Kristiyano-Islam Peace Library

The Kristiyano-Islam (KRIS) Peace Library is a non-profit organization established formally in 2007 (Kristiyano is the Filipino term for Christian).

As an answer to the bloody conflict brought about by Muslim leftists in the Mindanao area of the Philippines, it was established to send the message urging Filipinos not to fight guns with guns (like the government's military response); but to fight guns with books. It aims to eradicate poverty and conflict by uplifting education for the youth in the Philippines.

Imagine: if children grew up with images of war and crime, such as those kids in Mindanao, they will grow up to be criminals and terrorists like their Abu Sayyaf fathers. It is a never-ending cycle of violence and vengeance. But if children grew up with books, with education, they would understand; they would make peace. More importantly, they open up the world of books and are handed the opportunity towards a brighter future.

To reach this objective, KRIS solicits books, computers, other educational materials, and donations from kind-hearted donors from the Philippines and abroad; they then course these donations to build and maintain libraries.

Thus far, it has completed a 2-storey library in Manicahan, Zamboanga City (Southern end of the Philippines) complete with 5000 books and 8 free-service computers. It is also on its way to finishing a second chapter of the KRIS Library in Quezon City, Manila. It has also given 101 scholarship grants for poor public school students in Mindanao; and has given hundreds of free computer and tutorial lessons in its libraries.

It envisions to build even more libraries for poor and conflicted Filipino children; and reach out to more scholars and ill-equipped public schools.

We believe that one book is one step further away from poverty and conflict; one library is a leap towards a child's brighter future; and one movement uplifting education will win the marathon.

For more information: please visit http://krislibrary.com/.