“Peace from Food” Donation Campaign Starting Friday, August 1, 2025!▶ Campaign website: ari.ac.jp/donate/peace2025 From August 1, the Asian Rural Institute is running the “Peace from Food” Donation Campaign.Throughout the month of August, we are sharing voices from our community members
Starting Friday, August 1, 2025!
▶ Campaign website: ari.ac.jp/donate/peace2025
From August 1, the Asian Rural Institute is running the “Peace from Food” Donation Campaign.
Throughout the month of August, we are sharing voices from our community members and supporters on Instagram and Facebook Stories, centered around the theme “What does food mean to you?”
All past stories can also be viewed on our Instagram Highlights.
Once a week, as a special feature, we will also share messages from supporters of ARI.
Our first featured supporter is SCF (Student Christian Fellowship) in Tokyo.
If you have visited our campus before, you may recognize SCF as the organization that operates the Nasu Seminar House and has supported ARI for many years.
This week we share a “Food is …” message from Rev. Noda, SCF’s secretary.
I was once affected by a devastating earthquake and could not eat.
In the winter, I ate a retort-packed hamburger cold—just to stay alive.
When I finally had a warm meal, I found myself in tears without realizing it.
A warm meal gives deep relief to both the body and the heart.
SCF is a student center of the United Church of Christ in Japan, operating the Nasu Seminar House next to ARI. For many years, it has been a close partner walking alongside us.
We work with students to create peace, grounded in the values of:
“Producing food together, sharing it together, understanding one another, forgiving one another, and moving toward true joy and reconciliation.”
ARI puts these values into practice in ways we ourselves cannot.
Through spring and summer camps, Harvest Thanksgiving Celebration, and other occasions, we have sent students to ARI many times, treasuring the experiences of encountering ARI’s mission and walk.
We hope SCF can serve as something like ARI’s Tokyo branch, working together to “create peace with all life.”
On Friday, August 1, participants, volunteers, and staff from the ARI participated in the Yoichi Dance at the Otawara Yoichi Festival. Following last year’s experience, we once again joined local high school students—including those from Otawara High School and Otawara Girls’ High School—wearing yukata. The colorful, international group danced through the shopping streets, warmly cheered on by people along the way. Thanks to the kind guidance of the high school students, who showed us how to dance, our participants were able to enjoy this Japanese cultural experience with confidence. Despite differences in language and nationality, dancing together allowed our hearts to connect—creating a truly special moment. We are deeply grateful to the high school students who danced with us and to the community members who supported us!
From today, August 1 through September 20, Asia Rural Institute (ARI) is launching its summer donation campaign, “Peace from Food.”
“That all people in the world, without exception, may experience the joy of sharing at a rich table” (Toshihiro Takami, Founder of Asia Rural Institute)
ARI believes that those who nurture this kind of food production and community building can bring about true peace.
We sincerely ask for your support.
👉 Special donation site: https://ari.ac.jp/donate/peace2025/en
Healing from the Soil
Have you ever thought about what it is like to be a refugee? Much to my surprise I found it can be sheer boredom. I learned this from ARI graduates in Sri Lanka, who, during their civil war, had to flee their homes and lived in refugee camps for some time. At breakfast, they lined up for food. At supper they lined up for food. The rest of the day they just sat. No work. No TV or radio. Nothing. There was absolutely nothing to do. The days dragged on, one after another.
Of course, it doesn’t start out that way. No, in the beginning there is terror and panic when people find themselves in a situation so life threatening, there is nothing to do but grab a few things and run. One ARI graduate of 2004, Jean Pierre, from The Democratic Republic of the Congo described how rebels suddenly entered his village and started killing people with guns and knives. He and his family ran as fast as they could into the forest.
Several hours later, when things had quieted down, they went back. The place had been ransacked and many people killed. Among the dead bodies, he saw a woman with a baby on her back. She was not alive, but the baby was, so he picked it up. Then he started walking east, with his family, and his neighbors. In the morning, they reached the border of Uganda.
Luckily, they were met by the Red Cross and taken to the Kyangwali Refugee Settlement, where they were given medical treatment and provided with emergency food and supplies. Then came the time to wait. Just like the Sri Lankans described, there was nothing to do but sit. And though the body is still, the mind races and all the horrors of what just happened come flooding in. Where are my other friends and family members? What has become of my village? My home? How long will I be here? What will I do? The worry and anxiety eats at them, drains them of life. They feel helpless and at the mercy of the world.
So, Fr. Kizito gives them a hoe, along with some seeds. Kyangwali is not a refugee camp as you might imagine it, with thousands of people living in tents. It is a settlement, spanning a vast area. People live in simple houses and are provided plots of land to farm. Currently, it is holding over 130,000 refugees, mostly from The DRC and South Sudan. Some have been there for years. Many of the children you see were born there.
Fr. Kizito is a Catholic priest and an ARI graduate of 2000. He wanted to do something for the refugees so he started an organization called St. Patrick’s Centre for Integral Development (SPACID), just outside the settlement in an area where many humanitarian agencies operate. When Fr. Kizito gives a refugee seeds and a hoe, it is about much more than farming. It is the starting point for healing. Taking that hoe in hand, digging the soil – these familiar actions of the body begin to calm the mind. Tilling the soil, with its promise of food in the near future gives them a small feeling of control over their own destiny, a sense of hope, of peace of mind.
Working at SPACID is another graduate, Richard, who attended ARI in 2023. He manages the SPACID farms and gives training and assistance to the refugees. Currently he is doing a project together with a youth group in his church of raising black soldier flies. It may sound odd to purposefully grow flies, but their larvae are excellent food for fish, pigs, and poultry. It really helps the refugees.
Speaking of poultry, I have to tell you about SPACID’s large aviary, in which they raise all sorts of different birds – local chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, geese, turkeys and more. Fr. Kizito likes to show it to the new refugees, pointing out that although they are all different, they live together peacefully, even laying on each other’s eggs. You too are from different countries and tribes, with different languages and customs, he tells them, but here in this settlement we must learn from these birds and help each other. By working together and caring for each other, we can all thrive. Then he points to the sign hanging over the front door where ARI’s motto is written: That We May Live Together.
And that baby Jean Pierre picked up? She was reunited with her father about a month later and given the name Uwimana, meaning “with God.”
Steven Cutting
Graduate Outreach
Asian Rural Institute
Click here to read the series of articles
“Peace from Food” from the tables of ARI’s graduates Vol. 1
“Peace from Food” from the tables of ARI’s graduates Vol. 2
“Peace from Food” from the tables of ARI’s graduates Vol. 3 ← Now, you’re here.
At ARI, we hold a Mini Eco‑Tour on Campus every other month, always on the fourth Saturday. During the tour, program participants walk around campus discussing and learning about topics such as “sustainable agriculture and life” and “why learning about rural development around the world is important.”
Program participants visited the organic farm, livestock areas, and compost facilities where rural community leaders from around the world live and farm. It was a 90‑minute experience strolling through fields, livestocks, and natural cycles—an intuitive way to connect with the rhythms of nature.
Over 90% of ARI’s food is self‑produced on campus, with a focus on organic vegetables grown right here. Sharing a handmade lunch brimming with July’s seasonal vegetables with rural community leaders from across the globe, program participants enjoyed a peaceful time savoring nature’s bounty together.
At the end of the tour, program participants reflected on the question: “What is food for me?” By reconsidering the everyday foods we often take for granted, this session offered a meaningful opportunity to explore and deepen one’s own daily life.
We will hold additional Mini Eco‑Tour sessions on the following dates:
This is a valuable chance to experience hands‑on connection with nature and engage in an international learning environment. We warmly invite you to join us!
This Summer, Join ARI’s “Peace from Food” Donation Campaign
The Asian Rural Institute (ARI) is holding its summer donation campaign under the theme “Peace from Food.” We warmly invite your support and participation.
ARI is a training ground for rural leaders from Asia and Africa, equipping them to serve their communities through sustainable agriculture and grassroots development. Rooted in the belief that “the more you cultivate, the more people and soil flourish,” ARI trains leaders who learn through food—developing not just farming techniques but also community resilience, by respecting local resources and listening to voices from the ground.
Support ARI
Your support—whether one-time or monthly—helps expand “Peace from Food.” Donations go directly toward participants’ living expenses and training. Through this campaign, you can learn about and contribute to peace rooted in food. Let’s create a future of peace from the life-giving act of sharing meals.
Campaign Details
:date: Period: August 1 – September 20, 2025
:dart: Purpose: Support the training of rural leaders in sustainable agriculture and peace-building.
:gift_heart: Special Offers:
Donors will be invited to a Mini Eco-Tour on campus (September or November).
Recurring donors will receive a limited edition Peace from Food T-shirt.
What is “Peace from Food”?
Through a special blog series, we highlight stories from graduates:
Vol.1: “Introduction to Peace from Food”
Steven Cutting, ARI’s alumni outreach staff, shares how hunger (“hangry”) affects peace and learning. He explores how farming communities foster peace by respecting life and food.
Vol.2: “Two Bags of Food”
Thomas Mathew, an ARI graduate, founded SEEDS India, providing monthly food support and community gatherings. His work centers not just on aid, but dignity—offering food, education, hygiene, and medical help to 35 families, showing how food builds lasting peace.
How You Can Help
:globe_with_meridians: Donate: via the campaign page
:shirt: Recurring Support: Receive a “Peace from Food” T-shirt
:mega: Spread the Word: Share on social media or tell a friend
:memo: Get Involved: Submit your message—“What does food mean to you?”—to be featured on our platform
Schedule Highlights
:pushpin: Aug 1: Campaign launch
:pushpin: Aug–Sep: Daily updates featuring:
Instagram stories with supporter messages
:pushpin: Aug–Sep: Weekly updates featuring:
Graduate stories and field insights
Interviews on “What food means to me”
:pushpin: Sep 20: Campaign closes, final report released
Why Food?
“Eating together is the beginning of peace.” At ARI, we believe food is more than survival—it’s a way of building trust, respect, and connectedness. From growing and cooking to sharing meals, food creates tangible peace.
ARI’s core concept of “Foodlife” connects life and food inseparably, starting with self-sufficient agriculture and shared community life. This summer, let’s nurture the small seeds of peace that food carries.
Join us and taste the message of “Peace from Food” through the voices of ARI and its graduates.
:envelope_with_arrow: Email: [email protected]
:telephone_receiver: Phone: +81‑287‑36‑3111
You can explore the campaign and donate here: https://ari.ac.jp/donate/peace2025/donate
Under the summer sun, we held a Chocotto Farm & Forest Day!
This time, parents and children from local area enjoyed forest exploration and harvesting summer vegetables—hands-on moments filled with nature and discovery.
Even in the heat, everyone worked together with smiles, bringing energy to the fields and the forest.
At lunchtime, we had fun with nagashi somen (flowing noodles!) and shared a meal featuring fresh veggies from the ARI farm.
It was a heartwarming day of connection—where small lives turn into big relationships.
Next one will be held on Saturday, September 20! We look forward to seeing you there.
Two Bags of Food
A big bag brimming with fresh vegetables. Another bag filled with flour, grains, salt, sugar, and spices. It’s a hefty amount, good for a week or two. Every month 35 families gather at the SEEDS India compound, not just to receive this food donation, but to greet each other and talk over tea and snacks. With all those kids laughing and playing, the atmosphere is super bustling.
SEEDS India is a local NGO started by ARI Graduate, Thomas Mathew. They have numerous programs to help folks who find themselves in difficult situations. The best thing about SEEDS, though, is not just their assistance, but the way they uplift people. Thomas Mathew treats everyone with the utmost respect, saying to them without words you may be poor, or sick, or deaf, but you are important and you are needed.
The second Saturday of each month is a national holiday, so a good time to get together. But who are these families? Where to they come from? They are the families of the children being sponsored for their education. There are 35 of them in total. Always 35. When a child reaches 18, they graduate and another is invited into the group. This program has been running for 25 years.
SEEDS doesn’t just pay the kids’ school fees and be done with it. They form a long-term relationship with the whole family, providing books, uniforms, even desks for the girls and boys to study on at home. If there is a need, they will assist with housing and toilets. And when problems arise, like illness or an accident, SEEDS helps them through. Even after graduation, SEEDS continues to check in and make sure they are doing okay. It’s not detached help, but fully involved, long-term loving care.
Thomas Mathew knows every family, and every person in that family. He can tell you names and how each member is doing. One man, for example, has a disabled son, whom he brings to this meeting whenever he can. Another is a woman who grew up in the SEEDS orphanage. She is married with three kids, but is struggling now because her husband left. Thomas Mathew is much respected for all he does for them, but he does not want any praise. The best way to show their thanks, he tells them, is to go and do the same for others. “Be better than me!”
Most of these families rise up to a “good standing” as Thomas Mathew puts it. They become self-supporting and independent. They are all from the lowest levels of society, Dalits, or untouchables, who face tremendous discrimination, but in this setting, there is no way you would know this. All are treated with dignity and acceptance.
At the conclusion of today’s gathering, each family collected their bags, one by one. Often the hands of two people were required to carry them. Though the sacks were heavy, the weight of worry about what to eat the next several days had been lifted. Everyone continued to chat and laugh all the way out to the street, where some of them went home on foot, and some shared a minicab. Later, Thomas Mathew personally delivered one of the food bundles to a blind lady who was not able to come.
Looking at this scene, as it unfolded in the twilight, it is not hard to find the peace that comes through food.
Steven Cutting
Graduate Outreach
Asian Rural Institute
Click here to read the series of articles
“Peace from Food” from the tables of ARI’s graduates Vol. 1
“Peace from Food” from the tables of ARI’s graduates Vol. 2 ← Now, you’re here.
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