About

Serving Muslims and non-Muslims in Mindanao since 2008

 

Muslim Youth Movement for Peace and Development (MYMPD) is a non-profit youth organization based in Western Mindanao State University, Zamboanga City, Philippines. Founded by young Muslim professionals and students in June 2008, and formally registered on 2011 (CN 201125085).

 

This movement aims to promote sustainable peace and development in the nation particularly in Mindanao.

 

We strongly believe that the contributions of the youth in achieving the realistic peace in Mindanao are most-valuable and unlocking their potentials is a great challenge to the movement.

 

We welcome all Muslims and non-Muslims organizations to work for the common goals. We believe that the breathe of peace and development in Mindanao lies in the common aspirations.


A Brief History

From vices to peace advocacy

 

Upon entering the main gate of Western Mindanao State University, Zamboanga city, Philippines, you can observe male students talking lively and loudly in the school's covered pathway, they are more commonly known as "pathway by-standers". These young lads are known in the campus as trouble makers. Cutting classes,  getting involve in drugs, and other vices are their daily routine activities. Well, everything had changed when their humble friend, a university instructor, sincerely approached them and listened to their sentiment. I took atleast one year of critical observation of their behavior and studying the root causes of their problems. Finally, a sort of counseling plus their interest brought them to light – a new life.

 

These trouble makers are now known as peace keepers in the campus. Imagine former gangsters who were fond of cutting classes have now already opened a free basic education for indigent pupils. Distributing Quran to Muslim communities in the region is also their major program as one way of combating illiteracy in Mindanao.  

 

Their activities are not limited inside the campus but spreads across communities, providing social services  such as feeding the street children in the city, creating the program "Food for Peace" for poor Muslim and non-Muslims families, and the "Clothes for Peace" program which aims to cloth the lumads.

 

As part of their peace advocacy, they joined together to form a group  known as Muslim Youth Movement for Peace and Development (MYMPD) conducting a series of informal and formal youth consultation, for they believed that the youth shall play a vital role in the peace and development of the region and of the country.

 

As of now the former trouble makers are involve in numerous peace programs not only in the city but also in the region and national activities.

 

Their little way of helping the children on basic education and little food, and a humble effort on peace advocacy are a daily routine which shapes them into useful youth for the country.