Charmaine Mae, or fondly called “XX”, is a mother, a wife, a sister, a partner, an accompanier who was born in Marawi City and has lived all her life in Mindanao, Philippines. She is a peacebuilder and community-based worker who has been working with Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. for 25 years.
She began as a Sustainable Integrated Area Development Organizer (SIADO) or commonly known as community organizer in 1996 working in rural communities focusing on governance, agrarian reform, land rights, human rights and gender, and peacebuilding. After being in the field, she has been given an opportunity to handle trainings and manual development and provides support to field activities. Her recent assignment in the community-based team is being the Area Manager of the Balay Ranaw Team – Marawi, Lanao del Sur based team of Balay Mindanaw.
It was in 2003 that she became a part of a formal peace process as a member of the Independent Secretariat supporting the Mediator. She is part of the Local Peace Consultations team – facilitation on community analysis and planning in relation to peace and development.
At present, she is the Director of the International Center for Peace in Mindanaw, a unit of Balay Mindanaw. The unit is involved in developing and implementing peacebuilding trainings offered for community leaders government officials, state security (military and police), indigenous peoples, women leaders, youth and non-state armed groups. She also accompanies the community-based teams before of Balay Mindanaw in their community dialogues on conflict issues and peace processes, and the members of the Lawig Kalinaw (Peace Journey) movement.
She is an active member of Action Asia, and also WE Act 1325 Philippines.
XX finished her Masters in Applied Conflict Transformation Studies from Pannasastra University in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and has units in Masters in Divinity from Silliman University (1995-1996). She graduated Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Mathematics.
She is a mother to a 18-year old boy, Mephesh Miguel, and a partner to the ministry and Minister’s wife of Rev. Camilo N. Baconga.
