Working Together Amidst Adversities

UVPN Volunteers repacking goods for donation

RELIEF OPERATION for 'SENDONG' VICTIMS

Recognizing the importance of working together in extending generosity to attain ALLAH S.W.T.'s Pleasure, Mercy and Forgiveness, especially in times of calamities, the United Voices for Peace Network conducted a relief operation for Sendong Victims in the Barangays of Upper Hinaplanon and Cabaro in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte last December 29, 2011.

Since the week the Northern Mindanao was hit by the said typhoon, UVPNians in different places and schools had already started calling for assistance for the calamity victims. After weeks of massive information dissemination and donations collection, UVPNians gathered in Mindanao State University-Main Campus, Marawi City, Lanao del Sur last December 27 and 28 , 2011 to centralize and prepare the relief goods distributed.

A hundred and fifty families were able to receive two and a half kilos of rice, three bottles of purified water, two canned goods, three packs of noodles and assorted clothes. Additional five hundred individuals were also able to receive bottles of purified water from the group. These donations were made available through ALLAH S.W.T.'s Tawfik to the following individuals and entities who responded to UVPN's call: Maguindanao Vice-Governor Datu Ismael V. Mastura, Prof. Iskak of Institute of Bangsamoro Studies, officers, members and volunteers of MSU Main Campus-Business Administration and Accountancy Student Council, AFS-Cotabato Chapter, Ranao Council Student Assembly, Muslim Youth Religious Organization, Tableegh Risaalah Organization and Jamiatu Tilmizaat Organization.

QURBAN PROJECT 2011

Sohayl reaching out the donations to the poor

During the Eidul Adha last November 6, 2011 a Qurban (Animal Sacrifice) project was held in Maguindanao. Qurban is a regular tradition of the Prophet Muhammad SAW and until now are being done  by able Muslims during the last and Holy Month of Dhul Hijja. This is also the month of Pilgrimage or Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam: Hajj. The meats of the sacrificed animals (goats, sheep, cows or camels) will then be distributed to the poor families in the community, who cannot even afford such provisions. This is just one of the wonderful Islamic practices that strengthens brotherhood among Muslims and promotes charity and humility among them: sharing whatever blessings Allah may have given to them to the less-fortunate.

In the Qurban Project 2011, UVPN was assigned to Distribute the “donations” to various places as the Darul Aytam Cotabato in Brgy. Gang, Sultan Kudarat, Magindanao and Tukananes, Cotabato City.

Grand Iftar Extension: Davao

As part of the Grand Iftar Series 2011, the United Voices for Peace Network had sponsored a one-day Grand Iftar in Al-Masjido Salaam, Sangilangan Muslim Village, Ma-a, Davao City  last August 29, 2011. This program is part of the series of Iftar Programs conducted in other areas in Mindanao and Palawan by the end of the Holy month of Ramadhan, to promote Unity among the Muslims amidst the great distance that separates them. 

Foods were prepared outside the Masjid

Grand Iftar Extension: Sulu

In coordination with Muslim Youth Volunteers in Sulu and Zamboanga, the United Voices for Peace Network had sponsored a one-day Grand Iftar in Masjid Godinez, Jolo, Sulu last August 29, 2011. This program is part of the series of Iftar Programs conducted in other areas in Mindanao and Palawan by the end of the Holy month of Ramadhan, to promote Unity among the Muslims amidst the great distance that separates them. 

Masjid Godinez

The Mahmum in the Masjid sharing the blessings

Iqra Program

In the name of Allah the Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

It's already been some months that we have not posted in this blog. The group had been so much busy with so many activities during Ramadhan (especially the main Event, our Grand Qiyamul Layl). But Alhamdulillah, we are now back to posting more and more activities here so that our brothers in Islam will also know what UVPN are busy with. After the Success of so many projects we had (all praise due to Allah), InshaAllah, we will still continue to inspire more lives; help build our Ummah, and be the catalysts of change in our homeland: Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan!

I will be posting about one of the wonderful activities initiated by our UVPN brothers in Marawi Chapter. It is entitled "Iqra Program". The UVPN Youth leaders visited a child day-care center in Bacolod-Kalawi, Lanao del Sur. Some books were donated (Islamic books); story-sharing and teaching the young Muslims about good manners in Islam were the main highlights. (Some of the kids were orphaned).

Each UVPian looks for his or her "foster-child" to teach and play with

MashaAllah

Relief Goods for Cotabato Flood Victims.

The United Voices for Peace Network (UVPN) will be conducting our First batch of Relief Operations on Saturday, July 2, 2011 to Cotabato. We are still accepting donations (Monetary units, or used clothes, and the like). Please reach the following contacts for different Areas.

For Cotabato Areas:                         Sohayl: 09058821456
For Marawi and Lanao Areas:           Maff: 09056491313
                                                       Hamodi: 09194857979
For Zamboanga and Nearby Areas:   Ahmad: 09067715113

InshaAllah, a second batch will follow.

                            "LET US ALL WORK HAND in HAND for the sake of ALLAH!"


News Wrappers:

"As of Friday (June 24), 76,559 families or 382,788 individuals were still affected by floods in the whole of Region 12, the Department of Social Welfare and Development reported.

In Cotabato City, Zorahayda Taha, DSWD-12 regional director, placed the number of flood-affected families inside evacuation centers at 9,077 families or 45,385 individuals, up from last Saturday’s 6,107 families or an estimated 30,535 persons..."  from: http://www.mindanews.com

"Around 21,855 of them are still staying in their homes despite being submerged in water, 4,597 families are currently staying in schools, 2,725 are sheltering in tents, while 665 are in covered courts.

Tasa'ud 2011

TASA'UD: UVPN's Charity Program Part VII

BUILDING A NEW HOPE

            As part of the celebration of its 6th Foundation Anniversary on June 25, 2011, the United Voices for Peace Network will be having its Tasa'ud Part VII: Building a New Hope with Madrasah Imamud Da'wah Al-Islamie in Banubo, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao as its beneficiary. The organization will be facilitating the repair of the said Madrasah, that is highly affected by the succeeding floods that hit the area. 

          UVPN is now calling the attention of those people who have the heart of extending generosity to those who are in need. Interested individuals may drop their donations at our main office at Sultan Kudarat Islamic Academy Compound, Bulalo, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao. You may also leave your comments here, contact us through our e-mail address urvoice4peace@yahoo.com or call or text us through 09194857979 or 09065031828.

DESCRIPTION/RATIONALE:

            Every Muslim child is obligated to know his/her religion – Islam. One effective way of doing this is to attend classes in Madrasah (i.e. Islamic/Arabic schools), where there are Ustadzes (Muslim Teachers) who teach everything about Islam.

            

          Madrasah Imamud Da’wah Al-Islamie is an Islamic/Arabic school located in Banubo, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, built with the initiatives of the people in the community. It is the only Madrasah present in that Baranggay. Unfortunately, during the 2008 and 2009 mass flood in the Municipality of Sultan Kudarat and the City of Cotabato, the Madrasah was seriously affected. The students and teachers cannot anymore use the rooms in the first floor because mud, soil, and dirt filled the rooms. Thus, the students and teachers are forced to fit themselves in the remaining rooms at the second floor. They divide each room into two, to accommodate other grades and level. They conduct two classes in one room with only one chalkboard. The chalkboards are overused and some are damaged, so the ustadzes cannot anymore use them well.

   How can a student internalize and comprehend the lectures in an environment which is not conducive for learning? We need a group of people who will dare to take actions to address these problems.

  Thus, the United Voices for Peace Network will be conducting its “Tasa-ud Part VII: Building a New Hope” on June 19-25, 2011 at the said Madrasah. As an organization that works out for peace and progress, UVPN designed this program primarily to promote education through improvement of needed facilities and to make the Madrasah students internalize their importance in the Bangsamoro Homeland as peace-builders, as “Islam” connotes “Peace” which is being taught in Madrasah like Madrasah Imamud-Da’wah Al-Islamie. 

GENERAL OBJECTIVE:

To promote a spirit of unity, social responsibility and leadership in order to bring about effective and sustainable actions as response to various problems confronting the Bangsamoro especially in Islamic Education.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: