Graduates of ARI
Rural Leader for Grassroots People
Graduation Is a New Beginning
Learning at ARI does not end with graduation. After returning to their home countries, graduates bring what they have learned back to their organizations and communities. There, they continue to address local challenges while working alongside others to build sustainable livelihoods and communities.
In this section, we introduce some of the graduates who are actively engaged in their communities.
Who Are “Rural Leaders”?
“Rural Leaders” are not defined by titles or authority. They are people who live and work within their communities, facing challenges together with others and creating change from within. By listening, engaging in dialogue, and taking small, steady actions, they nurture sustainable lives and communities.
Rather than giving orders, they think and walk alongside others. This attitude defines true leadership.
ARI graduates grow into such leaders through the program. They return home and apply what they have learned in fields such as agriculture, health, education, and community development—valuing dialogue and collaboration, and continuing to plant seeds of hope even in difficult circumstances.
Graduates from Asia, Africa, and Beyond
Sowing Seeds of Hope Around the World
Participants invited from regions such as Asia and Africa are required to work with their sending organizations for at least three years after graduation. This reflects the fact that their training is made possible through the support of donors, and is intended not for individual benefit alone, but to contribute to the well-being of their communities.
セシリア・ンピンガ（16年卒）
衛生管理プロジェクト（マラウイ）
Standing Strong with Communities
Cecilia works across 102 villages in central Malawi, promoting public health and hygiene. In Chikwinga Village, she met a group of widows facing hardship and launched a goat project. By sharing goats and passing on the first offspring to others, the initiative spread throughout the community, strengthening both livelihoods and social bonds.
トーマス・マシュー（88年卒）
社会経済教育開発サービス（SEEDS インディア）（インド）
Living as a Good Neighbor
Thomas Mathew embodies what it means to be a “good neighbor.” He listens deeply and supports others with compassion. For over 30 years, women with hearing disabilities have sustained their livelihoods by creating handmade leaf art cards. He also maintains long-term relationships with 35 families, fostering mutual support through regular gatherings.
ジュディス・ダカ・ニョンド（01年卒）
エキュメニカル開発基金（ザンビア）
A Mother of the Community
Judy is a leader driven by compassion and action. Together with her husband John, she founded the Ecumenical Development Foundation (EDF), providing training in agriculture, health, and livelihoods. In areas with limited medical access, she helped train 40 community health workers, creating life-saving support systems.
ビジャヤ・シン・ロイ・デイビッド（03年卒）
クールグ農村開発機構（CORD）（インド）
Fighting for Adivasi Rights
Roy David has dedicated his life to defending the land rights of India’s indigenous Adivasi people. He supports them in understanding and claiming their legal rights. His advocacy contributed to the Forest Rights Act of 2006, yet the struggle continues today.
マンブッ・サマイ（18年卒）
下肢切断者サッカー協会（シエラレオネ）
Restoring Confidence and Independence
After the civil war, Pastor Mambu organized a football team for young amputees, recognizing the power of sport to restore confidence. After ARI, he launched the “Soccer Garden,” combining sports with food self-sufficiency training.
レヌカ・グナワルダナ（04年卒）
トゥシャラ・ニルミニ（09年卒）
ソーシャルワーカー（スリランカ）
Ensuring Food in Times of Crisis
Following economic collapse, many faced severe food shortages. However, in villages where Renuka and Tushala teach home gardening, families have enough to eat. Sharing knowledge gained at ARI has become a lifeline for their communities.
タウン・スィー（12年卒）
リスバプテスト神学校（ミャンマー）
Protecting Seeds and Food Sovereignty
Taung Syi promotes sustainable agriculture by establishing a seed bank and training programs. Working with local Buddhist monks, he supports community self-reliance through seed preservation and education.
“We invest in people who dedicate themselves
to sustaining life for the future.
It is a meaningful and lasting investment.”
— Rev. Toshihiro Takami, Founder of ARI
Will you join us in this investment in people?
Japanese Graduates
Choosing and Creating New Ways of Living
Japanese participants join the program by their own choice and expense. Their experiences living and learning in a diverse international community profoundly shape their lives and careers. After graduation, they apply their learning in their own unique ways across Japan.
小松原 啓加（20年卒）
地域おこし協力隊（栃木県塩谷町）
Reimagining Rural Japan
Hiroka came to ARI aiming for an international career, but rediscovered her roots in Japan. Now based in Shioya, Tochigi, she connects people by sharing local stories through interviews and events, fostering new relationships and envisioning a “third place” for the community.
山崎 勝（98年卒）
（株）タスクアソシエーツ（東京千代田区）
Building Peace Through Agriculture
Masaru Yamazaki works as an agricultural consultant across Asia and Africa. By listening carefully to farmers and working alongside them, he supports self-reliance and resilience. His work is driven by the joy of mutual understanding and collaboration.
小山 萌愛（09年卒、10年研究科生）
ぐるり農園（三重県伊賀市）
Sharing the Value of Rural Life
「現在、三重県伊賀市の中山間地で、夫と共に農業を基盤とした暮らしを営んでいます。人口200人未満、高齢化が進む地域で多くの課題を抱えながらも、自然や地域の人々に支えられ、日々を楽しんでいます。私たちはともに都市部で育ちましたが、私はアジア学院での学びをきっかけに、夫は各地の農家での経験を経て、この地にたどり着きました。現在は1.3haの田畑を管理しながら、親子向けの農業体験イベントも企画・運営しています。人を迎え入れ、場を整える力など、アジア学院での経験が今の活動に生きています。」
石田 賢吾（12年卒）
Kenny's Farm（インドネシア）
Farming in Harmony with Nature
Another graduate lives in North Sumatra, Indonesia, developing a food forest-based farm with his wife. Their system integrates 30–40 plant species, supporting biodiversity and long-term sustainability, while also running a small home restaurant.
About the Book:
"Rural Leaders" - The Work and Community Impact of Graduates of the Asian Rural Institute
By スティーブン・カッティング ＆ ベバリー・アブマ
2016年刊行
This book is based on visits to more than 200 graduates across Asia and Africa. It portrays how they face local challenges and walk alongside their communities.
Through work in agriculture, education, health, and environmental fields, it reveals the essence of leadership rooted in “living together.” It is a quiet yet powerful record that shows hope even in difficult realities.
Available at ARI Shop. For purchase inquiries, please contact us.
English Edition
21 x 29.5 cm, 120 pages
Japanese Edition
21 x 29.5cm, 136 pages
アジア学院の卒業生
入学者の背景や抱える地域課題は多様ですが、卒業後は全員が“奉仕するリーダー”として培った知識とスキルを自国へ持ち帰り、高い志のもと地域社会の課題解決に生かすことが期待されています。