social impacts Why focus on our Communities?

7. ELIMINATE HUNGER by helping households establish home vegetable garden IGNORANCE by providing deserving students access college education COMMON DISEASES by making basic health services accessible to marginalized communities URGENT ACTION We adopt as a valid cause individuals and communities outside of our focus areas who require urgent action from us What are our programs designed to do?

8. Our Programs • FAITH – Food Always In The Home An agricultural technology, livelihood education program for family members to address food security concerns. It aims to establish a “food garden” for every family. • College Scholarship Program send young people to a 2-year vocational or 4-year college scholarship program • Medical Mission support a medical mission in a remote community

9. How can you participate? • You can sponsor a family to have a vegetable garden • You can send a child to school • You can support a medical mission in a remote community

10. What have we done so far? 2007/2008 Filariasis Program 2008/2009 FAITH Program 2009 Urgent Action School Supply Relief Program

11. 2007/2008 Filariasis Program Partnership with the National Filariasis Elimination Program (NFEP) that supported its program elimination in Zamboanga Peninsula.

12. Filariasis Program Lymphatic Filariasis is the 2nd world’s leading cause of permanent long-term disability, caused by parasitic worms, transmitted by mosquitoes. The program benefited 216,000 residents.

13. Filariasis Program Program elimination in the municipalities and communities of: Sibuco, Sirawai, Siocon, Baliguian, Jose Dalman in Zamboanga del Norte; RT Lim in Zamboanga Sibugay; and Bayog in Zamboanga del Sur.

14. Food Always In The Home (FAITH) FAITH focuses on tapping women to participate in upland agriculture without resorting to the traditional slash-and-burn farming method.

15. The Maple Tree Foundation’s FAITH PROJECT with Siocon Subanon Women Association, Inc. (SSWAI) • November 2008: training of 35 women from Tanuman and 15 women from Paduan, purchase of of vegetable seeds and fertilizers • December 2008: 50 FAITH gardens developed   • February 2009: first harvest

16. To date, there are 400 FAITH gardens in Canatuan and Paduan. 50 of these were supported by MTF Food Always In The Home (FAITH)

17. Urgent Action: School Supply Relief Program The Napindan Elementary School in Taguig has been badly affected by typhoon Ondoy and extreme flooding. The students come from an impoverished community, many of their homes have suffered serious flooding and many students have lost most of their belongings, including their school supplies. Since the typhoon and flooding, only a few students have been returning to school. 

18. Action Taken • The MTF purchased and assembled school supplies for the students in need at Napindan Elementary School. • The MTF school supply relief package contained; a school bag, note books, writing pad, pen, pencil, eraser, sharpener, slippers, biscuits, and juice. • On October 16, 200 school children, half of the population of grade one students, received these much needed school supplies.

19. Students receiving supplies

20. What’s Next The 200 school children is a small portion of the 1,741 Napindan Elementary students and there are many schools in need in the Manila area. There are damaged schools in Pasig City, Quezon City, Malabon-Navotas, Manila, Mandaluyong and Taguig City. More work still needs to be done. The MTF is receiving more donations and targeting more students and schools and Your Help Is Needed.

21. Contact Us Maple Tree Foundation For Mountain CommunitiesUnit 3202, Regent Parkway, 21st Drive, Bonifacio South District, Bonifacio Global City Taguig 1634Telephone Numbers:  (+632) 819-2506  (+632) 819-2506 /  (+632) 819-2510  (+632) 819-2510 Fax: (+632) 815-8885Email: info@mapletreefoundation.net