Our regional office in Manila, Philippines, supports projects in Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia and the Philippines. Our work focuses on providing humanitarian aid, ensuring safe migration, and combatting human trafficking. By working closely with local partner organisations and authorities, we are able to make a lasting difference to the living conditions of disadvantaged people.
Strengthening joint efforts to protect the rights of Indonesian migrant workers
Although laws and international conventions exist to protect Indonesian migrant workers, their implementation on the ground is inadequate. Together with its Indonesian partner organisation Migrant CARE, AWO International campaigns for the rights of Indonesian migrant workers.
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Philippine farmers switch to green production
AWO International and the local NGO ECOWEB are working to empower smallholder households in the Philippines by teaching them climate-friendly, sustainable farming methods. This will lead to better harvests and incomes, as well as improving environmental protection and disaster preparedness.
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Charting the path towards safe migration and sustainable reintegration for Filipino migrant workers
Facilitating fair migration and providing effective reintegration opportunities in the Bangsamoro region and across the Philippines remains a significant challenge. We partnered with Ople Center to tackle these issues.
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Fostering fishing communities’ resilience in the water and on land
The coastal communities of Sarangani Bay in the Philippines depend heavily on fishing to make ends meet. However, the increasing climate unpredictability and declining harvests are affecting their livelihoods. AWO International and OND Hesed are working to bolster community resilience and sustainability through empowerment initiatives and resource management strategies.
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Safe Migration: Support for Migrant Workers and Their Families in the Philippines
Filipino migrant workers often face numerous risks due to insufficient planning and a lack of protective mechanisms. Our project with Atikha aims to support migrant workers by improving the migration environment and assisting them and their families from pre-departure preparation to reintegration upon return.
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Engaging Migrants and their Families in Migration Governance
There were close to two million Filipino migrant workers in 2022. More than half of them are women. Given the complexity of regular migration routes, many people resort to undocumented paths but fall victim to abuse and exploitation. AWO International and Mindanao Migrants Center for Empowering Actions (MMCEAI) are working together to facilitate a safer migration process.
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Fostering Resilience in Local Migration Governance
The Philippines has embraced international labor migration and become one of the biggest labor exporting countries in the world. Despite migrants’ crucial role on the country's economy, the country has inadequate systems to support them. AWO International and the Center for Migrant Advocacy Philippines (CMA) are focused on bettering migration policies for OFWs and their families.
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From Rubble to Resilience: Empowering Myanmar's Earthquake Survivors
Rising from the rubble: In Myanmar, we're working alongside communities affected by the recent earthquake to rebuild homes, restore livelihoods, and create a stronger future. Our project provides support for shelter, livelihood, food security, and disaster preparedness, empowering families to not only recover, but also to build resilience.
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Rebuilding Lives, Restoring Hope
Following the devastating March 28 earthquake in Myanmar, families across the country are grappling with immense hardship. In a coordinated response, AWO International, in partnership with Aktion Deutschland Hilft and two local organizations, delivered critical food and non-food aid. This vital assistance is helping affected households to recover with dignity.
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Disaster Risk Reduction and Reconstruction after Earthquake in Indonesia
On 21 November 2022, a 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck the southwest of Cianjur district in West Java, Indonesia. The quake claimed more than 600 lives and more than 100,000 people were forced to flee. Together with the local partner organisation YEU, AWO International supports the people in reconstruction and integrates disaster preparedness measures for the affected village communities.
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Strengthening rights for migrant workers across borders
Hundreds of thousands of people leave Indonesia every year in search of better income. Many of them run the risk of becoming victims of abuse, exploitation and human trafficking. Together with our partner organization - INFEST, we are committed to facilitating safe migration and promoting decent working conditions in Indonesia and Malaysia.
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Protecting migrant women from Lombok from human trafficking and violence
Poverty and a lack of job opportunities in many communities on the island of Lombok push people to migrate to seek better economic prospects; a large percentage of these migrants often become victims of human traffickers. Together with our partner organization – ADBMI, we are implementing a project to protect migrating women and men.
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Safe migration for migrants from Lombok
Extortion, exploitation and violence are violations of rights that happen to many migrant workers. In their search for a better life for themselves and their families, they often end up in extremely precarious working conditions. Together with our partner organization - PPK, we worked for the protection and rights of migrant workers.
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