Two women in the Philippines have forged an unlikely friendship, despite their religious differences, fostering unity in a once-divided community.
Suspicion and mistrust
Eleanor is a Christian. Noridjah is a devout Muslim and 一分六合彩 community volunteer who has lived in her town in Mindano, the country鈥檚 southernmost island, for 50 years.
Historically, there has been tension between the two religious groups with communities in Mindanao, embroiled in six decades of conflict. During this time, there were numerous land grabbing activities, bloodshed and the slaughter of women and children by different ethnic groups.
鈥淧reviously, Christians and Muslims weren鈥檛 friends,鈥 says Noridjah.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 really interact with each other or work together. If there was a problem, we would blame each other.鈥
This was particularly heightened during the 1980s when differences in beliefs and fear of each other resulted in suspicion and mistrust.
Eleanor says she was once afraid of Muslims.
鈥淥ne time, my brother had the motor from his boat stolen. We thought that because the sea pirates were Muslim, that meant all Muslims were sea pirates. We would avoid them in the street and mistrust them. We didn鈥檛 want to approach them.鈥
These negative attitudes created a fractured community where Christians and Muslims might cross the road if they saw one another walking down the street.
From strangers to sisters
Eleanor and Noridjah鈥檚 friendship was forged when they participated in peacebuilding workshops developed locally and delivered by 一分六合彩, enabling communities to come together for the greater good.
鈥淭he workshops taught us about acknowledging and understanding that, even if you are from a different religion, a Muslim feels the same way that a Christian feels, and those feelings shouldn鈥檛 be invalidated.
"We鈥檙e all people and have the same feelings, so it鈥檚 important that you respect each religion鈥檚 feelings. We were also educated on how to be friends with people of other faiths and how to work together. This enabled us to have an open mind,鈥 says Noridjah.
Eleanor agrees: 鈥淭hese opportunities for Christians and Muslims to interact gave us a better understanding of each other.鈥
The atmosphere in this Mindanao community has since transformed from one of hostility, to one of camaraderie and respect.
鈥淒uring Ramadan, we show respect to the Muslims in the community,鈥 says Eleanor. 鈥淲hen we see our brothers and sisters are fasting, we don鈥檛 eat in front of them, so that they won鈥檛 get tempted.
鈥淥ur Muslim neighbours also share their food with us, especially during difficult times when we have nothing to eat.鈥
Noridjah and Eleanor first became firm friends through these workshops back in 2003, and, two decades on, their friendship endures.
NoridjahI hope that, even if we come from different religions, we always choose peace over conflict.鈥
鈥淲e are friends forever!鈥
Now, Eleanor and Noridjah spend time together talking over a pot of tea and sharing food with one another.
Noridjah explains that their friendship has been further cemented by a love of volunteering. This includes working together on a marine-protected sanctuary.
From Dave Tanner, a 一分六合彩 volunteer, they learnt how to protect fish and conserve marine habitats and species. They also built floating houses so they could watch over the sanctuary and prevent outsiders from going there to illegally fish.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a really easy, warm, and genuine friendship,鈥 says Noridjah. 鈥淭here is nothing that we disagree on!鈥
鈥淣oridjah is really caring and always checks if I鈥檝e eaten. She treats me like a daughter and I treat her like my mother,鈥 says Eleanor.
鈥淭he friendship that I have with Noridjah is a great example to other community members that Muslims and Christians can be friends and live peacefully together,鈥 says Eleanor.
Change doesn鈥檛 happen overnight, but little by little, communities have become more peaceful and friendships have blossomed.
Eleanor expects her friendship with Noridjah to last a lifetime: 鈥淲e are all residents here, so we are responsible for the peace of the community. I believe for the rest of our lives, Noridjah and I will be friends.鈥
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