Support Rural Leaders at Asian Rural Institute
Kibo Alliance works in partnership with the Asian Rural Institute in Japan to raise funds for scholarships and general support of the Rural Leaders Training Program. This program provides grassroots leadership training for rural leaders from across Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Pacific during a nine-month long program on its environmentally sustainable farm campus in Tochigi, Japan. Visit the ARI website to learn more about this program and the work at Asian Rural Institute.
Our Long-Standing Partnership with the Asian Rural Institute
Servant Leadership:
The Asian Rural Institute practices servant leadership, which calls for a life of sharing with people from around the world. Everyone participates equally in all aspects of running the school and farm, approaching daily life, chores and work as part of community life. Servant leadership inspires ARI’s motto, “that we may live together.”
About Asian Rural Institute (ARI): ARI is an international leadership training organization. Each year, participants and volunteers from more than 15 countries gather at its residential campus for a nine-month experiential training program. Through community-based learning rooted in agriculture, ARI participants and staff study the best ways for rural people to share and enhance local resources and abilities for the common good.
Community of Learning:
The Asian Rural Institute runs the Rural Leaders Training Program annually on its campus in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Approximately 20 leaders participate each year from many countries globally. Because their talents and home-community needs shift the curriculum each year, ARI refers to them as “participants” in the life of the school, rather than as students.
“We are investing in persons who will dedicate their whole life to sustain life for the future. I think it’s a valid investment, and a lasting investment, in persons who will work as leaders for the people
— Rev. Dr. Tom Takami, Founder of ARI
Foodlife:
At the core of the Rural Leaders Training Program is the concept of Foodlife. Encompassing more than just producing food to alleviate hunger, Foodlife emphasizes the value of sharing healthy food sustainably. It stresses the importance of making the best use of locally available resources and leads toward the development of vibrant self-reliant communities. Together, staff, participants and volunteers produce most of the food consumed on the ARI campus.
