hope_japan

Walking Together for 36 Years: A Journey of Service and Shared Futures

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 12:08:13 GMT

Thirty-six years ago, my journey began not with a title or a plan, but with volunteer service, listening, learning, and walking alongside Indigenous communities. Those early years shaped my deepest understanding of development: that true service is accompaniment, grounded in humility, relationship, and trust.

At the heart of this journey is my deep gratitude to Indigenous Peoples who welcomed me into their communities and lives. The experiences shared with elders, women, youth, and families became my greatest teachers. From them, I learned that service is never transactional. It is relational, lived through presence, reciprocity, patience, and love for both people and the land.

As communities spoke, one call became clear: invest in the youth. In response, the Pamulaan Center for Indigenous Peoples Education was established in 2000. It is a learning community created by and for Indigenous Peoples. Pamulaan became both a home and a launching ground, nurturing Indigenous youth through culture-based education rooted in ancestral land, language, and identity.

In the face of learning poverty and educational exclusion, especially in geographically isolated areas, culture-based education proved transformative. When children and youth see their culture respected in the classroom, learning becomes meaningful and empowering. Education becomes a pathway to dignity rather than erasure.

From these learning spaces emerged Indigenous youth as leaders and change agents, many returning to their communities as educators, organizers, and advocates for sustainable development. This same spirit of service inspired the Ilawan Volunteer Program, opening opportunities for young people, especially Indigenous youth, to offer a year of meaningful service.

Alongside youth formation, we supported Indigenous women through sustainable livelihoods, weaving, agriculture, food processing, and community enterprises, strengthening families, preserving culture, and building resilience from the ground up.

Guided by Indigenous knowledge, our work also responds to climate change through ecological stewardship, land-based education, and climate-resilient livelihoods, recognizing that caring for the land is inseparable from protecting life and future generations.

This journey has never been walked alone. I am deeply grateful to our partners, especially HOPE International Development Agency - Japan, whose long-term solidarity reflects a shared commitment to dignity, justice, and hope.

Looking back, I realize that while I sought to accompany Indigenous communities, they also accompanied and transformed me, continually teaching me how to serve with humility, courage, and hope.

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

A Small Journey That Began with a Glass of Water

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 02:17:50 GMT

Reflections from a Charity Dinner Guest

Sometimes, a single glass of water can become the starting point for a small journey.

Its soft, clear taste invites a quiet question: “Where does this water come from?”

At HOPE’s Charity Dinner, we begin not with wine, but with a toast of pure water. This moment is meant to share the importance of safe water and to let participants experience HOPE’s guiding belief: from Water to Self-reliance.

At last year’s dinner, we raised our glasses with brewing water generously provided by Tonoike Shuzoten, a sake brewery located in Mashiko Town, Tochigi Prefecture. Brewing water is the foundation of sake making, shaping both its flavor and character. Its gentle taste left a lasting impression on many in attendance.

What follows is a travel essay from a guest who, inspired by that single glass of water and a silent auction held at the dinner, went on to visit Mashiko in person.

We invite you to read about the connection that led to this small journey.

Mashiko Visit

Kevin McAuliffe

Last September, my wife and I attended HOPE International Japan's annual Charity Dinner in Tokyo. In the silent auction, we were fortunate enough to win a stay in Mashiko, a town in Tochigi Prefecture famous for its pottery. Our package included one night at the luxurious Mashikokan Resort Hotel and a private tour of the Tonoike Sake Brewery - one of Japan's top sake producers with a 100-year history. The Charity Dinner opened with a toast for a better future using water sourced from Tonoike. Tasting the soft water, along with the sake served at the event, inspired us to learn more about their brewing techniques. We booked our trip for mid-January.

Our Mashiko experience began with an afternoon visit to the Tonoike Sake Brewery. The private tour started with a traditional sake barrel-opening ceremony, followed by a walk through the brewery, and concluded with a tasting of several sake varieties paired with complementary foods and cheeses. Learning how the four main ingredients (rice, water, koji, and yeast) shape flavor added a fascinating educational dimension.

We checked into Mashikokan in time to unwind in the resort's spacious indoor and outdoor hot spring baths before enjoying a beautifully presented multi-course dinner. The next morning, we had a pottery lesson at one of the town's many studios. We learned how to "throw" pottery and had plenty of time to create bowls, cups, and vases. After choosing the glazes for each piece, we were told the finished works would be delivered in about five months.

Tochigi Prefecture is Japan's leading strawberry producer, so we capped our trip with all-you-can-eat strawberry picking at a nearby farm. Though we packed several activities into our short stay, we left Mashiko with a strong desire to return - and next time, to linger a little longer.

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Empowering HOPE in 2026

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 06:20:09 GMT

Dear Friends of HOPE,

Warm greetings from HOPE Japan! Wishing you a healthy and prosperous new year in 2026.

As we step into this new year, we remain deeply grateful for your unwavering support in helping the neglected poor become self-reliant. Your generous contributions allow HOPE Japan to bring clean water, education, and vital livelihood resources to communities in ultra-poverty. Together, we are making tangible progress toward lasting change.

Our New Year's Resolution at HOPE Japan for 2026 is to reaffirm our commitment to standing alongside those most in need, amplifying their voices, and expanding access to the essentials for health, education, and sustainable livelihoods.

Please continue to join us in this mission by attending one or more of our annual charity dinners in Nagoya , Kansai , or Tokyo , where we share inspiring updates and premiere our community development videos. Let us raise a toast to clean water, empowered women, and brighter futures!

Cambodia: Water and Education Projects in Pursat Province

In 2026, HOPE Japan plans to construct 17 wells and 55 latrines at homes and schools, benefiting approximately 467 families in Dei Kraw Horm, and we have plans to support 417 students of the 517 households (2,072 persons) of Angkrong Village with a school and surrounding areas through integrated community development. Additionally, 15 family farms will receive cows to support sustainable agriculture and income generation.

Ethiopia: Progress in Southern Ethiopia

Building on the progress of our environmental conservation and afforestation activities implemented in 2025 in Uba Debretsehay District, Southern Ethiopia, we will continue our climate change–responsive environmental program during 2026.

The project will focus on afforestation, nursery rehabilitation, and gabion installation to prevent land degradation and natural disasters, while placing greater emphasis on environmental education for children and local communities.

Through environmental education conducted in three schools (two primary schools and one secondary school), we aim to foster awareness of sustainable land use and community resilience, empowering the next generation to contribute to a more sustainable future.

The project will directly benefit 3,698 students and teachers and indirectly benefit approximately 13,000 community members across eight villages in Zaba.

Philippines: Seeds of HOPE

HOPE Japan is providing more opportunities for higher education to Indigenous Youth in the Philippines who otherwise would be deprived due to social and financial reasons. We are deeply thankful to the generous donors that provide scholarship funds for these outstanding students.

Learn more about HOPE projects »

Join HOPE to Help the Neglected Poor become Self-reliant

Please join one of our annual charity dinners in Nagoya , Kansai , and Tokyo where we premiere our integrated community development video reports. These enjoyable events provide opportunities for you to participate in helping resolve water, education, and livelihoods needs of those in most need. All benefits raised support our mission to Help the Neglected Poor become Self-reliant in Ethiopia, Cambodia, and the Philippines.

Please read about our Dinners here »

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Your donation supports HOPE's projects. You can be assured that your gift will make a significant difference to those in most need in Cambodia, Ethiopia, and the Philippines.

Year-end Message from Jeffrey Behr (2025)

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:08:09 GMT

Embracing 2025 with Appreciation for Your Dedication

Dear HOPE Japan Supporters,

As we close the chapter on 2025 and look ahead to a new year filled with promise, I am deeply humbled by the unwavering dedication of our donor and volunteer community. Your continued generosity over these 24 years has been the cornerstone of our mission: Helping the Neglected Poor become Self-Reliant . Together, we have driven meaningful progress against the enduring challenges of extreme poverty.

Our friends in Cambodia, Ethiopia, and the Philippines continue to face daily hardships, especially the lack of safe drinking water that affects health, livelihoods, and opportunity. In response, HOPE’s work starts with water, moves into education, and grows into programs that build practical skills, confidence, and genuine independence. Through your support, HOPE has been able to install wells and water systems, provide sanitation and hygiene education, and strengthen women’s leadership through health initiatives and income-generating activities, helping thousands of people in these three countries move out of ultra-poverty toward healthier and more hopeful lives.

Our integrated community development work in Dei Kraw Horm, Ankrong and other villages in Pursat Province, Cambodia, continues to advance alongside our efforts at the Pamulaan Center in the Philippines to nurture indigenous student’s success. Meanwhile, our Ethiopian programs, supported by corporate partners, individual donors, and Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have strengthened access to clean water and hygiene infrastructure with vital WaSH projects at schools and communities. These interventions align powerfully with the UN Sustainable Development Goals we champion - SDG 1 to eradicate poverty, SDG 4 for quality education, and SDG 6 to ensure clean water and sanitation.

Every well and water system installed, every school supported, every hygiene lesson taught through HOPE’s programs is a vital step in empowering communities to break the cycle of poverty and build resilient futures. Your compassion fuels this journey from access to basic needs toward sustainable self-reliance and dignity. As we celebrate another year of partnership, I extend my deepest gratitude to each of you who make this life-changing work possible.

May this festive season inspire renewed hope and solidarity as we join hands to uplift the vulnerable and forge pathways of opportunity for those often forgotten. Together, let us continue to transform lives and communities, affirming our commitment to a world where no one is left behind.

With heartfelt thanks,

Jeffrey S. Behr

Executive Director

HOPE International Development Agency Japan

*Donations received by the dates below will be tax-deductible for 2025.

Donation by credit card (online): by December 24, 2025
Donation by Bank Transfer: by December 29, 2025

Twelve Years of HOPE and Friendship

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 07:33:16 GMT

Hi, my name is Anthony, but everyone calls me just "Tony". I am originally from France and moved to Nagoya at the beginning of 2010 to study for a doctorate in Mechanical Engineering.

I decided to stay in Japan and had the chance to work at various universities around the country since. I am now Associate Professor at Keio University (Yokohama), where I teach optical design and fabrication.

I was in Japan when the great Tohoku earthquake struck on March 11th 2011. Although I lived far from the worst affected area, we really did feel strong seismic waves moving the ground even in Nagoya. From the news coverage, I took the measure of the damage and suffering caused by the tsunami in subsequent days, and something started stirring deep inside of me. I wanted somehow to be able to do something for the people in the affected area. This is when I first came across HOPE Japan. They were organizing relief actions in Tohoku at the time.

After joining " HOPE Night ", an event that took place monthly at " Shooters Sports Bar & Grill " in those days, I quickly befriended the core team of volunteers in Nagoya and became a regular volunteer to events such as the "annual gala". The gala is a dinner event that takes place in Tokyo , Nagoya , and Kansai . Up-to 200 attendees listen to the activities of HOPE, and fund raising takes place in the form of silent auctions, bidding events, as well as traditional pledges. The team always strives to make these events highly entertaining, as well as poignant in expressing the importance of access to clean water with a " water Kampai ".

There are a few things that have made me stick with HOPE through the past 12 years of volunteering.

The first one is the exemplary transparency of the organization. The yearly reports let us know exactly how the funds raised at the galas and other events are impacting the lives of people in Cambodia, Ethiopia and other countries.

The second one is the well-thought-out sequence of actions that are taken to support local families and communities in the target countries. It all starts with access to water (by providing a well), then access to a livelihood (formerly with the loaning of cows, recently through micro-credit), and finally access to education (by building schools). In my mind, these steps represent the most rational way to help people escape the spiral of poverty. The video reportage shown each year demonstrates how a little kickstart in life helps communities raise in dignity and get a firm foothold on the path towards self-improvement.

Finally, the third reason for sticking with HOPE has been the great people who make up the organization. I have met countless people, many whom are now my friends for life, working with HOPE. On a personal level, this is also priceless!

Historically, aid and relief in Japan was coordinated at the national level. For a long time, individual citizens did not really understand the need for private involvement in these activities. I think that Japan has come a long way in that sense, over the past 15 years that I have lived here. Organizations like HOPE have been recognized to have significantly contributed to this shift in perception and action. I feel honored to have witnessed this wind of change, but also to have the chance to keep contributing my small part towards HOPE continued efforts in the future!

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Expanding the Charity Dinner Circle of Support

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 10:17:04 GMT

HOPE has been hosting charity dinners - events that combine fundraising with the excitement of an auction - for over 20 years. In this article, we look back on the history of HOPE's charity dinners , highlights of the auctions, and share voices from participants.

Beginnings of a Charity Dinner

HOPE Japan, with its network in nine countries worldwide, was inspired by fundraising events organized by HOPE Canada and began hosting its own charity dinner in Nagoya in 2002. At that time the Japan office had just been established and neither the organization nor the concept of a "Charity Dinner" was well-known in Japan. In contrast, such events were already a familiar way of giving in countries where the culture of charity was deeply rooted, so most of the early participants were foreigners living in Japan. Even so, HOPE aimed to introduce this form of giving, raise awareness of its work in project areas, and encourage more people in Japan to join the movement.

Understanding HOPE through Stories from the Field

The charity dinner is held with two main goals. The first is to convey the challenges faced in the project areas to participants. Since HOPE's project sites are located far from Japan, we create short films that show the daily lives of local beneficiaries, our approach to support, and the positive changes taking place.

Through these visual and auditory experiences, we hope participants can feel closer to the people they are supporting and gain a deeper understanding of HOPE's work - something that words alone cannot convey. We also hope that joining the dinner will inspire participants to take their first step toward support for solving these issues.

Unique auction that builds unity among participants and sponsors

The other purpose of the charity dinner is to let participants enjoy sharing in contributing with auction sponsors. The dinners begin with a toast using water, which symbolizes HOPE’s work that starts with clean water. Together, all participants share the importance of clean water before enjoying an evening of fine dining and conversation in a special venue, while also participating in the charity auction from which proceeds support our project work.

The auction features a variety of items donated by sponsors supporting HOPE's projects, with the proceeds contributing to project activities. A popular item is the "Naming Rights for a Cow," where the winning bidder can name a cow lent to a Cambodian farmer through HOPE's agricultural support initiative (an "animal bank"), and they receive reports about the cow and its owner's family. If desired, the winning bidder can even visit and name the cow in Cambodia.

Dinners connect beyond borders

Over 5,000 people have participated in HOPE Japan's dinners, bringing together individuals with diverse backgrounds, transcending nationalities. It serves as a social gathering where people from different fields interact, and those who met at previous dinners reunite annually. Organizers consciously create an event environment at the dinners that connects HOPE projects with participants.

As a result, companies like Universal Studios Japan (USJ) have attended HOPE's dinners, using them as a reference for launching their own charity dinners. This has been a rewarding synergy for HOPE, continuing as its role as a pioneer of the charity dinner event in Japan.

Conveying the importance of participation

Among the participants, there are those who later become part of HOPE's organization. One such person is the current Executive Director and board member, Jeffrey Behr, who has been in office since 2019.

He shared his journey from being a participant to his current outlook.

Changing the region and the world through Charity Dinners

The Charity Dinner plays a vital role in connecting participants with beneficiaries and projects. It's a great way to expand the circle of support. Over the years, many individuals have taken part, creating encounters with people and companies who had long wished to contribute to society but lacked the opportunity. These connections have led to new partnerships and have gradually expanded support for communities in developing countries.

For HOPE, the charity dinner is also an essential opportunity to raise funds for our activities. Fundraising is a common challenge for NGOs and NPOs, and through the experience we have gained over the years, we aim to share our know-how and build a stronger network of organizations that share the same vision.

Looking ahead, we hope to further develop the Charity Dinner so that each participant can feel a deeper connection with the beneficiaries in our project areas. At the same time, we aim to foster a culture of charity in Japan and expand our work throughout the world.

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Back to Cambodia: A Filmmaker's Journey of Hope and Gratitude

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:41:42 GMT

Returning After Eight Years

Elena Omura worked with HOPE International Development Agency until 2018 and is now an award winning filmmaker based in Prague, Czech Republic. This summer, she returned to Cambodia for the first time in eight years - revisiting familiar project sites that once shaped her early work at HOPE and seeing them through both new eyes and a filmmaker's lens.

" It was incredible to see how much has changed, " Elena reflects. " Districts that lacked even basic infrastructure now have paved roads and busy markets. The HOPE office itself has relocated to reach more remote communities. Most of all, I was humbled to see the transformation in families I first met years ago. "

One such family, Van and Pouen, once struggled simply to survive. When Elena visited them again, they proudly showed her their flourishing gardens, a new house they had built, and their daughters - all attending school.

From HOPE Staff to Filmmaker

Elena's connection to Cambodia began when she served with HOPE Japan, where she directed and produced Every Drop Counts, a film supporting HOPE's clean water initiatives. Since then, she has launched her own production company, Ishiki Studios , dedicated to creating films that inspire real-world change.

Her return to Cambodia provided not only a reunion with families and colleagues but also the opportunity to capture their ongoing stories of resilience and progress.

Telling Stories of Water, Gratitude, and Hope

The new film Elena created focuses on the transformative power of clean water. Families who once struggled now proudly share baskets of vegetables grown with water from their wells. HOPE's field coordinators describe their work as the greatest gift of their lives - a sentiment that moved Elena deeply.

" If there is one theme I hope resonates through the film, it is gratitude, " she explains. " Gratitude from families empowered by clean water. Gratitude from HOPE staff who dedicate their lives to walking with these communities. And hopefully, gratitude among donors who can see the impact of giving. "

A Documentary in Every Sense

True to her vision as a filmmaker, Elena ensured that nothing was staged or scripted. Every word spoken in the film comes directly from the families and HOPE staff themselves.

" I wanted audiences to see the murky water that some families still drink, contrasted with the joy of those receiving new wells. I wanted them to witness the smiles of children who can now go to school and return home to a bath. Water is such a simple thing, but it changes everything. "

The Unchanging Heart of HOPE

Even as Elena marveled at the progress made since her last visit, she was reassured to see certain things remain constant.

" What has not changed is the way HOPE works, " she says. " HOPE doesn't give temporary fixes. It invests in people's self-reliance, beginning with clean water. And the HOPE staff continue to approach families with humility - sitting with them, listening, and building trust. That commitment is at the heart of HOPE's work, and it's what I wanted this film to portray. "

A Message to Readers

Elena closes her reflection with a message of thanks:

" This film is about gratitude - for the people of Cambodia, for HOPE's dedicated staff, and for the chance to use my craft to tell stories that matter. I am deeply grateful to everyone who worked on the project pro bono, and I hope the film inspires audiences to give - not out of guilt, but from the desire to do something meaningful for someone else. In doing so, we discover gratitude in ourselves as well. "

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Connecting compassion, creating change｜Fundraiser Recruitment

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 10:18:42 GMT

We are recruiting colleagues to advance self-reliance support in Asia and Africa by mobilizing people and resources together.

HOPE International Development Agency Japan is an international NGO headquartered in Nagoya, working in Asia and Africa. We are looking for individuals who wish to extend compassion to those in need through fundraising. We welcome those who resonate with our mission and are passionate about tackling social issues.

Overview

Job Description

Fundraising Staff Position (Nagoya, possibly Kansai based)

Fundraising (Full-time)

Major tasks include, but not limited to:

Actively seeking and recruiting new supporters both individual and corporate (making contact, preparing material, face-to-face meeting, follow-up etc.)
Work alongside and support the Executive Director in relating to existing supporters and recruiting new supporters for raising funding towards our overseas projects
Relate to and recruit sponsors for annual dinners in Nagoya and Kansai (includes handling inquiries, requesting information where needed, etc.)
Expand partnership base by community outreach activities and networking, building strong relationships with stakeholders and expanding base of monthly donors
Management of donor lists
Coordinate and manage internal events, especially Nagoya and Kansai Charity dinners.
Support fundraising events by supporters

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be effective in a dynamic environment and highly motivated to help the poor. He or she will understand the requirements of working for an NGO, where flexibility, resourcefulness, creativity, aggressiveness and drive are highly valued, and have a track record of delivering results in that setting. He/she will be motivated by the satisfaction of raising money so that HOPE may partner with more and more people, helping them out of poverty.

The ideal candidate must have the following:

Highly motivated to raise the necessary resources to assist the poor in becoming self-reliant
Background in marketing, sales, public relations, fundraising
Sales/marketing experience relating to Japanese and foreign business leaders and individuals
3 years of work in Japanese business environment

Business level communication skills in both spoken and written Japanese
Business level communication skills in spoken English, and good level in written English

Ability to relate well to different people with different values, backgrounds and social positions.
Work well within a team while being able to be a self-starter and self-motivated
Flexibility to adapt to changing situations

Ability to multi-task and handle multiple projects simultaneously
Basic knowledge and usage experience of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) and Google documents/spreadsheets
Desire to learn new skills

The following are major pluses:

Experience in Fundraising
IT skills
Experience in team management, especially volunteers
Experience in social media
Experience in organizing events

Location

It is expected that this position will be based in Nagoya office or possibly in Kansai.

Working remotely for 2–3 days/week is acceptable.

Conditions

40 hours/week (full-time)
full legal social welfare coverage
monthly salary of ￥200,000 ~￥300,000 (in accordance with HOPE-JP's policies)
side jobs allowed within policy
weekends off
summer and end-year holidays

How to Apply

Applications are accepted by email.

Required documents:

Resume/CV (Japanese and English)
Cover Letter / Statement of Motivation (Japanese and English)

Submit to: info@hope.or.jp

Email subject line: [Application] Fundraiser / Your Name

Selection process:

Document screening
Two interviews (online or in-person, negotiable)
Final notification

Deadline: Applications accepted on a rolling basis (will close once a suitable candidate has been found).

Privacy Policy

In handling personal information, HOPE will take appropriate security measures in accordance with our Privacy Policy to prevent any data leaks or related incidents.

Application documents submitted will be used solely for the purpose of recruitment and will be responsibly disposed of after the selection process is completed.

What does a community fundraiser do?

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 03:40:52 GMT

"A fundraiser is someone who collects donations?"

"What does a community fundraiser do?"

I'm often asked these questions.

In this article, Fumi, who has been involved as a fundraiser at HOPE for over 10 years, reports on his work and also explains about the expansion of HOPE's activities.

This is a little look into the world of a fundraiser that we've never shared before.

A fundraiser is not just about collecting money

When you think of a fundraiser, you may think of someone who collects donations, but what I think is important is gathering all the resources necessary to achieve the organization's mission.

These resources are not just money.

For example:

Physical items (supplies, facilities, equipment, etc.)
People (volunteers, interns, partner companies, etc.)
Information and connections with people - their community.

At HOPE, we organize community-based activities with the best utilization of these resources. A community fundraiser is responsible for building and maintaining such connections with its community and making friends.

Making Friends in the Community

HOPE holds various events in Japan , such as charity dinners , walkathons, and other events such as golf tournaments , crowdfunding, presentations, and study sessions. These events are only possible if we have friends who help plan and organize them together, most often as like-minded volunteers.

There are many ways in which volunteers get involved.

Volunteers who get involved from the planning stage of the event
One-day volunteers who provide help on the day of the event
People who can't attend the event but help with preparations

My biggest role is to plan and organize activities together with all such volunteers.

Collaboration with businesses is also an important part of the job. In addition to donations, an increasing number of companies are getting involved in various ways, such as sponsoring events, lending their facilities, sending employee volunteers, and holding in-house study sessions.

HOPE's distinctive features are its International and Bilingual supporters

One of HOPE's major distinctive features is its international connections.

For example, in Nagoya, we have built relationships with the foreign community living in the Tokai region over many years. In Kansai, we are also connected to a network of expatriates and their families.

We also actively participate in networking events held by the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) and with the chambers of commerce of various countries. We continue to inform people with roots abroad about HOPE's work and involve them as members.

Having these global connections is a strength unique to HOPE that is not often seen in other organizations.

Building relationships is also a big part of fundraising

There are more ways to raise funds than just through the collection of donations and organizing events.

In fact, meeting people and cultivating relationships daily is also an important part of the job.

I also participate in various business meetings, local study groups, and inter-industry networking events. By making new connections, we can raise awareness about HOPE's work, and the seeds of our next collaboration can sprout.

What is important here is the ability to listen, to listen carefully to what the other person is saying,

" What is this person good at and what are they interested in? "

" What resources does this business have? "

...and record that information in your memory. And keeping a database for institutional knowledge building is of the utmost importance for the organization.

Then, one day, when you realize that you need something, you often recall the person you met that time who could help!

Rather than talk, listen and learn about what they do.

If you feel that you can collaborate on something together, begin by proposing to do something small together.

That is my stance as a community fundraiser.

It's like a chef's job

To put it simply, the work of a community fundraiser is like that of a chef.

You must assess the ingredients in front of you - space, people, time, enthusiasm, locality... and think about how to combine them to put together an event.

For example, a business once asked me if I could use their facility. The moment I was asked this, I planned not only to use their facilities, but also how to connect with the people who would attend and whether there was a way to involve the company's employees.

In the end, it became a volunteer-led charity event, and it created positive relationships between the company, volunteers, and participants - and importantly, our work together often provides funds to help our beneficiaries, which is the outcome of our mission.

In other words, even if the ingredients are the same, the combination and seasoning can lead to completely different results.

That's what makes this job interesting and profound.

As a facilitator who draws out initiative

What I particularly value is drawing out the initiative of volunteers.

I don't just give instructions to staff, but I always ask questions such as,

" Have you ever been involved in event planning? "

" How would you go about spreading the word for this event? "

I draw out their experiences, listen to their ideas, and ask them questions.

This is also something that I learned in the field overseas.

Local people think for themselves, act, and create change. I apply this attitude to my work in Japan. What is supposed to be HOPE's events soon becomes our events together. Being able to witness such moments is the most rewarding for me.

Continuing to face the difficulty of communicating

However, it's not all fun and games.

HOPE is working on solving problems in regions that are not well known in Japan, such as in Africa and Southeast Asia. To people who have never been to these regions, it is a difficult world to imagine.

That's why we are always struggling to communicate our work to our supporters and help them visualize what we do. Although we have been fundraisers for over 10 years, communication is still a constant process of trial and error.

But that's why it's worth keeping at it.

I believe that it is our responsibility as community fundraisers to continue thinking about how we can reach people, rather than just giving up because our message didn't reach them.

In conclusion

I feel that the role of a community fundraiser is to create small waves in society by connecting people, thoughts, actions, and resources.

To achieve our mission, we need not just to collect donations, but identify various resources such as the necessary human resources, knowledge, place, and time, and to think about how to utilize them and who to work with, which becomes a community of support.

In the process, sometimes we become facilitators who bring out the individuality of volunteers, sometimes we become interpreters who create connections between businesses and individuals, and sometimes we become listeners who quietly listen and reweave relationships. We adapt our position depending on the situation but always listen to the person in front of us - this flexibility is what I am proud of in this job.

The best part about my work is not just involving people, but nurturing relationships where we think and act together. Someone's thoughts take shape, and that shape moves someone else. The cycle that is created in this way slowly but surely changes the landscape of society.

I feel rewarded to be able to witness the beginning of such change.

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Charity Golf

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 04:12:08 GMT

A charity golf competition will be held on October 13, 2025!

With the generous cooperation of Ms. Shinko Kawamura (pictured below, Madame Shinco), Chairperson of CowCow Food System Co. The event will be aired on the TV program " Gorutomo " in which Madam Shinco appears.

Madame Shinco attended the HOPE Kansai Charity Dinner before the pandemic and said she would like to focus on social contribution activities. It is because of this connection that we have decided to hold this charity golf competition for the second year in a row.

The goal of this golf competition is to raise 1 million yen for HOPE's self-reliance projects such as well construction and women's empowerment. A portion of the participation fee will be donated, and we hope that participants will deepen their understanding of HOPE's activities through games, auctions, and other activities planned for the day.

Please join our charity event, and enjoy a game of golf in the pleasant autumn breeze.

Madame Shinco

Event Summary

Applications

Deadline: March 12, 2024

Please make your application from the Madame Shinco website ...

Rules

Double Peoria system

Upper limit: 36 for men, none for women
Through-the-green: 6-inch placements OK
On the green: One-grip OK
Please follow the other local rules.

AOYAMA GOLF CLUB (Course Info)

A golf course in Hyogo Prefecture with a view of Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Set in a scenic hilly landscape rich in tradition and history, the course offers a unique charm.

The area around Sengoku Pond, which spans holes 10 and 18, is believed to be the site of the historic "Battle of Aoyama" led by the renowned strategist Kuroda Kanbei.

AOYAMA GOLF CLUB Official Website » (Japanese)

Cherry Golf Club Inagawa Course

The golf course boasts a location and scenery worthy of being called "a golf course in the sky”. Located on a mountain ridge at an elevation of 613 meters, the layout resembles a highland resort. The course is generally flat and has a links-style atmosphere with five water hazards of various sizes scattered throughout. The difficulty level of the course differs between the in and out courses, especially on the out course, where ups and downs may affect players' stamina and play. It is also narrow, so it will be a challenge for golfers to show their skills.

Website » (Japanese)

Joint Sponsorship

CowCow Food System Co.
HOPE International Development Agency, Japan

A round, warm Ethiopian house made from natural materials

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 03:20:25 GMT

Warm-hearted wisdom for surviving the cold and living with cows

When our staff visits the local communities we work with in Ethiopia, the first thing that catches their eye are the oddly shaped houses.

Shaped like a big hat or a mushroom, these houses are called Gojos and are traditional dwellings that have long been beloved by the local communities.

In this article, we will describe how these houses are built and what they are like.

Rain and wind-resistant

Ethiopian houses come in a variety of styles depending on the region and ethnic group. Gojo houses, found in the highlands in the south of the country, are circular and resistant to wind, and have conical roofs that allow rainwater to run off efficiently.

The walls are made of wooden frames plastered with mud, which provides insulation and makes the houses comfortable to live in.

The roofs are made of natural materials available in the area, such as grass, straw, and reeds.

In the cold highlands, roofs are lowered close to the ground to keep out the cold, and the houses are full of wisdom for life suited to the climate and materials.

Sleeping with cows?

The layout of the houses is roughly the size of what would be considered a one-bedroom, dining and kitchen home in Japan. In some houses, the living room and bedroom are combined, with the kitchen placed in a separate building.

It may come as a surprise, but some families live together with their livestock, such as cows, within the same housing structure. Livestock are considered important assets, and it is common to live with them.

However, hygiene is also an issue. Livestock waste can make living conditions difficult, and flies can breed that can spread disease. As part of our hygiene program, we communicate the importance of separating the living spaces of people from livestock. In some cases, we advise them to set up partitions within the home, and in other cases, we recommend building a separate shed for livestock. However, changing long-standing traditions is not easy. Through repeated dialogue with the locals, we are encouraging them to adapt hygienic perceptions.

Staff impressions of time spent in a village

Roofs... being eaten by cows!?

Apparently, cows eat the straw roofs so one family told us that it must be re-thatched every one or two years.

It's a local custom for neighbors to get together and help with the re-thatching process. Upon completing the work, they sometimes serve food and drinks, and it turns into a small party.

Thatched roofs in Japan last about 30 to 40 years. Depending on the climate and materials, there are various ways they are maintained. When comparing the two, the cultural differences become obvious.

Grandfather's Pillar

This is a story about a house visited by our staff who was stationed in a village over 10 years ago.

There was a magnificent pillar in the center of the house. According to the owner, the pillar had been used since his grandfather's time, and has been used for generations even when the house was rebuilt.

This incident made me realize once again that a family's history and memories are firmly engraved in their home.

Lifestyle is a collection of wisdom

Gojo houses are made using natural materials and are adapted to the environment.

The sense of distance between livestock, the support of the community, and pillars are passed down from generation to generation.

I believe that these are the embodiment of the life wisdom of the Ethiopian people, and that their lifestyle and culture are alive within them.

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Osaka Marathon 2025 Report

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 11:55:59 GMT

Over 30,000 runners raced through Osaka - and the circle of support kept growing!

On February 24, 2025 the Osaka Marathon 2025 was held with over 30,000 runners from across Japan filling the streets of Osaka. The Osaka Marathon is more than just a sports event. Under the slogan "Painting the Rainbow Together," it supports seven charity themes, with officially selected recipient organizations. The Charity Runner system, where participants run to raise funds for a cause, continues to gain recognition each year.

18 Charity Runners Took on the Challenge

Following last year's participation, HOPE once again joined the event as an official charity partner. This year, 18 charity runners chose HOPE as their cause and took on the challenge of completing the full marathon.

As they raced past iconic landmarks like Osaka Castle, Dotonbori, and Shitennoji Temple, they helped expand the circle of support with every step.

In preparation for the event, we created an original T-shirt with a QR code linking to HOPE's support page and sent it to each charity runner in advance. Some wore the shirts during training and posted on social media, while others proudly wore them during the marathon itself. We're delighted to hear that the T-shirts helped boost team spirit and motivation.

Donation Report

Thanks to the incredible efforts of our charity runners a total of 2,513,830 JPY was raised.

In addition, we received 1,940,448 JPY as part of the charity fund distribution from the Osaka Marathon organizing committee.

Together, this brought the total donation amount to 4,454,278 JPY !

How Your Donations Will Be Used

Your generous support will be used to fund the following activities:

Thank You So Much!

The 2025 Osaka Marathon was once again made possible with your support. To all our runners, supporters, and volunteers - thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

HOPE will continue moving forward, one step at a time.

We hope you'll keep cheering us on for the next challenge ahead.

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Cambodia Project Report: Changes on the ground and forms of support

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 15:36:26 GMT

Present Cambodia: Cities and Everyday Life

From late March to early April 2025, I visited Veal Veng District in Pursat Province, Cambodia, to conduct a field survey for the Integrated Community Development Project. Last year, I also visited HOPE Japan's project site in Ethiopia, and this visit to Cambodia allowed me to observe the similarities and differences between the two countries.

Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh, is urbanized like Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, and the roads are crammed with cars in the mornings and evenings. To get around, you can hail a tuk-tuk via a smartphone app and pay by credit card, so there is little concern about having to communicate in the local language.

Phnom Penh

I was also informed that the Chinese government is supporting the development of infrastructure in both Cambodia and Ethiopia, such as the building of new airports and roads. In Cambodia, there are Japanese restaurants such as Marukame Seimen, which I had not seen in Ethiopia, and other Japanese NGOs are also active in our project area, which made me feel that Cambodia has a deeper connection with Japan than Ethiopia.

Amongst my observations, there are two things that particularly impressed me. Firstly, many Cambodians, from businessmen to food stall owners, were using smartphones. People were using delivery services, paying via barcodes, and even enjoying social media in their spare time. Although countries and regions differ, the way people live in modern society is similar.

Secondly, in Phnom Penh, it is possible to pay in US dollars, and you can get change in both US dollars and Cambodian riel (KHR). The shopkeepers were also accustomed to converting between dollars and riel, and I was impressed by how they were able to instantly calculate and handle money transactions.

Regions and project sites undergoing change

Our project site is located about six hours by car from Phnom Penh, near the border with Thailand. It can be accessed via a road that was built with the assistance from the Japanese and Chinese governments, and this road has gradually begun to change the way people live in the area.

The landscape was a mix between modern technology, such as the widespread use of mobile phones and electricity, and traditional ways of life. There were also signs of tourism, with newly built lodges and many foreign tourists visiting the countryside in search of nature.

For example, there was a fruit stand in the parking lot of the restaurant where I had breakfast during my stay. The lady who ran the stall, who cheerfully greeted me every day, took photos with her customers and posted them on social media, and this use of technology was expanding the scope of her business. A cafe had also been built, and I felt the growing expectations for development in this part of Cambodia.

On the other hand, at the project site in Dei Kraw Horm Village, about 30 minutes away from my hotel, the disparity in living standards was stark. Even within the same village, some families use Japanese tractors and live relatively well, while others do all their farm work by hand. The harsh conditions of the people known as the 'relatively poor', whose lives are tougher than those around them, were noticeable.

I first paid a visit to a family for whom HOPE had built a well three months ago. Clean water gushed out of the well, and the children were happily drinking the water. This well water is not only used for drinking, but also for watering their vegetable garden and plays an important role in supporting the family’s day to day lives.

A newly installed well

HOPE also provides support in the form of agricultural training, agricultural equipment, and seeds. The families who are beneficiaries of our project were selling the vegetables they grew at home along the national highway, which generated cash income. It certainly felt like aid interventions that are firmly rooted in people's lives are bringing about tangible changes.

HOPE is also working to improve sanitation in addition to providing access to clean water and improving livelihoods, by providing $200 per family to discourage open defecation and promoting the building of household toilets. I used these toilets, and I realized once again that having clean, private toilets not only protects health, but also leads to peace of mind and dignity.

When I asked the children what kind of water they drank before HOPE's intervention, they told me, "We fetched muddy water from a place about a five-minute walk away and drank only the clear water that settled." It was heartbreaking for me as a mother to imagine that they were living in such conditions just a few months ago. They also told me that in another household, there was no toilet, and the child was prone to stomach problems, and that the mother was very afraid to go into the bushes at night.

In my interviews, I heard many words that made me realize the changes in the local community’s lives, such as:

"Our lives have changed dramatically."
"We can now use a lot of clean water."
"We can now eat three meals a day."
"We have become healthier."
"We can now sell vegetables."
"Our income has increased."

I would like to know how these words might have changed the next time I visit this area. I hope that with HOPE's continued aid, their lives will improve even further.

How to measure the impact of our work

To assess the impact of our current project, we visited households that already had wells built and started home gardening (intervention group) and households that are yet to get wells built with HOPE's support (non-intervention group), and conducted not only interviews to uncover the changes in their lives but we also collected numerical data (quantitative surveys). Our purpose was to evaluate the changes in household finances as a result of HOPE’s intervention.

In general, through household finance surveys, it is easier to gather accurate figures about expenses than income, so ‘expenditure data’ is considered to be reliable for determining the state of household finances. With the intervention group, within just three months after the well was built, daily expenditures had increased to about seven times that of the non-intervention group (3,378 KHR vs. 471 KHR). This shows that the scope of their lives has expanded, through the selling of vegetables cultivated with well water.

However, it was also revealed that even the beneficiary households are still in serious poverty, well below the poverty line set by the World Bank (US$2.15 per day, which is about 8,000 KHR). In addition to this monetary data, we also looked at the quality of life using the United Nations Development Programm (UNDP) Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). The MPI evaluates 10 indicators including health, education, and standard of living. As a result of the survey, the non-intervention group was judged to be in ‘severe poverty,’ while about 90% of the intervention group was judged to be ‘not poor.’ This means that even within just three months of receiving support from HOPE, there was a significant improvement in their overall lives.

In this way, the assessment of poverty changes depending on which index is used. If we look only at income and expenditure, the families would be labelled as ‘poor’, but with the MPI, they would be rated as 'not poor'. In other words, how we perceive poverty is very important. Both indicators are meaningful, and each has its own strengths. With a proper understanding of this, we would like to incorporate both indicators in this project to evaluate the impact of our work from multiple angles.

Currently, there are plans to build a total of 17 wells in Dei Kraw Horm Village, of which seven have already been completed. In the future, we plan to introduce an animal bank that will lend out cows for farm work, and microfinance, which provides access to small loans to women to generate income. As for these aid programs, we will continue to track changes both through numerical data and through interviews, and provide accurate information to our sponsors, and as a project manager, I will place great importance on ensuring accountability.

What It Means to Walk with Local Communities

Kim Phealy (Ly), the head of HOPE Cambodia, our local partner who assisted us with this survey, lost her family during the Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979). I was touched by her attitude of turning that pain into strength and working closely with the local community for over 30 years.

"I want to lend a hand to every single person who does not have food," Ms. Ly said. She does not reveal her title and position when visiting the communities but assumes the role of an interpreter and interacts with the locals on the same level. I felt that it is because of this attitude that aid rooted in the community has been successful. This feeling is not only shared by Ms. Ly, but also by the people in the village. For example, you could really sense this from the way the neighbors routinely support the family of a man who lost his leg to a landmine, saying, "It's because we have overcome difficult times together."

On the other hand, many children do not know about the Khmer Rouge era, and how to convey the past to the next generation is a major issue in Cambodia's educational system. Currently, local schools mainly teach math and Japanese, while other subjects are ignored. Due to a lack of facilities and teachers, classes are divided into morning and afternoon shifts. The government is aware of the state of education and is currently considering ways to reform the curriculum.

I was also impressed by my interaction with Jana (30 years old), a young leader of the local neighborhood association. We visited the home of an elderly couple who did not have a well. They had lost their three-year-old grandson just one month earlier and had buried him in their garden.

Jana quietly told me about the difficult life of the elderly couple. There were times when she was choked up and in tears because they were doing all they could to help them, even though they were struggling to even get food. I was touched by her.

It is not easy to help people living in poverty. Through this experience, I was reminded of the importance of continuing to support local communities.

Looking ahead to the future of aid

"Even if we help in the moment, we can't provide help forever" - we often face such challenges in the field of aid. The desire to help and the frustration of not knowing what to do always weighs on my heart.

Our work aims to show the path to escape poverty and support local communities to become self-reliant. Clean water has a great power to connect lives and change lives. Our work starts with clean water, leading to improved hygiene and sanitation, increased incomes, better education, and hope for the future.

Well water (left) and previously used water (right)

Please continue to support these neglected communities so that they can move forward on their own.

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

HOPE 25th Anniversary Campaign for Ongoing Support

Wed, 28 May 2025 08:36:31 GMT

From water to self-reliance - Join HOPE in our 25th Anniversary Campaign for Ongoing Support

Campaign in Progress

You can make a difference from just ¥1,000 per month.

Starting June 3, 2025, we are running a campaign to gain 100 monthly supporters.

To continue and expand our efforts from water to self-reliance in Cambodia, Ethiopia, and the Philippines, we need your support.

Your ongoing contribution can truly change lives.

Monthly Supporter Campaign

Campaign Period: June 3 (Tue) - July 11 (Fri), 2025

Goal: Recruit 100 Monthly Supporters

Why Monthly Support Matters

In the areas where we work, many still lack access to safe water, preventing children from attending school and women from earning an income or envisioning a future.

Monthly donations help us provide:

These efforts pave the way for self-reliance in the communities we serve.

How Your Donation Will Be Used

To expand our reach and improve the quality of support, your donation will go toward:

How to Support

Making a donation is easy through Syncable , an online platform designed for nonprofits.

What is Syncable?

Syncable is one of Japan’s largest digital fundraising platforms, used by over 4,000 nonprofits across various sectors. It allows individuals to donate quickly and freely, empowering more people to contribute to social good through simple online giving.

Campaign Period: June 3 (Tue) ~ July 11 (Fri), 2025

We are committed to building self-reliant communities.

We would be grateful for your support in helping individuals take their first steps toward independence.

Our Rookie Year in PR: Tackling 3 Real Challenges

Wed, 14 May 2025 01:26:22 GMT

Did you know that HOPE Japan has a PR team?

When we think of PR (public relations) many people may imagine specialized and professional work such as the dissemination of information and dealing with the media. However, our PR team at HOPE began with two people who had no such experience. Having been with HOPE for many years (doing lots of other things), the PR team was put together with a couple of new part-timers.

It has been one year since we founded this team in April 2024.

Looking back, we were confused by everything we were doing for the first time, but we pushed on to overcome the challenges and went through a series of trials and errors. We are a small team that has just started its journey, but we would like to share a little bit about our journey over the past year and our vision for the future.

What are NPO Public Relations?

As public relations novices, our image of public relations was that of a typical corporate PR firm, where we would promote products and respond to press coverage. However, we had no product to promote and rarely received interviews. What is a PR person supposed to do? I was left wondering, “What does a PR person do?" First, we learned the basics of "what PR is" from seminars and books, and established two main objectives of PR that HOPE needed to achieve.

Purpose of Public Relations

To inform supporters of HOPE's activities in an easy-to-understand manner, build relationships of trust, and encourage action.
To enhance the sense of unity of the organization by establishing a system for sharing information among staff members.

Supporters come from a variety of backgrounds, including business people, people who have known us for a long time, and people who have recently become interested in our organization for the first time. In order to convey information in an easy-to-understand manner that suits each individual and at the right time to deepen relationships of trust, we clarified the role of information dissemination tools from the perspective of “what to convey to whom and what to convey.

Our Work in 2024

① Proactive use of Social Media

First, we focused on using social media (SNS) to transmit information in a timely manner. HOPE uses Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, but we didn’t clearly understand the differences between these platforms, and the timing of our posts was inconsistent.

So, we analyzed the trends of our followers and observed the accounts of other NPOs, and made some changes such as posting information in English on Facebook and Japanese on Instagram. We also focused on creating content that conveys the personality of our organization by introducing our staff and volunteers. We are continuing to work on this, even though it continues to be a daily challenge!

On the other hand, none of our PR staff had any experience using LinkedIn, and this network still proves to be challenging. We are still studying this medium and we hope to post information regularly within this year!

When we recruited our new SNS volunteers, we received applications from within and beyond our own prefecture, and even from abroad. It was a pleasant surprise to have new staff with diverse perspectives join us.

② Press Releases

A press release is a tool for disseminating information about an organization to the public through media such as newspapers, broadcasting stations, and online news sites. Unlike posting information on social media, we used this tool with great care to share information about our events and charity dinners, since our audience were media professionals.

As part of restarting the charity dinners, we shared an article explaining its uniqueness, appeal, and purpose, which helped us raise awareness of HOPE's work through online news sites and reach people who were unfamiliar about us.

PR TIMES: Read the story of the charity dinner (Japanese only)

③ Improving our Annual Report

The Annual Report, which is sent by post to our regular donors every December, is an important document that summarizes HOPE's activities over the past year and conveys our gratitude to our supporters. Until now, we have stuck with the same format, but the editing staff felt that it was becoming stale, so we had a discussion on its redesign. This is one of our initiatives to strengthen our organizational foundation that we wrote about in a previous blog. We have added a new page that describes our Mission, Vision, and Values that are the foundations of our work and community, and included a list of the businesses and organizations that have supported us over the past year, the awards we have received that were reported in the media, our achievements in Japan, and the people who have worked with us.

View the latest annual report:

Goals for 2025

HOPE's information sharing tools are not limited to the three mentioned above! We also have a monthly newsletter and a website that includes details about our organization.

However, even though we have been sending out our newsletter since 2015, there are still some donors who are unaware of its existence. We have reflected on our past actions and concluded that we could have done better to raise awareness about our work. We will continue to think of ways to increase our number of donors in the future!

If you have any ideas, please reach out by email or DM us on SNS!

It has also been more than five years since we last updated our website. So, we are going to redesign our homepage and will aim to make it easier for everyone to navigate and access information. (This is a major project that we are currently working on).

The purpose of PR is to disseminate information about the organization and gain the trust of our supporters.

In order to deliver reliable information and increase the number of supporters, we will also be running a campaign to recruit regular donors from June 3rd!

If you can, please support us! The campaign page can be found here

We are still in the midst of trials and errors. The more we learn, the better we will get at tackling the challenges. We hope you will look forward to seeing the variety of information that we will share with you in the future!

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Interning at HOPE: What kind of work do international NGOs do in Japan?

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 08:42:12 GMT

Miki and Chie interned at HOPE Japan from last August till February of this year.

They worked on a variety of tasks that supported our overseas projects. They would like to share what they learned, the challenges they faced, and their plans for the future.

What I gained from my internship

Miki Narita

I am Miki and I have been an intern at HOPE since August of last year. I was mainly in charge of management and accounting tasks, as well as supporting overseas operations. Since the new fiscal year at HOPE starts in October, I experienced the busy period at the turn of the fiscal year and had the opportunity to get involved in many different aspects of HOPE’s operations, making this internship more fulfilling than I had imagined.

Real insights learned from my role

It was very valuable to me to learn about the flow of funds for NGOs through practical experience, such as writing summaries of grant applications for overseas projects, assisting in the drafting of documents such as business plans and reports, and going through and scrutinizing more than 100 receipts issued locally and abroad that were for funds allocated to overseas projects. Through my role, I got to see how the work in Japan supports the work at the project sites overseas .

By participating in meetings every Tuesday, I was also able to learn about the details of the work on the ground. Last year was the culmination of HOPE's three-year plan to improve its organizational capabilities, and as part of this effort, I participated in five monthly workshops attended by all of the staff in Japan. I was impressed by the staff members seriously discussing the mission, vision, and values .

My future beyond this internship

Every country, including Japan, has its own domestic problems. I felt that foreign aid plays a role in creating new hope for local communities that are in desperate need. HOPE supports such local communities. To address their problems, it is important that the organizations that provide aid have a deep understanding of the culture of such local communities and that these communities themselves understand the need for change. I also understood that the local communities’ central role in moving forward will lead to continuous development and become the pillar that changes their future.

Through the internship, I was able to learn a lot from the attitude and work ethic of the friendly yet professional staff, which is a great asset for me. I also strongly felt that increasing the number of people interested in this field is the key to improving the lives of neglected communities and the NGOs that support it. As one of them, I would like to continue to be involved in my own way in the future.

My Experience as an Intern

Chie Yoden

My name is Chie, and I was an intern at HOPE International Development Agency (hereafter referred to as HOPE) for about half a year since last September.

The reason I wanted to intern at HOPE was because I was always interested in international NGOs and I wanted to find out what kind of work they actually do and think about whether working at an NGO would suit me in the future. I was also interested in the Western-style charity dinners that HOPE organizes every year.

During my internship, I mainly worked on PR tasks such as creating social media posts and translating and preparing for events. I was also involved in organizational foundation strengthening meetings, an externally sponsored program, and a Nagoya charity dinner.

During my internship, I was able to take on a wide range of tasks and realize that international aid is not just about working at project sites . Furthermore, I learned that PR work does not directly lead to international aid, but in order to provide aid, we need to generate funds, and PR is one of the ways to gain supporters . I also learned that for HOPE to be effective, it is important that all staff are facing the same direction, and I was able to understand the importance of the organization's mission, vision, and values .

I am not sure if I will be able to work for an NGO in the future, but I would like to make use of what I have learned at HOPE and volunteer my time for such organizations in the future.

Thank you very much for giving me this valuable experience. I am happy to have met everyone at HOPE and become a part of the HOPE family.

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

My HOPE Charity Marathon (Mikiko Taki)

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 15:31:21 GMT

I learned about the work HOPE does a few years ago through a friend who was volunteering as the chairperson of the HOPE Kansai Executive Committee, and I was shocked.

Until then, I assumed that charity work was something that only a very small number of wealthy people and large corporations did, and besides, I had no opportunity to learn about charities or the kind of help they provide to those in need.

However, HOPE openly shares details about their work and holds many charity events in which anyone can participate. And I was very impressed by the fact that they don't just provide aid to the poor, but also help them become self-reliant.

Unlike being dependent on hand-outs where those in need simply rely on receiving aid, becoming self-reliant allows a person to maintain their dignity and build an independent life. I strongly felt that unless all aid for the poor embodies this principle, one cannot develop or lead a meaningful life.

I always felt this in my daily life, in raising my children, in partnerships, and at work, so I wanted to cherish this way of thinking not only for myself, but also for the sake of those around me and society, and that is why I became involved with HOPE.

I learnt that HOPE Japan's founder Lowell, despite his advanced age, would be running to raise money in this year’s Osaka Marathon. Even though I have no experience of running a full marathon, I decided to take on the challenge, thinking that by doing so I could raise awareness of HOPE's work around the world.

Mikiko and Simon, who ran last year as well.

I decided to run without much thought, but when I actually raised my hand to be a charity runner, I received a lot of warm support from the people around me. I received something that money cannot buy, something more valuable. I was filled with gratitude to everyone who donated to HOPE, and to everyone who was involved, and this became the driving force for me to run my best in the marathon.

Before the start: Runners gathering at the venue

On the day of the event, it was extremely cold and snowy, which is rare for Osaka, but our friends from HOPE cheered us on from the sidelines, which moved me very much. Even strangers cheered for all the runners. There were people who cheered until they were hoarse, a man dressed up as Bruno Mars who sang and danced while cheering, a school brass band that played music, an old man who donated gloves to the runners because of the cold, an owner of a coffee shop who provided candy, coffee, and homemade lemonade, a Taiko drummer and Danjiri percussionists, girls cheering for the runners, a Japanese sweets shop that lent their restrooms for the runners and even gave out freshly baked Dorayaki.

All the Osaka Marathon manageme nt staff were very kind and supportive, and we were able to experience a truly heartwarming and wonderful marathon.

In everyday life, there are so many different ways to do things at work and in relationships that it can be hard to make decisions, but in a marathon, you just run forward. You just take one step at a time, aiming for the goal.

It's so simple, yet so powerful, and the more you progress, the more you feel a sense of accomplishment, which becomes the driving force that keeps you going.

If you continue to move forward step by step in your everyday life, the scenery will change, and eventually you will be able to reach your goal.

Although I exceeded the time limit and had to retire after running 33 kilometers, it was a great experience.

I'd like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who was involved.

Thank you very much!

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

The Past Three Years - Strengthening HOPE's Organizational Foundation for a Brighter Future

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 13:38:35 GMT

This month, we would like to share results of our work that went into strengthening HOPE's foundation in Japan and inform you of where we are headed.

For the three years since 2022, we have been working to strengthen our organizational foundation with funding from the Panasonic NPO/NGO Support Fund for SDGs. Until December 2024, our staff and interns met at our Nagoya office once a month with an external consultant to address organizational issues that came to light during the pandemic.

HOPE's Origin: Our Mission

We looked back on HOPE Japan's history since its founding in 2001 and reflected on our work and our relationships with our supporters both in Japan and overseas and shared our experiences is a series of workshops. This gave birth to our catchphrase "from Water to Self-reliance" which was a reaffirmation of the importance of HOPE's mission. This phrase expresses the essence of our work, of the long-term involvement with local communities and extending support to neglected families to become self-reliant. This phrase embodies comprehensive support and the thoughts and wishes of each one of us here at HOPE.

The Value of Charity Dinners

HOPE's charity dinners are a way of raising funds that have been adapted from a model used in Europe and the United States. We have incorporated the recommendations of external consultants and designed a manual based on the results of past charity dinners and also identified areas for improvement. This initiative came about from the organizational foundation strengthening sessions and was a valuable opportunity to rediscover HOPE's strengths.

The charity dinners are where HOPE can share and express its unique character to the fullest, and through which we have been able to discover new possibilities. Our supporters have asked us to hold charity dinners in other parts of the country, and interest is growing within the NGO/NPO community in Japan. So in the future we plan to expand to other regions, assist other organizations hold charity dinners, and strengthen collaboration and partnerships with such organizations.

Towards the future with HOPE

The three years of working on strengthening our organizational foundation were a turning point for each of our staff to earnestly face challenges, clearly express and share their knowledge and thoughts that have formed the past and which will shape the future of HOPE.

HOPE's development work with local communities cannot be achieved over a short period of time, and the results do not come about immediately. However, we will continue to carry on our mission and continue our work as we adapt with the times.

In 2026, HOPE will celebrate its 25th anniversary. We hope you will help us continue to build on our work and further expand our circle of support. Thank you!

This is the first blog article on strengthening HOPE's foundation

We are working to strengthen our foundation in order to provide meaningful support »

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Making a Difference in 2025

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 09:28:48 GMT

Dear Friends of HOPE,

Well wishes from HOPE Japan! May you enjoy good health, and prosperity, in 2025.

Thank you for your unwavering support in Helping the Neglected Poor Become Self-reliant. Your contributions this year will give those in ultra-poverty access to clean water, education, and vital livelihood resources. Here is a brief overview of our projects and programs for 2025.

But first, what's our New Year's Resolution at HOPE Japan?
To stand up for those less fortunate and help our beneficiaries get access to water, education, and training, to improve their health and well-being.

Please, as you did last year, join me at HOPE Japan at one (or all) of our annual dinners in Nagoya , Kansai , or Tokyo , and let's once again make a " Toast to Clean Water "!

Cheers to a very Happy New Year!

Cambodia: Water and Education Projects in Pursat Province

In 2025, HOPE Japan will construct 17 wells and 55 latrines at homes and schools, and provide training in sanitation, hygiene, maintenance, for 467 families in Dei Kraw Horm Village, Pursat Province in their integrated community development projects. HOPE is fundraising to build elementary schools in Dei Kraw Horm and Ankrong Villages. Here also 15 cows will be provided for family farms in 2025.

Ethiopia: Progress in the Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples' Region

Construction of the Balta, Bagara, Uba Yambala, and Kale Malo water systems and sanitary latrines at village schools were all completed in 2024. The clean water resources with sanitation and hygiene education will prevent most waterborne diseases in Oyda district. Going forward sanitary latrines and education at the schools will stop the open defecation disease vectors. The Women's Empowerment through Community Participatory Water Supply System, benefited some 12,830 people through self-help groups and income generating activities, and continue to be a priority for HOPE throughout 2025 and beyond. We want to extend this critial work into more villages. HOPE is working to improve women's health and well-being with hygiene and maternity programs. These water, sanitation, hygiene education, and microfinance projects will help these communities emerge from ultra-poverty.

Your donation supports HOPE's projects. You can be assured that your gift will make a significant difference to those in most need in Cambodia, Ethiopia, and the Philippines.

Year-end Message from Jeffrey Behr (2024)

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 04:39:29 GMT

Embracing 2024 with Appreciation for Your Dedication

Dear HOPE Japan Friends,

As we approach the dawn of another year, contemplating the obstacles and achievements we've encountered throughout 2024, amidst global turbulence, one truth remains constant: your steadfast commitment has been a ray of light for the countless individuals we've helped defeat extreme poverty. You've brilliantly ignited the flame that powers our shared mission: "Helping the Neglected Poor Become Self-Reliant."

We acknowledge the good fortune that surrounds us and recognize that not everyone has access to vital necessities such as clean water, education, or the means to be self-sufficient. As this year concludes, let's remember that our collective empathy and kindness define our humanity.

Our friends in Cambodia, Ethiopia, and the Philippines face daily hardships, primarily due to the scarcity of safe drinking water. Thus, HOPE begins with water, progresses to education, and extends to initiatives that cultivate skills, self-assurance, and independence. HOPE initiatives construct wells and water systems, deliver sanitation and hygiene education, and empower women through health programs and income-generating activities. Your generous contributions have enabled thousands in Ethiopia, Cambodia, and the Philippines to attain healthier and more prosperous lives.

As we enter the festive season, a time of joy and togetherness, I'm reminded of the profound influence education has on molding our lives. Envision, for a moment, a childhood without schooling - an existence where enduring friendships never blossom, and the ability to comprehend these words remains out of reach. Education, as highlighted by UN Sustainable Development Goal 4, is crucial for fostering a harmonious and thriving world. It equips individuals with the knowledge and abilities essential for health, employment, and understanding.

Our pressing mission calls us to construct a primary school in Dei Kraw Horm Village, Cambodia, for 417 eager learners. The foundation is set, and construction awaits - a project anticipated to span three to six months, weather permitting. Upon completion, the school will be entrusted to the village, with qualified educators provided by the Cambodian Ministry of Education and sustainable funding. Your support can illuminate the path for underprivileged children in Cambodia to embark on a more promising future.

In the spirit of the season, we invite you to contribute to our cause. Your generosity during this festive period will significantly impact the lives of those most in need. Together, let us go forward in our journey 'from water to self-reliance,' confident that our united efforts will alleviate extreme poverty and empower the neglected poor to become self-sufficient.

Wishing you a festive holiday season and a new year brimming with optimism, compassion, and positive change.

With sincere gratitude,

Jeffrey S. Behr

Executive Director, HOPE Japan

*Donations received by the dates below will be tax-deductible for 2024.

Donation by credit card (online): by December 24, 2024
Donation by Bank Transfer: by 3 PM December 30, 2024

Restoring Forests to Protect Water and the Community's Future

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 13:52:12 GMT

The Southern Ethiopian Region is in the far south of Ethiopia, and Uba Debretsehay Woreda is located about six hours drive on rough roads from the nearest city, Arba Minch, where the airport is located.

When you hear the word Ethiopia, you may think of its rich culture and long history. However, in recent years top of mind has become the natural disasters caused by climate change that have sharply increased, and how severely the environment and people's livelihoods have suffered serious damage. Natural disasters such as floods and landslides have occurred every year for the past five years, and a flash flood in April 2023 that damaged 53% of the farmland also caused the loss of 620 livestock and killed 21 people.

One of the main causes of natural disasters that have occurred in South Ethiopia in recent years is said to be the erosion of top soil due to the reduction of forests along with long and torrential rains that fall on open ground, which didn’t occur before due to the forest canopy. As a countermeasure, the Ethiopian government launched The Green Legacy Initiative campaign that started in 2019 and will plant 40 billion trees throughout Ethiopia.

HOPE began planting trees in Uba Debretsehay in April 2024. A survey prior to the project revealed that residents were cutting trees and expanding farmland to obtain food. Therefore, along with tree planting, we educate residents about environmental impacts and why it is important to maintain a balance between food security and forests without excessive logging to reduce the risk of natural disasters.

HOPE values ownership by having residents think of the project as their own. This tree-planting project is also a participatory endeavor in collaboration with residents. Aiming to nurture a forest in the community, the first step is to reestablish a nursery for saplings that was damaged by the disaster, and plant 2,000 trees and fruit trees with the residents. Local leaders and the watershed committee members are trained in environmental conservation knowledge and techniques to create an ecosystem that can protect the forest for a long duration.

As trees grow and new forests expand, the foundation for living with nature is gradually being established. Trees support the soil and help rainwater infiltrate, reducing the risk of flooding and landslides. In addition, the fruit trees will provide food for the villagers and help them solve part of their food problem.

It takes time to grow forests, but we hope these efforts will ease the anxiety of our partner beneficiaries regarding natural disasters and help reduce the risk of floods so that they can lead a more secure life. HOPE continues to work from the perspective of providing long-term benefits to individuals and communities, rather than just short-term gains.

This tree-planting and environmental education project in Ethiopia is subsidized by Toyo Tire Group Environment Protection Fund and Green Fund.

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Why HOPE is not just a Charity

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 06:05:50 GMT

Event Date: Dec 7, 2024

from water to self-reliance

HOPE has a proven mission of Helping the Neglected Poor become Self-reliant .

A HOPE board member, will talk about how for more than 20 years HOPE has successfully conducted charitable activities in Japan and implemented its projects in developing countries that alleviate poverty, provide access to clean water and quality education. We will also discuss why HOPE's work is being introduced to Hiroshima.

At the event, the HOPE " silent auction " will offer a chance to experience, firsthand, a fundraising activity that supports development work overseas. We welcome you to experience enjoying a charitable and educational event.

Event Title: Why HOPE is not just a Charity

Date: December 7th (Sat) 12:30 ~ 14:30pm ※12:00 reception

Venue: Edion Peace Wing Stadium Hiroshima (Lounge F)

Fee: ¥2,000 ※light meal and drinks included

Content:

A HOPE board member, talk on charitable activities
Silent Auction
Networking

Contact: info@hope.or.jp

Can One Cow Change the Future? Animal Bank Challenge.

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 07:57:06 GMT

Where HOPE works in rural areas of Cambodia, many families depend on agriculture for their livelihood. They live in a harsh environment with few resources, making it difficult for them to obtain sufficient food and income.

When a cow is delivered to a farmer from the HOPE Animal Bank can you imagine how important these heifers, purchased with your donations, are to farmers?

Find out more about how these cows are changing families' lives.

What is an Animal Bank?

HOPE's Animal Bank in Cambodia aims to increase crop yields, household incomes and economic independence by lending cows to farmers who cannot afford to buy their own livestock and farm with the help of the cow.

With your donations, HOPE purchases heifers and loans them to farmers for about 18 months. The goal is to expand farming and generate sustainable income by loaning heifers over a longer period. The power of the cow can make a big difference to a family's future!

Since 2010 to date, HOPE's Animal Bank has delivered 252 cows in support of rural communities.

Hope created by Animal Bank

Cows on loan from the Animal Bank make a huge difference in the lives of farmers. Cows plough fields many times faster and more vigorously than humans, and the natural fertilizer they produce enriches the soil and increases yields. Selling the extra harvest at the market, families can generate sufficient income to stabilize their livelihoods.

The heifer then gives birth to a new life - a calf. The calf will belong to the family, and it is a big step towards independence. After 18 months, when the calf is weaned, the mother cow is loaned to the next family and this cycle is repeated six or seven times. This is how one cow can become a force to support several families over many years.

Since 2010, HOPE has provided a wide range of assistance in Cambodia. We are rooted in the community, and known for including access to safe water supply, quality education, and agricultural support. HOPE works to help families become self-reliant and revitalize their communities using this integrated approach. Among these, the Animal Bank is an important component that directly supports farmers' self-reliance and builds a sustainable future.

Animal Bank is also available on video.

'SIM', an introduction to Animal Bank from the perspective of a calf »

The Touch Family Story

The Touch family in the Krawsaing Pnov Village has improved their lives with the help of HOPE’s Animal Bank.

Touch, her husband Chantha, and their three children moved to the Krawsaing Pnov Village in 2017. When they first moved to the area, they could not grow crops due to the lack of water nearby, and as they could not find work, Chantha had no choice but to migrate to the Thai border to work, leading to a hard life with difficulties.

However, when HOPE built a well in the village and clean water became available close to home, Touch's family started growing rice, mung beans and maize, and later, when they were loaned a cow from the Animal Bank, they expanded their fields with the help of the cow and their harvest increased dramatically.

The increased crop can now be sold at the market and their three children can go to school. Touch and her family told us, "We are happy because our lives are more stable, and we no longer have to worry about daily necessities!"

L to R: Touch, calf Moumoyuh , mother cow.

Your Support Creates a Brighter Future

HOPE's Animal Bank is made possible by your support. One cow has the power to make a huge difference to a family's life. Like the Touch family, whose lives have been stabilized and their children have had the opportunity to receive an education, a little help from us can be the power to change the future of someone less fortunate. Please consider giving to the HOPE Animal Bank.

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Charity Party and Book Launch

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 04:33:38 GMT

We invite you to an inspiring and exciting event featuring renowned businessman and entrepreneur Harry Hill , also a dedicated HOPE Board Member. Harry will be launching his new book, " Fighter: Harry's Guide to Life and Business ".

Come be inspired by Harry's incredible journey as he shares his insights on business and life, and receive a free signed copy of his book , hot off the press!

Joining Harry is his book coach, Lowell Sheppard, whose latest book, " Dare to Dream " is shortlisted for the UK Business Book of the Year Award. Attendees will also receive a signed copy of that book.

Harry Hill is best known for growing Shop Japan into Japan's largest electronic retailer and bringing hit products like Billy's Boot Camp into Japanese homes. His leadership and entrepreneurial vision have made a lasting impact, not only in business but also through his time as Chairman of HOPE International, where he helped the organization grow and empower thousands of people to become self-reliant.

Event Schedule:

11:00 – Reception & Welcome Drink, Silent Auction
12:00 ~ 13:30 – Lunch, Speech, & Reading by Harry Hill (20-25mins)
13:30 ~ 13:45 – Fighting Demonstration
13:45 ~ 14:45 – Book Signing, Selfies, & Networking

What’s Included in the Event:

A delicious lunch
Donation to HOPE International
Signed copy of Fighter by Harry Hill
Signed copy of Dare to Dream by Lowell Sheppard
Silent Auction

Register and Pay Here

Creating Future Projects: 2024 Progress and Outcomes

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 11:28:28 GMT

This month's newsletter is a mid-term report on the projects implemented this year, which we informed you about in the January 2024 newsletter.

Cambodia: Water and Education Projects in Pursat Province

This year, we are working in Sameit Village, Pursat Province. By July, we constructed 14 wells for 100 households and built household toilets for 37 families. Additionally, we conducted health and hygiene education to improve health and sanitary conditions using safe water. To enhance nutritional status, we provided home garden support for 40 households aimed at securing food supplies. At the village primary school, the library construction that began in February was completed at the end of June, and 88 students are now using it. In the Animal Bank project, we have loaned out 8 cows to farmers, expanding agricultural activities.

Ethiopia: Health and Hygiene Education Support and Women's Empowerment Project in Southern Ethiopia

At the end of January, a three-year project in the Oyda district concluded. This project constructed water supply facilities, enabling about 12,000 people to access safe water within 30 minutes from their homes. Subsequently, 920 women who were freed from water-fetching duties were supported to become economically independent. As women began earning income, the average household income increased fivefold compared to before the project. This led to women's economic and mental independence and improved social status, with women now confidently expressing their opinions at village meetings. In April, a new project funded by the TOTO Water Environment Fund was launched in a new area, focusing on school toilet construction and menstrual education. The Oyda district project is detailed on our blog.

Read more about our projects in the Ouida region on our blog.
May 2024 Blog: When Women Shine, Communities Change »

In July, a large-scale landslide occurred in the Gofa district near the project area, causing many people to lose their homes and beloved family members. While recent frequent landslides in Ethiopia are mainly caused by heavy rains, excessive deforestation is also cited as a contributing factor. As a countermeasure to landslides caused by deforestation, we have begun afforestation activities with grants from TOYO Tires and the Green Fund.

Philippines: Seeds of HOPE

HOPE provides scholarships to indigenous Filipino youth who are unable to pursue higher education due to social and economic reasons, giving them the opportunity to pursue higher education at the Pamulaan Centre in Davao City.

On July 10th, ten (10) HOPE scholars graduated. After graduation, they return to their home regions and volunteer to preserve the culture and traditions of their people, using what they have learned. Graduates of the Primary Education program will take the Teacher Licensure Examination in September!

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Graduation in the Philippines

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 13:35:04 GMT

Junicon-sponsored Students graduate from Indigenous Culture Education Program in the Philippines

For more than 10 years, Junicon has supported a wonderful program at the Pamulaan Center for Indigenous Peoples Education in the Southern Philippines. This support has been enabled by the HOPE International Development Agency Japan, with whom Junicon collaborates to provide funding for students at the Pamulaan center. Each of our sponsored students completes a 4-year Tertiary Education Program which enables them to become a leader in their local communities, strengthening cultural heritage and raise more awareness for the importance of preserving indigenous culture.

The support of this program is part of Junicon’s commitment to give back part its annual revenues to projects in the areas of health care, education and sustainable development around the world.

The Pamulaan project is an outstanding example of how you can provide educational opportunities for young people that have a wide range of positive effects in the communities the graduates return to after completing their education.

Learn more about the Pamulaan Center for for Indigenous Peoples Education:

HOPE Blog: An Institution Dedicated to Educating Indigenous Communities »

Junicon representative Kristina Eichholz attended the Graduation ceremony of the 2024 class on July 10th at the Pamulaan Center near Davao City in the Southern Philippines.

Kristina had the opportunity to speak to some of the students and was very impressed to see with how much dedication and vision for the future the graduates the students were planning to use the knowledge they were able to acquire in the course of their studies.

"These graduates will become leaders in their communities, help foster appreciation of indigenous cultures and ensure that the rich heritage of the indigenous peoples will be preserved and grow stronger. This is a fantastic program," Kristina commented after attending the event.

Junicon is very proud to be part of this incredible program and are grateful for the opportunity to work alongside the HOPE International Development Agency Japan in making a meaningful difference in the lives of young students in this part of the world.

HOPE International Development Agency Japan is part of the HOPE International network founded in Canada, dedicated to mobilizing resources, connecting donors, volunteers and teams with opportunities to fuel lasting change around the world. HOPE is working in 20 countries, with a focus on clean water, food security and livelihoods – together we equip and empower possibility for families through approaches that are resilient, community-led and sustainable.

Learn more about HOPE International »

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Protecting Women's Dignity: Menstrual Hygiene in Rural Ethiopia

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 13:38:42 GMT

From Water Projects to Building School Latrines:
Raising Awareness on Menstrual Hygiene

In Ethiopia, since 2004 we have worked with local communities to provide access to clean water and raise awareness about sanitation and hygiene, and in 2016 we expanded our projects to include the building of school latrines to improve sanitation in rural villages. The goal of SDG 6 is to "ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all," and Target 6.2 implies the need to address menstrual hygiene in "consideration of hygiene issues specific to women." In the report (Joint Monitoring Programme) published by WHO and UNICEF in 2017, menstrual hygiene management was included as a hygiene indicator.

HOPE could not overlook the problems related to menstruation in these communities. Therefore, in 2023, with the support of the TOTO Water Environment Fund, we implemented a project to address menstrual issues in rural Ethiopia.

Menstrual Education and Conditions in Rural Ethiopia

With technical cooperation from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), a female medical doctor from the project area was invited as a lecturer to conduct menstrual education sessions.

The class planned to divide 37 male and female students from grades 4 to 8 into small groups and have them present what they knew about menstruation. As expected, the children had never talked about menstruation in public before and had little knowledge about it, so they appeared confused. The lecturer then spoke about menstruation, health, and hygiene from a medical perspective, while teachers and HOPE staff shared their experiences of first menstruation with the children. Gradually, an atmosphere was created where everyone felt comfortable talking about menstruation, and female students began to voluntarily share their own experiences.

What they shared was fear. They had never heard about menstruation from their mothers or at school, and due to local customs couldn’t talk with their families about it. When they first got their period, they were simply terrified. They learned how to cope by asking friends and used leftover cloth or leaves, which posed many hygiene problems. This class provided an opportunity for children who had never had a chance to talk or consult about menstruation to learn about it and proper ways to manage it.

UNFPA Ethiopia visited HOPE's project site for coverage. The activities and voices of women were featured, and an article was distributed on May 28th, which is globally recognized as "Menstrual Hygiene Day."

Dignity in Every Cycle: A Mission to Transform Menstrual Health in Southern Ethiopia »

Even If We Distribute Sanitary Cloth Napkins, What Next?

In rural Ethiopia, access to sanitary products is a big challenge. HOPE's local communities are no exception. During this project, as a temporary solution to this problem, we distributed cloth napkins purchased from the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, to all the girls.

The sanitary cloth napkins were well received, so much so that some women were positively surprised and said that they couldn't believe how comfortable they were. However, in these rural communities, there are no stores where they can purchase napkins. Cloth napkins can be made at home, but we found that this was not realistic. In rural Ethiopia, it is difficult to obtain cloth material suitable for sanitary napkins, and since there are no sewing classes like in Japanese elementary schools, sewing is considered a special skill. Instead of continuing to distribute sanitary products, HOPE is currently researching and developing ways to help the local communities obtain them by themselves. Until sanitary products become readily available, the lecturer advised the local women to change their napkins 3 or 4 times each day and to always wash and dry the used pieces of cloth to keep them clean.

To Protect Women's Dignity

Women experience menstruation every month from a certain age and must learn to live with it. Until recently, menstruation was not considered an issue that required support. However, the social awareness that supporting menstruation can lead to protecting women’s dignity may have become more prominent by the voices of women who raised the issue of #PeriodPoverty.

HOPE will continue its activities to ensure that support for menstruation is not postponed, and that women around the world can go about their daily lives as usual, even on days when they have their periods. We aim to create a world where menstruation does not hinder women's regular activities or compromise their dignity.

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Yokohama International School Collaboration with HOPE Cambodia

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 04:36:56 GMT

YIS and HOPE Cambodia have a proud history of working together on direct and indirect service initiatives. Yokohama International School prides itself on having an excellent, student driven service program that allows students to learn about a variety of communities home and abroad. Unfortunately, due to COVID, our connection with HOPE Cambodia was lost, but our dedicated group of students reached out to Jeff Behr and re-established that connection, resulting in our first service trip to Cambodia since 2020. Many people ask our service group why we don’t simply donate the money that we spend on traveling to Cambodia. This money could certainly be used for a good cause, however, we believe that directly impacting the community, and learning about the culture, history and work that HOPE is doing, would inspire our group to a lifelong dedication to service and hopefully service in Cambodia.

Upon arriving in Phnom Penh, we had the meaningful experience of visiting both the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields. Learning about the genocide under the Khmer Rouge opened our eyes to the terrible suffering that the Cambodian people have endured, recently enough that we could still hear about the impacts from the people we met, and still see signs in our next destination, Pursat, showing when the area was demined. Knowing more about this horrific tragedy made the achievements of the HOPE Cambodia team on the ground all the more impressive and meaningful and allowed us to see how resilient and dedicated the members of HOPE International are to continue working in rural parts of Cambodia after experiencing great personal suffering and challenges themselves.

During our time at Pursat, the main highlight was the time our members spent at Angkrong Primary School. As a group, we enjoyed being able to directly support the Cambodian community while being given the opportunity to interact with the children. Along with this, our group helped by painting the interior and exterior walls of the school. There, we built a fun working environment that consisted of maximum efficiency and playful interaction with the children. Upon saying goodbye to our new friends, some of our members were unexpectedly left in tears, recalling the overwhelming joy that the children had given them. The following day, the group went to a rural village where we helped local families in planting watermelon, lemongrass and other plants. This experience (along with helping at the school) allowed us to broaden our understanding of global issues like poverty by connecting with daily experiences on a personal level.

Our first service meeting after returning from Cambodia was a whirlwind of stories and looking back over photographs. We were frantically trying to share our stories of what we did while we were working with HOPE Cambodia, with our group members who had stayed back in Japan. However, there was also a bigger shift in the group. All of us had just had our global perspective broadened more than we could have realized was possible, and we found ourselves more closely connected with each other and the cause our service group supports.

Everyone agreed that the highlight of the trip was meeting the children at the school we worked at because it was what left the biggest impact on us. Nevertheless, we had to continue the service group work so we began the process of trying to get our service team back to Cambodia next year. Our reflections in the group’s meeting also showed how much we felt the impact of this incredible experience and how much more passionate we were about the work we do.

Quotes from trip participants

" The highlight of the trip was to be able to directly support the Cambodian community, while being able to spend time playing games with them. "

- Edvard Helland-Berg - Grade 11

" Over this trip, I developed a much broader global perspective. The trip was more than fun, and I felt as though I had not only bonded with my service team, but also with the children in Pursat. I only got to see and experience a glimpse of Cambodia, but the impression was so positive it really changed my perspectives on a lot of this. "

- Katharine Abbott - Grade 9

" Learning and understanding the harsh history that millions of Cambodian citizens faced through the Khmer Rouge overpowering the government by visiting the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, and Killing Fields, alongside the story of the tragic loss [of family members] truly created a new point of view towards Cambodia and my Dream Cambodia service team. "

- Kouki Yamakawa - Grade 9

" I particularly enjoyed the rigorous painting as it allowed me to interact with the children in my working state. This kept me motivated to do my best for them and it also helped me develop a sense of humor and joy when doing work. "

- Duc Nguyen - Grade 11

" During the trip, I had started to learn more about my ability to bond with others through engagement of issues with global significance. From my experiences with my other club members, I had recognised the strengths and bonds when working towards a unanimous goal. This made me realize and aim towards a greater leadership and collaborative role in the future. "

- Duc Nguyen - Grade 11

" It is a wonderful experience not only being able to experience the diverse culture through foods, tourism but also comes with a insightful learning experience that cannot be obtained by directly visiting Cambodia. "

- Kouki Yamakawa - Grade 9

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Osaka Marathon 2024 HOPE Charity Runner report: Simon Yates

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 11:05:26 GMT

Have you ever run a marathon? Whether the answer is yes or no, would you be interested in running one for charity? What does it involve? What do you need to you? Is it worth it?!

Read on and find out!

In October 2023, after many years of inquiry and negotiation, HOPE International Development Agency heard the wonderful news that it had been selected as a charity partner for the 2024 Osaka Marathon. And so the race (ahem) was on to find people willing to act as charity runners before the application deadline in November!

In all, HOPE managed to find 11 volunteers at very short notice - if we do this again, we have room to add more runners! - and it was an all-male team - something I’m sure they'll want to change for next year! The team varied in experience from guys who could run semi-pro sub-3 hours 30 times, to others (like me) who could hobble in at the 5-6 hour mark, and a couple of first-time challengers, including the irrepressible Lowell Sheppard who was, in typical Lowell fashion, attempting his first marathon at the age of 69.

As most of the application process was in Japanese, HOPE supported the sign up for those who needed it. And from there, it was time for everyone to start their 12 weeks or so of individual training.

The Feb 25th date for the Osaka marathon meant training during the coldest months, frequently barely above zero, and there were more than a few days of freezing rain to contend with. As someone who usually ran the Kobe Marathon in November after training in the Summer and Fall, this was a shock to the system, but my spirits were buoyed by the torrent of support on social media and the steady stream of donations coming in from friends and family!

In the weeks leading up to the marathon, the team (which was spread across Tokyo, Nagoya Osaka and Kobe) had a couple of Zoom calls, an early one to discuss fundraising strategy and a later one figuring out the logistics of the marathon registration and race day and bringing the first timers up to speed on what to expect.

I headed to the Marathon Expo to register on the Friday evening before the race. The first of many nice surprises was that charity runners had their own separate entrance and registration spot – no waiting in the two-hour queue!

A HOPE runners team dinner was organized on Saturday night (pasta, of course, for fuel), and though I couldn’t stay for this, it was good to pop in and meet the team and take some photos ahead of time.

The forecast was for heavy rain and low temperatures. Fortunately, the heaviest rain was overnight and the race was mostly run in a steady but light drizzle, and temperatures got up to 7 or 8 degrees by the afternoon (10 degrees is considered optimal for hardcore runners, though they will have finished the race before lunchtime…).

Changing facilities for ordinary runners were very limited, just a couple of tents, and the rain had forced people to find any shelter they could while they sorted their bags and equipment:

Hundreds of runners were getting changed along the platform and in the concourse of the train station and under the eaves of the cafes that lined the way to Osaka Castle Hall.

And so here was the second highly welcome surprise for the Charity Runners: We had our own designated locker space, changing room and exclusive lounge inside Osaka Castle Hall! We got changed in the warm and dry, and the lounge laid on a range of complimentary food and drinks. It was quite the VIP-treatment.

The lounge even had its own set of real toilets - this might seem like an odd thing to mention, but one of the most unpleasant element leading up to a marathon's race time are the enormous waiting lines for the rows of grimy plastic Portaloos and the fear of missing the starting gun.

Next, it was time to line up with the heaving masses in our starting blocks and await the gun on the three staggered starting waves, and then we were off.

Most of the race is run on spacious four-lane roads. There were toilets every 2km or so, and the course is well-marked and well-stewarded. The food and drink stations were ample and varied, including Osaka delicacies in the final 10km. And there were plenty of sights to take in: starting and finishing at Osaka castle, the whole Midosuji to ourselves from uptown to downtown, Osaka Dome and more.

The rain may have made the crowds lining the streets a bit lighter than usual, but with friends and family of 32,000 runners turning out, there were still plenty of people there to cheer us on.

After the glory/relief of the finish line (my second best time ever, even in the trying conditions, and 30 minutes faster than I'd run Kobe marathon in November 2023), I collected my finisher's medal, towel and assorted goodies.

Then, the bonus elements of being a charity runner really kicked in:

My wife and daughter were at the finish line thanks to their Charity Runner accredited access passes and were able to join me immediately!

I was able to change out of my rain-soaked clothes and shoes in the private men’s locker room (sitting on a chair!) and then we all headed to lounge where even more complimentary food and beverages were laid on. I had an Aquarius, a coffee, a cola, a banana, a katsu-sandwich and assorted cake and chocolates while I recharged in the warmth.

The VIP treatment is definitely something I’ll miss when I am back to ordinary runner status.

And the results of our efforts? I am very happy to report that the amount we raised through sponsorships totaled ¥1,648,777 from 98 individual donors, which was one of the top fundraising performances from the many organizations represented at the event.

Sometime in the near future, Osaka Marathon will disburse additional funds from the marathon itself to the charities based on our fundraising performance, so we look forward to announcing a further substantial increase to this total.

I raised just over ￥90,000 towards that total (the minimum target is ￥70,000 per runner), and my total of 29 donors was among the largest number of individual donors for the team.

Once again, a huge thank you to those of you who were kind enough to sponsor and support us! And of course, a big thank you to HOPE for creating, organizing and facilitating this very rare and highly rewarding experience! Contact HOPE if you are interested in signing up for next year!

Read a Report on the 2024 Osaka Marathon

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

When Women Shine, Communities Change

Sun, 17 Mar 2024 02:56:01 GMT

Results of Three Years of Empowerment Starting with Water in Ethiopia

From February 2021 to the end of January 2024, the "Empowerment of Women through Community-Participatory Water Supply Project in Oida District" has successfully concluded. In this report, we present results of the project by comparing the findings from the initial conditions with the final assessments of the current situation.

Access to Safe Water

Before the project began, women used to carry about 10 liters of water in jerry cans on their backs, walking over rough and slippery mountain paths for over an hour to fetch water from streams or springs far from their homes. The water from these streams or springs was the only water source in the project area, despite being contaminated with feces and urine from livestock, domestic wastewater, and even human excreta. It was unsuitable for drinking or household use due to poor water quality. Fetching water also consumed a significant portion of women's daily life and energy, adding to their already burdensome household chores. In the Kale Malo district, some women would wake up at 1 a.m., walk for an hour to the stream, wait for two hours in line, then carry the water back home, taking another hour, often returning by 6 a.m. This routine exemplifies the hardship and time-consuming nature of water-fetching chores for women in the community.

As a result of this project, a total of eight water sources were established, along with eight storage tanks and 55 water distribution points. This initiative enabled safe water access for approximately 12,000 residents. The one-way travel time to water collection points significantly decreased from 1 to 1.5 hours at the start of the project to less than 30 minutes at its conclusion. Moreover, the daily water collection volume increased from an average of 20-30 liters to 30-60 liters per day, markedly improving residents' access to water. Additionally, the number of households with installed domestic toilets increased from 7% at the beginning of the project to 100% at its completion, indicating the success of concurrent health and hygiene education activities conducted alongside the construction of water supply facilities.

Click charts for larger view.

Alongside improving access to water, we also focused on empowering women. At HOPE, we adopted the Self-Help Group (SHG) approach, which has proven successful in developing countries like Ethiopia and India. Under the SHG approach, 20 women from the community form a group and engage in three main activities: (1) weekly group savings, (2) utilizing savings for loans, and (3) income-generating activities (small-scale businesses) using loans. The aim is to support individual women's entrepreneurship and income generation, thereby improving the lives of households and communities. Over the course of three years, HOPE facilitated the formation of 46 SHGs, supported income-generating activities for 920 SHG members, and aided in the establishment of five SHG cooperatives (CLA) and a women's federation that oversees SHGs and their cooperatives.

Through training sessions on the SHG approach, women learned about business management, including how to start loans and small-scale businesses. Initially, they began with small loans and engaged in income-generating activities such as trading food items like vegetables, coffee, and grains, as well as raising livestock such as goats and sheep. Additionally, the SHG cooperatives expanded their business activities, including grain trading, involving not only women but also men in the community-wide initiatives. This has contributed to enhancing community cohesion and development.

As they gradually increased loan amounts and expanded their businesses, women began earning monthly incomes ranging from 500 to 3,000 Ethiopian Birr (approximately 1,300 to 7,800 yen), playing a crucial role in supporting their households. The average household income increased significantly from 500-1,000 Birr (approximately 1,300-2,600 yen) at the start of the project to 5,000-20,000 Birr (approximately 13,000-52,000 yen) at its conclusion. Moreover, households where women (wives) were the breadwinners increased from 2% at the beginning of the project to 65% at its conclusion. This improvement in household income led to an increase in the number of meals per day from two to three, compared to the previous lifestyle. Encouragingly, there were reports of children who had dropped out of primary school returning to school and mothers resuming their education.

Click charts for larger view.

Before the project began, women were often unable to express their opinions in front of men or have a say in household income and expenditures. They also frequently experienced physical or verbal violence within the community due to their gender, resulting in a low status for women.

However, women who participated in training sessions not only on business skills but also on women's rights and roles in community development through the SHG approach gained confidence and began to actively speak up and take on leadership roles within the community.

One of the SHG members returned to primary school, excelled academically, and was recognized with top honors, receiving commendation for her achievements.

Moreover, as women's incomes improved household finances, there was a noticeable change in men's attitudes. Initially, some men were hesitant about women leaving home for training or business activities, but as they experienced the benefits of improved household income, they began to support women's income-generating activities by taking on responsibilities such as water fetching, household chores, and childcare themselves. Surveys revealed that after the project began, women gained the ability to decide on expenses such as food and education, and they could now speak up alongside men in the community without facing discrimination.

Through this project, HOPE experienced the synergistic effects of implementing both water supply system installation and the SHG approach simultaneously. By reducing the burden of water-fetching labor for women through the installation of water supply systems and providing them with opportunities for income-generating activities, we efficiently implemented interventions. Additionally, by involving women who had previously been marginalized in rural areas in SHG activities, they quickly acquired business skills and achieved economic and psychological independence, akin to fish finding water. Stimulated by the advancement of women, men also became actively engaged in community development, demonstrating a sense of self-reliance. The sight of women confidently speaking out during the project handover ceremony to government officials is a testament to the success of the project. Residents of the project area expressed their determination to continue maintaining the water supply facilities and SHG activities even after the end of HOPE's support, demonstrating their empowerment and self-sufficiency.

We would like to express our gratitude for your support and the grant from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which enabled the successful completion of the three-year project. HOPE will continue to support the path to self-reliance for those in Ethiopia who have not yet received assistance!

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Osaka Marathon 2024 Report!

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 16:39:11 GMT

On Sunday, February 25, Osaka Marathon 2024 was held, and 7 of our 11 charity runners from HOPE completed the full marathon! Thanks to the efforts of all the 11 runners, including those who were not able to participate in the race due to health or other reasons, a large number of donations were raised, far exceeding the initial goal of ￥1,000,000. Our sincere thanks to all runners and donors! Thank you for your immense support!

Total amount of donations: ￥1,648,777

Number of donors: 98 people

Campaign Period: December 1, 2023 - March 3, 2024

In the run-up to the race, online exchanges and seminars were held under the leadership of HOPE founder Lowell Sheppard. The runners deepened their interactions with each other, learned more about fundraising, and became motivated as Team HOPE.

On the day of the event, the weather was unfortunately rather cold and chilly, and the rain was biting. However, the opening ceremony was filled with enthusiastic shouts of encouragement from celebrities and performances by marching bands, and the event got off to a lively start.

Then, some 30,000 runners from all over the country started the race! The Osaka Marathon attracted so much attention that it was broadcast live on TV, and many people came to cheer along the route. HOPE staff, volunteers, and runners' families also cheered on the runners as they ran strongly toward the finish line.

After the event, the runners were able to relieve their fatigue in a lounge exclusively for the charity runners. The runners relaxed and enjoyed the event, taking photos and eating.

Runners, donors, and staff are all on one team!

The Osaka Marathon 2024 was a great challenge for HOPE as well. This was the first event for which we were selected as an official charity partner, and our staff all worked together to prepare for the event through trial and error.

Now that the event is over, we are overwhelmed by the stamina and endurance of the runners, and at the same time deeply grateful to for all the donors who supported each and every runner and HOPE's activities.

This was the first major event of 2024 for HOPE, and we are off to a good start.

Thank you for your support for HOPE!

HOPE impact on communities in Ethiopia

Sat, 17 Feb 2024 05:49:58 GMT

HOPE and The Ministry of Foreign Affairs

This January, on behalf of the Embassy of Japan in Ethiopia, I visited the District of Oyda in southern Ethiopia to attend the handover ceremony for the `Women’s Empowerment through Community Participatory Water Supply System in Oyda Project' that was implemented by HOPE. This project aims to improve the incomes of women mired in poverty by first building water supply facilities together with community participation across four villages in Oyda District to ease the daily burden of fetching water, thereby enabling women (freed from hours of water fetching) to generate income in order to help them become self-reliant.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Grant Assistance Program for Japanese NGOs (commonly known as N-Ren) provides funds to Japanese NGOs in developing countries to support economic and social development projects in line with Official Development Assistance (ODA) policies. Through this grant, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has supported HOPE's projects in the Oyda District for the past three years. This handover ceremony marked the conclusion of the three-year project and the handover of the water supply systems built by HOPE to the local communities.

Rural Ethiopia

I reside in Addis Ababa, the country’s capital, and it takes about an hour’s flight to get to the nearest airport to Oyda District, followed by a five-hour drive, passing over several mountains on unpaved roads. I am used to urban life but as I was making my way over the mountains, the remoteness of the area made an impression on me. I saw many locals who waved upon seeing the HOPE vehicle I was traveling in, which made me realize how popular HOPE is in this part of Ethiopia.

Women's lives changed by HOPE

The first thing that struck me during this visit were the radiant smiles on the local women, full of confidence. One lady proudly raised her hand during a panel discussion at the handover ceremony, smiling and remarking on how much her life has changed. In one of the villages, I met a lovely woman who showed me the peanuts she had collected to trade at a storage facility built by a women’s cooperative. I was very impressed that these women, who had almost zero income before HOPE came into their communities, were able to become financially independent and earn enough to send their children to school and afford the things they needed. This impact on these and other women is due to the work of HOPE, who continues to support remote communities that other organizations cannot reach. The people who wave at HOPE's vehicles are surely those whose lives have been positively transformed by HOPE. I felt that there were many such people in this remote corner of Ethiopia.

Independence beyond support

I was most impressed by the fact that on this visit the local residents were able to become self-reliant without expecting further aid. When we think of aid work, we tend to think of tangible things like food distribution and other supplies or building schools, constructing buildings, but simply giving things does not lead to self-reliance. Through HOPE’s project, which supported each woman individually through rigorous training and close supervision, they were able to become self-reliant and ultimately lead better lives. I sincerely wish that HOPE will continue to improve the lives of as many people as possible in Ethiopia.

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Aspirations for 2024 from Jeffrey Behr

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 08:24:50 GMT

Dear Friends of HOPE,

Well wishes from HOPE Japan! May you have joy, health, and prosperity in 2024.

Thank you for your unwavering support of Helping the Neglected Poor Become Self-reliant. Your contributions this year will give those in ultra-poverty access to clean water, education, and critical livelihood resources. Here is a brief overview of our projects and programs for 2024.

But first, what's my New Year's Resolution? To stand strong and do good each day.

Please, as you did last year, join me at HOPE Japan at one (or all) of our annual dinners in Nagoya, Kansai, or Tokyo, and let's make a " Toast to Clean Water "!

Cheers to a very Happy New Year!

Cambodia: Water and Education Projects in Pursat Province

In 2024, HOPE Japan will continue with construction of 14 wells and 42 latrines at homes and schools alongside training in sanitation and hygiene, as well as provide startup tools, seeds and training for home gardens to 50 households in Sameit Village, Pursat Province in their integrated community development project. HOPE is continuing to fundraise to build an elementary school in Krawsaing Pnov, and for an additional classroom / library for the Sameit Village School. Here also 5 cows will be provided for family farms in 2024.

Ethiopia: Progress in the South Ethiopia Regional State

Construction of the Balta, Bagara, Uba Yambala, and Kale Malo water systems and sanitary latrines at village schools will all be completed by early 2024. The clean water resources with sanitation and hygiene education will prevent most waterborne diseases in Oyda district. The sanitary latrines and education at the schools will stop the open defecation disease vectors. The Women’s Empowerment through Community Participatory Water Supply System, which benefit some 19,806 people through self-help groups and income generating activities that began in 2021 are a priority for HOPE throughout 2024, and we want to extend this into more villages. HOPE is working to improve women’s health and well-being with hygiene and menstrual health programs. These water, sanitation, hygiene education, and microfinance projects will help these communities emerge from ultra-poverty.

Philippines: Seeds of HOPE

Learn more about HOPE projects »

Join HOPE to Help the Neglected Poor become Self-reliant

Please join one of our annual charity dinners in Nagoya , Kansai , and Tokyo where we premiere our integrated community development video reports. These enjoyable events provide opportunities for you to participate in helping resolve water, education, and livelihoods needs of those in most need. All funds raised support our mission to Help the Neglected Poor become Self-reliant in Ethiopia, Cambodia, and the Philippines.

Please read about our Dinners here »

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Your donation supports HOPE's projects. You can be assured that your gift will make a significant difference to those in most need in Cambodia, Ethiopia, and the Philippines.

Year-end Message from Jeffrey Behr (2023)

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 08:48:36 GMT

Reflecting on 2023 with Gratitude for Your Support

Dear HOPE Japan Friends,

As we stand at the threshold of a new year, reflecting on the challenges and triumphs we have shared throughout 2023, despite the global chaos, one thing rings true: your unwavering support has been a beacon of hope to the thousands we lifted out of ultra-poverty. You brilliantly lit the torch fueling our shared mission that unites us: "Helping the Neglected Poor Become Self-Reliant."

We recognize the blessings that surround us and understand that not everyone enjoys the critical lifelines of access to clean water, an education, or resources to be self-reliant. At this year-end, let us remember that our shared sense of caring and compassion is what makes us human.

Our friends in Cambodia, Ethiopia, and the Philippines daily face dire circumstances, primarily due to the lack of safe drinking water. So, HOPE starts with water, moves to education, and expands to programs that build skills, confidence, and self-reliance. HOPE projects construct wells and water systems, provide sanitation and hygiene training, and empower women through health programs and income generation projects. Your generous support has enabled thousands in Ethiopia, Cambodia, and the Philippines to obtain healthy and prosperous lives.

As we enter the holiday season, a time of celebration and sharing, I am reminded of the profound impact education has on shaping our lives. Imagine, for a moment, a childhood devoid of school—an existence where lifelong friendships never form, and the ability to read these words eludes us. Education, as emphasized by the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4, is fundamental to creating a peaceful and prosperous world. It equips individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary for health, employment, and tolerance.

Our urgent mission calls us to build the Angkrong Elementary School in Angkrong Village, for 417 (185 boys, 232 girls) eager students. The groundwork is laid, and construction awaits–a project expected to take three to six months, weather permitting. Upon completion, the school becomes a gift to the village, with trained teachers provided by the Cambodian Ministry of Education and sustainable funding. Your support can pave the way for disadvantaged children in Cambodia to embark on a brighter future.

In the spirit of the season, we invite you to contribute to our cause. Your generosity during this holiday season will make a significant difference in the lives of those in greatest need. Together, let us continue our journey ‘from water to self-reliance,’ confident that our collective efforts will alleviate ultra-poverty and empower the neglected poor to become self-reliant.

Wishing you a joyous holiday season and a new year filled with hope, compassion, and positive transformation.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Jeffrey S. Behr

Executive Director, HOPE Japan

*Donations received by the dates below will be tax-deductible for 2023.

Donation by credit card (online): by December 20, 2023
Donation by Bank Transfer: by December 29, 2023

How Monthly Supporters Benefit both Donors and Organizations

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 06:39:36 GMT

Do you know about the HOPE Monthly Supporter program?
An increasing number of NPOs are growing their monthly donors who support their work by contributing a fixed amount each month. I think it would be great if there were more people becoming Monthly Supporters, as I support NPOs.

The Value of Ongoing Donations

For NPOs, having donors who commit to donations every month makes it easier to predict and plan budgets in terms of securing financial resources, leading to systematic management, stability, and peace of mind. You can focus on projects over the medium to long term based on the projected financial resources, and it becomes easier to take on fresh challenges such as developing new projects.

In addition to donations, an NPO’s financial resources include membership fees, grants, subsidies, corporate contributions, commissions, and loans. However, grants, subsidies, and entrusted funds often come with restrictions on usage, and generating income from services can be challenging. Membership fees and donations, which are highly flexible financial resources, are important for swift and sustainable work.

Donors who gain a deeper understanding of the NPO’s work and become involved in the organization over the long term are a reassuring asset for NPOs. Donors can contribute an affordable amount, such as ￥1,000 per month, and if they continue to do so over a year, it will add up to ￥12,000, which exceeds the median donation amount of ￥10,000 (Donation White Paper 2021). While one-time or occasional donations may involve the hassle of repeated applications or transfers and the risk of missing donation opportunities, automated ongoing donations make it easier for donors to continue their support until they choose to stop.

As a result, communication with the organization and understanding of its work will deepen. Donating is not limited to monthly supporters, but in addition to providing financial support, it also allows you to connect with NPO stakeholders and supporters, and through communication such as project reports, financial reports, newsletters, and events, you can learn about the social issues being tackled and the status of the work that is being done on the ground.

Things that encourage donations from the donor's perspective

If donors understand how donations are used, and the amount needed, it will be easier for them to make contributions. If they feel that they are specifically being called upon, and they get reports on how their support is being used, in the situation on the ground, and hearing the voices of the beneficiaries, they feel more connected to the work being done in the field, and that the project belongs to them.

When seeking donations, HOPE also lists specific projects in Cambodia and Ethiopia, such as providing clean water, hygiene education, building and promoting the use of toilets, microfinance, school education/vocational training, and agricultural support. It is easy to understand how donations are used and the work involved, and from among various programs, you can select and support the projects that interest you, and by making your own choices, you will feel a greater sense of participation and ownership.

On the other hand, if you want to support a variety of activities all at once, or if you want your donations to be used where the organization needs them (including organizational management and costs), the “where most needed” a general donation option is available. This system includes donations to the entire organization and overall projects and activities.

At HOPE, "from Water to Self-reliance" means that our support begins with providing clean water to neglected communities, which will help them on their path to independence. HOPE projects are designed to respond to the areas of highest necessity (and help with the most urgent projects where assistance is most needed).

Fundraising is "Friend Raising"

Donation methods include one-time donations and crowdfunding, and HOPE's signature fundraising event, the Charity Dinners, are regional, annual events that presents HOPE's work and raises funds for projects. It is considered be an essential component for community building and is an important activity for fundraising that connects people.

What are the donor benefits of being a monthly supporter?

There is a saying that "fundraising is friend-raising". Through continuous donations, giving becomes a part of "everyday life", allowing individuals to feel like members of the nonprofit organization (NPO) and its community through participation and collaboration, even if they cannot directly engage in activities. While initiatives such as Christmas fundraising and seasonal donation campaigns create opportunities for giving each year, fostering a habit of contributing, the appeal of donations is realized when individuals who have never donated before experience the feeling of giving. As the frequency increases and becomes a habit in their daily lives, giving or donating becomes a part of their lifestyle, and this embodiment is what I believe a "Monthly Supporter" represents.

International cooperation and the activities of non-profit organizations (NPOs) are a long journey. It is like a journey, and it would be wonderful to walk together on such a path. Isn't that the charm and value of being a Monthly Supporter? December is also “Giving Month.” Why not take this opportunity to join us on a "journey" with HOPE?

HOPE's work is supported by your donations.
Donations to HOPE are tax deductible.

Ethiopia's Gorgeous September

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 04:37:08 GMT

The feast is raw meat!

Hello, dear reader. I am Kimura, a Field Officer with HOPE Japan stationed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Here in Ethiopia we celebrate a variety of festivals, but from the end of August to the end of September when the rainy season comes to an end is the most festive time of the year. I would like to introduce three festivals that are held in Ethiopia during this time of year.

Ashenda, a festival celebrating women

In late August, you can see groups of women dancing and playing drums all over the streets of Addis Ababa. Ashenda is a traditional event celebrated in the Tigray Region in northern Ethiopia. It is held between August 16th and the 26th to honor the arrival of the Virgin Mary to Ethiopia and to pray for the prosperity of her descendants. Many women get dressed in traditional attire with their customary northern braids. In Addis Ababa, I saw groups of women marching through the streets beating small drums, surrounding people they met (especially men) to receive cash gifts for the New Year's celebrations. This year was especially exciting as it was the first Ashenda since the end of the Tigray conflict in northern Ethiopia.

A Guide to Ashenda: The Ethiopian Women's Festival (19 Sep, 2023)

The Beginning of the New Year 2016

The fact that the Ethiopian New Year is celebrated in September, and not January, is explained in a previous post ( What's the date in Ethiopia today? ) so some of you may be familiar with this fact. The calendar that is followed in Ethiopia is different from the Gregorian Calendar that we are familiar with in Japan among many other countries. The calendar used by the Oriental Orthodox Church (the Greek Orthodox Church) has 13 months in a year, and it is 7 years and 8 months behind the Gregorian Calendar. As the New Year approaches in late August, the streets of Addis Ababa become colorful.

At the end of the rainy season, shopping malls and retail stores are decorated with yellow balloons and motifs of yellow Meskel flowers, which are said to only bloom in Ethiopia. Women can often be seen wearing Meskel hair accessories sold on street corners. It's similar to how the streets are decorated in red and green during Christmas in Japan. People are busy buying new clothes and foods for the New Year's feast, crowding the stores in town and when prices of goods skyrocket.

Ethiopia welcomed the New Year 2016 on September 12th, 2023. On New Year's Day, Ethiopians often spend their time at home with their families, and consequently the main roads, which are usually crowded, are empty of people and cars, making it the quietest day in Addis Ababa. Many families celebrate by eating an Ethiopian delicacy called Doro Wot, a stew of chicken and boiled eggs simmered with the traditional spice Berbere.

Maskel Festival and a Feast of Raw Beef

September 28th is the Meskel Festival, which is a bigger celebration than New Year’s. Meskel, an important event of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, a religion that is practiced by more than half of the population in Ethiopia, is a festival to celebrate the discovery of the True Cross on which Jesus was crucified. Meskel Festival has also been written about in a previous post at the following link.

Ethiopian Holiday Season »

Raw beef or Kurt is often eaten during Meskel celebrations. Emmebet, our accountant at HOPE Ethiopia's Addis Ababa office, is a big fan of Kurt. It is a very popular dish in Ethiopia, that is not only eaten during festivities, but also as a slightly luxurious meal, and you can see restaurants serving Kurt everywhere, especially in Addis Ababa. Emmebet also claims that her family visits a restaurant to eat raw beef once a month. The meat is served in chunks, which you hold between your fingers as you deftly cut it with a knife, dip it in a spicy sauce, and eat it with injera (a sour crepe-like food that is a typical Ethiopian staple). I have eaten raw beef several times, and it tastes like rich tuna sashimi, and the more I eat it, the more delicious it becomes. However, I have heard that even Ethiopians often get upset stomachs from eating raw beef, so you have to be careful not to eat too much.

Ethiopia is home to more than 80 ethnic groups. The Ashenda festival belongs to the culture of the Tigrayan people who live in northern Ethiopia, and is not celebrated in southern Ethiopia, where HOPE operates. On the other hand, in southern Ethiopia, Meskel is the biggest event of the year, and it is said that Meskel Day, rather than New Year's Day, is celebrated as the beginning of the new year. For the people in the rural communities where HOPE operates, raw beef is rarely eaten due to its high price, but on Meskel, each family slaughters a cow or goat to celebrate the day. I wish for all Ethiopians to live happily and peacefully in the year 2016.

Reference»
https://absoluteethiopia.com/

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Join the HOPE Team at Osaka Marathon

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 15:07:53 GMT

Exciting News! HOPE has been officially accepted as a Charity Partner for the upcoming Osaka Marathon . We are obligated to have at least 20 runners and allowed up to 30. Please consider joining!

��‍♀️ Challenge Yourself

Whether you're a seasoned marathoner or new to the game, this is your chance to shine.

With a gene rous time allowance, you can even fast-walk your way to the finish line!

�� The Cost

T here is a registration fee of ￥17,000 per team member.
Plus, each team member needs to raise at least ￥70,000 for our clean water projects.

But fear not! We'll be your fundraising coaches, helping you reach even greater heights.

�� Incentives Await

As you fundraise, you'll unlock fantastic rewards!

For each tier, we'll celebrate your achievements with a unique colored medallion and awesome prizes!

Over the years HOPE has organized many sponsored challenges including:

marathons
runs
triathlons
long-distance bike rides
and even climbed Mount Fuji

Our past participants agree – while fundraising may seem daunting, the support of friends and family makes it all worthwhile. Together, we've provided clean water for life to countless families.

Dare to make a difference!

Spots on our team are limited, so act fast! Can't run yourself?

Consider sponsoring a fellow team member and be part of this incredible journey.

Let's Run for a Cause!

Osaka Marathon at Osaka Castle – it's an adventure waiting to happen.

February 25, 2024 (Sun)

Don't miss this opportunity to challenge yourself, have fun, and create a lasting impact.
Join Team HOPE at the Osaka Marathon!

Ready to Join?

Please let us know by filling out the form below if you are interested and we will send you instructions how to sign up formally with the marathon has a " Charity Runner " and also some tips on fundraising to help you achieve your fundraising goal and recruiting sponsors.

The official sign up is in Japanese but we will provide a pdf with a step by step in English how to fill in the form.

Study Tour Encounters in Cambodia

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 08:30:50 GMT

My name is Reina Iwano and I have been interning at HOPE since August of this year.

I went on HOPE's UNION study tour for the first time to Cambodia.

This was my second visit to Cambodia. I first visited the country about 15 years ago.

Back then, I remember that the effects of the civil war were still being felt strongly in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. What left a strong impression on me were the people begging, not being able to walk safely due to buried landmines, and that the roads were unpaved and filled with dust.

However, on my recent visit, I could see with my own eyes that although economic development is uneven in the urban and rural areas, progress has definitely been made in many parts of the country. The capital, Phnom Penh, was full of life, with skyscrapers and large shopping malls, and many cars on the road.

In Pursat Province, where HOPE Cambodia is based, there is a school and a well that was built through a crowdfunding campaign by HOPE Japan. The well best reflects HOPE's motto of "from water to self-reliance." We met a Self-Help Group that uses clean water from the well to help them toward their path to become self-reliant. I could see in action how HOPE is Helping the Neglected Poor become Self-reliant.

I also met with several elementary school children and was informed that they were studying multiplication tables and that they were interested in zodiac signs just like me. I felt a sense of kinship and joy. Usually, when we think about other countries or other people, we tend to compare them to our own country or ourselves and focus on what's different about them. However, when we meet new people, we try to find something we have in common. The more things we have in common, the more likely we will become friends and enjoy talking with each other. Rather than focusing on the differences in our living environments or circumstances, I thought it would be good if we could find commonalities and treat each other as though we are friends, even between donors and beneficiaries.

From the women who were part of the Self-Help Groups, I learned about their aspirations and the strength of Cambodians as farmers. A Self-Help Group is part of a micro-finance program in which members receive a small loan from HOPE Cambodia and work together to strengthen their individual economic independence. The group does a variety of things, such as making rice flour noodles using the water from the well that HOPE built, operating small market stalls, and selling roasted corn. They have the skills to grow and process crops, and HOPE supports them financially. It is a form of support that takes advantage of the assets and skills that they already have to promote self-reliance. I saw firsthand the importance of doing what we can with what we have, rather than just giving what we don't have.

However, I was worried that these women might have had a hard time during the COVID pandemic, but the answers I heard surprised me. “It's true that we couldn't sell our products and our income decreased, but we didn't have to worry about food”, one of them said. “We grow rice and other crops in our own fields, so we were fine.” I was honestly impressed and surprised as I reflected on the memories of myself hoarding supplies from my supermarket.

Being self-sufficient is their strength. Without compromising this, it is important for us to listen to their voices, think about their happiness and what kind of life is ideal for them, and then act accordingly.

As an intern, I would like to continue to convey the voices of HOPE's beneficiaries and the local communities to everyone in Japan, remembering the encounters and feelings I gained during my trip to Cambodia.

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

Planning a Charity Dinner - a Novice's Experience

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 09:00:32 GMT

How did you get involved in HOPE's charity dinner?

It was around 2007, when I was working for USJ at the time, and decided to hold a new charity dinner.

USJ had set up a CSR department to focus on social contribution activities, and the president told me that he wanted to hold a charity dinner similar to those held in the United States and Europe.

However, there was no "Western-style charity dinner" event that could be a model for me at the time, and while I was pondering the idea, I received an invitation from HOPE for the Kansai Charity Dinner (hereinafter referred to as "the Dinner").

The first thing that surprised me was that the invitation had a Black Tie dress code. So I wore a formal dress to attend. I was intrigued by everything at my first dinner. HOPE's Animal Bank project was a previously unheard-of method of support, in which cows are loaned to Cambodian farmers to help them become economically independent. Half of the participants were foreigners.

At the auction held at the dinner, not only goods but also priceless experiential items were offered for sale, and when I saw foreigners bidding at surprisingly high prices and enjoying their participation, I was surprised at their feelings toward charity and at the same time felt a difference in their sense of donation from our Japanese counterparts. Participants enjoyed an extraordinary experience in the elegant venue, and the atmosphere of the event made them feel like "I want to support what I can do now".

At HOPE Dinner (Ms. Haruna: far right)

What did you do to organize the USJ charity dinner?

Preparations began in earnest after attending the HOPE dinner. Our goal was to generate more than 10 million yen in revenue. We visited each of our major business partners one by one to ask for their cooperation, but at first everything was very difficult. Nowadays, people have a better understanding of charities, but at the time, some people wondered, "Will the donation be used properly"?

In response to such comments, we clarified the use of donations as "scholarships to support local high school students in Osaka Prefecture to go on to college (Osaka Prefectural Scholarship Society USJ Scholarship), donation of a mobility vehicle to an orphanage, and renovation of a playroom in a hospital for children with incurable diseases," and thoroughly increased transparency in how donations are used. We wanted to make sure that there would be no fraudulent activity at the charity event, so we researched the laws and did everything we could to prepare for the first charity dinner show in 2008. As a result, we were able to meet our revenue goal and USJ added an amount equal to the revenue as a matching gift.

The Charity Dinner Show continues to this day, and the 15th show was held in 2023.

Finally, have you noticed any differences between corporate and non-profit charity dinners?

The relationships with the participants are different. At the USJ Charity Dinner, our major business partners are table sponsors, and they recognize the significance of "working with the company to contribute to the community" and participate in the event. On the other hand, charity dinners hosted by NPOs like HOPE's require a strategy on how to attract people who are not related to the organization. I feel it's important to consider the "benefits of participation" for the Japanese, for whom the culture of charity is not as prevalent as in the West. Reports to increase the transparency of how donations are used and that better promote the organizations activities are also important. I believe that making the recipients of donations visible to participants, or "visualization," of such will help change attitudes toward donations in a positive direction.

1 USJ Scholarship: Scholarship funded by donations from USJ and managed under the auspices of the Osaka Prefectural Scholarship Society.

Articles to read in conjunction

HOPE Charity Dinners: Connecting people through fundraising »

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

What does a HOPE Study Tour involve?

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 07:31:38 GMT

The HOPE Study Tour is called UNION , an acronym for U nderstanding N eeds I n O ther N ations , and the tours include project site visits that are designed to help participants "learn about problems faced by people living in poverty in developing countries and to understand their needs".

See for yourself!

UNION trips are designed to be an opportunity to experience life where HOPE works.

Experiencing means visiting HOPE's project sites to meet local people and help with the construction of wells and schools. The incentive for participants is to see and understand the actual problems that local people face, thus view and understand the current situation in developing countries. Having the opportunity to do so with project team at HOPE allows UNION participants to think more openly about what we can do to solve those problems.

There is an old saying, "Seeing is believing”. While it is important to listen to many stories and gather information, there are some things that can only be realized by actually seeing and experiencing them.

Where does UNION go? What will we do?

Past UNION trips have taken us to Cambodia, Ethiopia, and the Philippines, and the experiences differ depending on the country that UNION visits.

In the Philippines, we spent time with indigenous youth at the Pamulaan Center, where the next generation of indigenous leaders learn, and participants are able to interact with them and learn about the current situation of indigenous peoples.

In Ethiopia, we observed the construction of a simple water system that provides clean water to thousands of households in the project area and learned about the benefits of clean water.

In Cambodia, we have learned about the history, seen the effects of comprehensive assistance starting with clean water, and actually helped build wells and schools.

Activities vary depending on the region we visit and the time of year, but we have the opportunity to visit areas that sightseeing tours do not visit and are able interact with local people.

Impressions of Cambodia Union Participants

(30 – 40 years of age)

It is possible to learn about the current situation in Cambodia through the Internet. However, there is a big difference between knowing about Cambodia and actually going there and feeling it for yourself. You can get a real feel for the climate, etc. only after you experience it for yourself.

There are things that you don't realize until you are there. You can't understand how difficult it is for local people unless you experience the distance they have to travel (to get drinking water). Photographs and videos are not enough to convey the conditions of the local people and their reactions when you actually meet them. It was heartening to actually see the curious eyes of the school children.

It was also very good to be able to exchange opinions with other participants, as the way of thinking and feeling differs depending on age, experience, upbringing, and other factors.

(20 – 30 years of age)

I am very glad that I got to go on the Cambodia UNION Study Tour before graduating university because I got to see how support is done in developing countries; something I have thought about for a long time.

I used to think that with support, a country could become more developed and advanced, but as that happened, new problems would simply arise. Thinking about that, I often to wondered, is development even a good idea?

When I went and saw what is actually happening, the people who are receiving support didn’t formerly have support for work, there were people who couldn’t even go to a hospital when they got sick, and people who did not even have the ability to get the minimal things needed for living.

When we visited families, I was shocked to see all the insects around the large, water collection jars. Families collected rainwater for drinking. Every day, there are children who can’t go to school and instead have to stay at home and work. They have no dreams for the future because they have to work desperately just to live day to day.

During my time in Cambodia, I came to realize that through this support, farming villages are not developing into towns overnight. Instead, people are gaining self-reliance which opens to the doors to many more options they can chose to take.

Reports from past UNION participants are available

Impressions from a Cambodia project »

Get more information about this year's UNION (Study Tour) »

HOPE's activities are supported by your donations.

An Institution Dedicated to Educating Indigenous Communities

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 10:42:35 GMT

Nurturing Leaders of the Next Generation of Indigenous Peoples

The indigenous peoples of the Philippines have been marginalized and discriminated against because of their minority status. As a result, they have lost pride in their culture and have stopped using their own language. Traditions are thus not being passed on, and the disappearance of indigenous cultures is now accelerating.

The Pamulaan Center in Mindanao, Philippines, is located at the University of Southeastern Philippines which solves problems faced by indigenous peoples and opens opportunities for higher education of young people who will lead the inheritance of their traditional culture and the development of their people. Currently, students from 85 indigenous people groups (IP) from within and beyond Mindanao are enrolled at this institution.

Pamulaan features Bachelor's degrees in Elementary Education, Social Entrepreneurship, and Agricultural Management from its affiliated University of Southeastern Philippines, while also imparting the knowledge and skills necessary for the development of IPs. The five pillars of the Next Generation Leadership Program are "Respect for Diverse Cultures," "Environmental Responsibility," "Socioeconomic Sustainability," "Connection to Nature and Spirit," and "Community Service," and the program provides training to empower the next generation of leaders to make a difference in their IPs' circumstances.

HOPE supports 10 students each year. All the students are pursuing a bachelor's in Elementary Education. During breaks and at the end of each semester, they return to their communities of origin to teach children reading, writing, and arithmetic, thereby acquiring practical skills. After graduation, they work as teachers, providing education to indigenous children and sharing the knowledge necessary to pass on their culture to the next generation.

A Brighter Future through Education: Pamulaan Center

Cultivating Societal Problem-solving Skills

It is important for leaders to have the skills to respond to a rapidly changing society. Some classes focus on issues such as climate change, healthy use of social media, and the SDGs, which can be used immediately in today's society.

Developing an IP community sometimes requires rethinking the traditional way of doing things. Gender balance in roles and practices in households, livelihoods, and community activities is also being discussed with experts from around the Philippines.

Connecting Experiences -- joining the next generation of leaders

Cooperation with those in surrounding communities is a major driving force in improving the situation of IPs. Through active participation in development activities in rural communities and IP summits around the country, students can interact with young people from other ethnic groups and of the same age. At the IP Leadership National Assembly, which brought together indigenous youth, elders, and leaders, they discussed the issues and concerns that IPs currently face, as well as their responsibilities and solutions to these issues for the future.

This intergenerational discussion experience is a great learning experience for students. Pamulaan offers a variety of opportunities for students to learn and gain experience to become the next generation of leaders.

Our higher education program in the Philippines is made possible by your donations.

Japanese Staff, first time in Ethiopia!

Mon, 22 May 2023 04:53:00 GMT

In mid-March, I, Taiga, was sent to Sawla (in Oyda District, south Ethiopia) where HOPE is currently implementing a project. This was my first time to set foot not only in Ethiopia but on the African continent as well.

When I arrived at the airport, the first words I muttered were, "I'm in trouble."

Ethiopia's official language is Amharic, not English. This being my first visit to a country where English is not the official language, my time in Ethiopia started with a lot of confusion.

Where is Taiga?

Life in Ethiopia started off with a premonition of hardships, but what shocked me the most was the fact that people live together with their animals.

In Africa, cows, sheep, goats, and chickens are considered as assets, and here in Ethiopia, animals not only serve as assets and food, but also serve some function, such as carrying luggage and are a part of everyday life.

Having studied about poverty and developing countries in the UK, I had also researched how people in Africa live with animals. However, just as with the expression ‘seeing is believing’, the roads are full of animals, and on my way home, I was shocked to see many animals living together with people.

In Ethiopia, which feels like a different world, I am working on a project to support women's independence through a community-participatory water supply project. To get to the project site, we drive along unpaved, cliff-like mountain roads. It's not paved, so the ride is very uncomfortable. As if in a rodeo, it feels like you are clinging to a rampaging horse in the car, and before you know it, your body and mind are completely exhausted. It is like when the steering wheel is turned too many times in the coffee cup ride.

Driving on such roads can cause the car to get stuck in the mud. Each time, we pile up nearby stones to pave the roads, and even if the river overflows and blocks our way, we somehow manage to pave the road with stones. Due to repeated rains, the roads become submerged, and there have been many times when we gave up and turned back. After a few hours of hard work to get the car moving, we finally make it to the project site.

What I saw at our project sites was the overflowing laughter of the local people. The project in the Oyda district has entered its third and final year, and in the communities of our project sites, people who have been lifted out of poverty have started their own businesses and have become more self-reliant. I could see the reason why I came to Ethiopia.

It's not easy to implement a project in Africa, but HOPE's work is the foundation of many people's lives today.

Your donations support our clean water and women's empowerment projects

Adapting our Work to Different Environments

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 06:35:32 GMT

HOPE started with shallow wells

Our projects in Cambodia began in 2002 with the building of a well near the center of Pursat Province, where HOPE Cambodia’s office is located. The first well was just a dot on a map, but with successive projects, it became a line, and now our wells cover a large area providing clean water to more than 10,000 people.

From shallow wells to deep wells

The topography changes with the location of the project site, which requires adapting the water supply systems to the terrain. For example, at our project sites in Ethiopia, where there are large differences in elevation, we build simple water systems that can supply water to local communities over a wide area using gravity alone.

In the beginning, in Cambodia our project sites were on flat terrain and the water source was about 5 to 7 meters below the surface. Shallow wells were dug by hand. Western Cambodia, on the other hand, is a mountainous region with the Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary and the Cardamom Mountains, where the water sources are deeper, requiring the construction of deeper wells.

Water in the Veal Veng District, where our work is currently being implemented, is found more than 10 meters below the ground. Despite the high construction costs, we employ heavy machinery to dig the wells here.

Pump attached to a well

Management of wells by the communities

While there are different types of wells, the way in which communities use and maintain the wells remains the same. At our project sites, one well is shared by several families who live around the well. Families who share wells together are formed into Well Users Groups (WUGs) that manage and maintain the wells.

One of our aims is to have families use the wells sustainably. The communities contribute physical labour in the construction of the wells so that they become familiar with its structure, thus making it easier to maintain them by themselves. On the other hand, there is a limit to the labour that can be contributed by the communities in the construction of deep wells. Despite their reduced participation in the construction process, the community members are trained in the management and maintenance of the wells, including in a system of the collection of fees from their community that can be used for the repairing of their wells.

Wells provide a lifeline

If the project site changes, the topography will change, and the construction method will also change. The change in construction methods may result in higher costs, but our approach to give local communities a sense of ownership of the project and a sustainable management system of the wells themselves will not change.

Water is essential for survival, and wells are a lifeline for people at our project sites. As we continue our work, the construction methods may change. In order to provide clean water, we will continue our work by adapting to the local conditions.

Your donations support our clean water projects

School Exchanges on Hygiene & Sanitation

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 04:48:57 GMT

School latrines in two neighboring villages

There are about 2 billion people in the world who do not have access to latrines of which many practice open defecation in the outdoors. As a result, the public’s sanitation suffers and children with weak immune systems often fall victim to diarrhea. More than 800 people die every day from this disease*. In Japan, access to toilets is taken for granted but as you can imagine from the stated goal of SDG 6, that is, to achieve access for all to sanitation and hygiene by 2030, it gives you an idea of how big of a problem the lack of access to latrines are around the world.

*UNICEF World Toilet Day Project

Many communities in south Ethiopia are among those that do not have access to latrines. The lack of clean and safe latrines in schools is a serious problem especially for young children. Lack of access to latrines not only affects children’s health but also their education, as the children who avoid using latrines can suffer from health problems while others stop attending school altogether.

In 2021, HOPE constructed latrines at Kale Malo Primary School with a grant from the TOTO Water Environment Fund. After the construction of the school latrines was completed, 25 children formed a WaSH club (Water, Sanitation & Health) at the school, and they currently actively encourage their fellow students to use the latrines and maintain them and they also raise awareness on hygiene practices.

Currently, latrines are also being constructed at Yongi Primary School, which is in the same district as Kale Malo Primary School.

WaSH club at Yongi Primary School

Crossing mountains and villages

An exchange was held between the two school’s WaSH clubs to share information and knowledge on raising awareness on hygiene and sanitation practices.

Although both schools are in the same district, Kale Malo Primary School and Yongi Primary School are so far apart that it takes several hours to walk across the mountains in between. For this reason, there have been no exchanges between the two schools so far, with this event being the first for the children of both schools to meet students from schools other than their own.

At this exchange, 16 members of the WaSH club from Yongi Primary School visited Kale Malo Primary School by vehicle. On the other hand, the WaSH Club of Kale Malo Primary School were prepared with their presentations and were a little nervous waiting for the Yongi School students.

Cleaning latrines and washing hands for the first time

The atmosphere was a little tense at first when the students from the two schools met.

Presentation by students of Kale Malo Elementary School

After presenting the details of their club activities, the Kale Malo students took the Yongi students over to their school latrines and explained how they use them and how they clean the latrines. They also demonstrated their hand washing technique with soap at a wash basin built next to their latrines.

It was a stimulating and educational experience for the Yongi students and also an opportunity for the Kale Malo students to reinforce their understanding of hygiene and sanitation practices.

Demonstration of latrine cleaning and hand washing

Interview of a Yongi Primary School WaSH club student

Mardokyos Bazgaba (7th grade)

Q1. Did you enjoy this school exchange?

"Yes, it was fun. It was my first time to travel outside of my village. It was interesting to learn how to wash my hands with soap."

Q2. Did you know how to wash your hands before today?

"No, I learned today for the first time."

Q3. What do you think about the new latrines?

"I think it's great that you know exactly where to put your feet when using the latrines (the feet placement areas are slightly elevated). Also, it's interesting to see the pipes sticking out of the roof, which vents out any bad smell."

Q4. Were you able to see the demonstration on cleaning the latrines?

"Yes, I did. I would like to make sure our latrines will be just as clean."

Impressions of a student from Kale Malo Primary School

Melkamnesh Meshasha

"I am very happy that the members of the WaSH club from Yongi Primary School traveled all the way to visit us. It is very important to keep the latrines clean. I hope that the students at Yongi School will practice hygiene and sanitation and will maintain their latrines as we do here."

Your donations support our work on Sanitation & Hygiene

A Brighter Future through Education: Pamulaan Center

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 04:18:50 GMT

Cultures in danger of extinction

The Philippines is known for its beautiful beaches and banana produce, but surprisingly little is known about the lives of the 12 million indigenous peoples* who make up 14% of the population. Many of them follow traditional farming practices but most do not hold titles to their land. As a result, they face problems such as malnutrition, high incidence of diseases and mortality due to limited access to natural resources and the influx of migrant farmers that have pushed them into poverty.

*JICA Philippines Poverty Profile March 2012

While suffering in poverty, their traditions and cultures are being lost. Benjamin (or Ben as he likes to be called) was the first to notice this crisis. He first became interested in the indigenous peoples whom he was unfamiliar with when he attended college. As he was unable to find much information about them, he met them directly in person and came to know about their endangered cultures.

Left: Ben

To carve out a future for the indigenous peoples

The leaders of indigenous communities strongly hope to create a path out of poverty and nurture their children to preserve and pass down their traditions. After much discussion with the community leaders, Ben decided to create a higher educational institution where young indigenous peoples could acquire the knowledge and skills to protect their traditions and cultures.

In 2006, the Pamulaan Center was established in Davao City, Mindanao. During the four year degree program at the center, students can take up courses in specialized subjects such as anthropology, social entrepreneurship, sustainable agricultural techniques, and primary education. They are also required to gain a deep understanding of their cultures. Upon completing their degrees, the graduates are expected to apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired at Pamulaan to contribute to their own communities for two years.

Young Leaders Taking Action

Since the establishment of the Pamulaan Center, more than 100 students have earned bachelor degrees and carved out their own paths not only in the Philippines but also internationally, in creating awareness and preserving their traditional cultures. For example, Kring focused on supporting the indigenous peoples of the Philippines and got his first job at the Assisi Foundation, which operates the Pamulaan Center. As a Senior Program Officer of the Livelihood Improvement and Leadership Development Program, she worked with many people, including community entrepreneurs, indigenous leaders, young supporters, government agencies, and national and international civil society groups, and trained them as leaders to shape the future of the indigenous peoples.

While working at the Assisi Foundation, Kring earned a master's degree in Community Development from the University of the Philippines and later obtained a scholarship for an advanced master's program in Cultural Anthropology and Development Studies at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. Kring is making great strides to contribute not only to the Philippines but also to the indigenous peoples of the world.

HOPE International Development Agency has been supporting the Pamulaan Center since 2010.

Education creates a better future. Please watch the film " The Greatest Gift ", which is about our work in the Philippines.

Our support for higher education in the Philippines is funded by your donations.

HOPE in the New Year (2023)

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 07:40:16 GMT

Dear Friends of HOPE,

On behalf of all of us at HOPE Japan, let me wish you and your loved ones a Happy New Year in 2023! May this year be filled with joy, health, prosperity, and well-being for all.

Thank you for continuing to join us on our journey of Helping the Neglected Poor Become Self-reliant. Your contributions this year will provide those in ultra-poverty with access to clean water, education, and sustainable livelihood resources. Here is a brief overview of our projects and programs in 2023.

Cambodia: Water and Education Projects in Pursat Province

In 2022, HOPE Japan constructed 10 wells and 32 latrines, and provided training sanitation, hygiene, maintenance, for 74 households in Krawpeu Peekrom Village, Pursat Province in their integrated community development project. In 2023, HOPE is continuing to fundraise to build an elementary school in Krawsaing Pnov, and for an additional classroom for the Sameit Village School. Here also 10 wells will be built, and 5 cows provided for family farms in 2023.

Ethiopia: Progress in the Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples' Region

Construction of the Balta, Bagara, Uba Yambala, and Kale Malo water systems will be completed in 2023. These clean water sources will prevent most waterborne diseases in Oyda district. We also are constructing sanitary latrines at schools and will integrate sanitation and hygiene training to stop open defecation disease vectors. The Women’s Empowerment through Community Participatory Water Supply System, which will benefit some 19,806 people through self-help groups and income generating activities that began in 2021 will continue throughout 2023. These water, education, and sustainable development projects will help these communities emerge from ultra-poverty.

Philippines: Seeds of HOPE

Learn more about HOPE projects »

Join HOPE to Help the Neglected Poor become Self-reliant

Please join one of our annual charity dinners in Nagoya , Kansai , and Tokyo where we premiere our Sustainable Development video reports. These events provide opportunities for friends and associates to help resolve water, education, and livelihoods needs of those in most need. All benefits raised support our mission to Help the Neglected Poor become Self-reliant in Ethiopia, Cambodia, and the Philippines .

Please read about our Dinners here »

Please stay tuned. We will inform you of upcoming events as soon as they are decided.

Your donation supports HOPE's projects. You can be assured that your gift will make a significant difference to those in most need in Cambodia, Ethiopia, and the Philippines.

Year-end Message from Jeffrey Behr (2022)

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 08:07:36 GMT

Quality Education: SDG 4 in Cambodia

During the holiday season we celebrate and share our blessings with family and friends. I imagine some of your fondest memories are with childhood friends that you met at school. Just for a second, imagine that you had no school to attend as a child. Where would you be today? You probably wouldn’t have those friends and perhaps would not be reading this, since you might have never learned how.

Providing access to a quality education is one way that HOPE Japan fulfills our mission of Helping the Neglected Poor Become Self-reliant. According to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4: “Education is fundamental to creating a peaceful and prosperous world. Education gives people the knowledge and skills they need to stay healthy, get jobs and foster tolerance.”

Today we have an urgent need to build a primary school for 202 students in Cambodia in Krapeu Peekrom village. The build site is ready, construction will take three to six months depending on weather. When completed it is given to the village and trained teachers are provided by the Cambodian Ministry of Education with sustainable funding.

With your support HOPE Japan can provide disadvantaged children in Cambodia with a path to a brighter future. Please donate this holiday season. Your gift will make a significant difference to those in most need.

Thank you!

*Donations received by the dates below will be tax-deductible for 2022.

Donation by credit card (online): by December 20, 2022
Donation by Bank Transfer: by December 29, 2022

HOPE Charity Dinners: Connecting people through fundraising

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 15:46:33 GMT

HOPE Charity Dinners, which have been held since 2002, are events where we share information about our work that serves neglected communities and raises funds for our projects. These are some of our most important events that enable the work we do.

When we held our first Charity Dinner in the early 2000s, it was a relatively new method of raising funds that was not familiar to many in Japan. However, since then, more than 5,000 people have attended our Charity Dinners over the last 20 years. This month, we would like to share some insights about our Charity Dinners.

The first HOPE Japan Charity Dinner was in Nagoya in 2002. It was a fundraising event held by HOPE Canada, the headquarters of the HOPE Network. Most of the guests who attended this first event were foreigners living in Japan as this type of fundraising event was not well-known among the Japanese public. In order to attract more Japanese attendees we’ve altered and adjusted several aspects of the program based on each venue, and since 2010 we have seen an increase in the number of Japanese guests.

Connecting People – with Purpose and Significance

The purpose of our Charity Dinners is to connect our donors with the local communities where our work is implemented and to apprise our supporters and stakeholders of the challenges these communities face. The events function to raise funds that support our work to help our beneficiaries resolve their development issues. In addition, the events are significant in that they also serve as a social venue and an opportunity to inform and educate the general public about HOPE's projects, including those who are new to charities and want to learn more about social enterprises.

HOPE Charity Dinners are held every year in Nagoya, Kansai, and Tokyo. The guests are different in each city and many attend regardless of nationality or gender to socialize with each other.

Informative + Fun

Charity Dinners are designed to be informative and fun. A popular feature is the auction which has been held from the very beginning. We present a wide variety of items provided by our sponsors, together with handicrafts from the regions we work abroad, and the proceeds are used to fund projects. The live auction is a memorable experience where an auctioneer presents unique and exquisite handicrafts, as well as valuable and practical products from our sponsors.

During the second half of the event, we present a short film that helps communicate the problems our local beneficiaries face and how we support and help their communities resolve them. The purpose behind these films is to transport the audience to the actual neglected communities and convey the lives of the locals through their images and their own voices.

A Place to Connect

Charity Dinners are a place to connect and share with others, and a place to connect with and support neglected communities. In 2020 we had to cancel our in-person dinners or pivot to online events due to COVID-19. However, since late 2022 we've returned to live events as a place to reconnect and deliver the critical support from our donors to those in most need.

HOPE's self-reliance projects are supported through donations.

A Step Towards Self-Reliance

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 09:01:59 GMT

Training

In the middle of September, we held a 3-day training workshop to assist in the creation of Cluster Level Associations (or CLAs) for our SHG groups from all four wards of our project sites. About 50 participants attended including the newly elected CLA representatives and our own Community Field Educators from each ward, together with a few government officials from the wards, the Oyda District and from Gofa Zone.

CLAs - the power of the community

Our current project in Ethiopia is focused on empowering women through the construction of Water Systems in conjunction with the implementation of the SHG program , which is designed to provide its women members with loans so they can generate income through their own business activities.

Several SHG groups have been formed at each of the four wards that are covered by our current project, ranging from 8 groups to 17 groups per ward. While the members of each group (20 women on average) work with each other on a regular basis, there is not much exchange and interaction between groups within the same community. This is where the CLA comes in.

Many SHGs come together to form a CLA (Cluster Level Association), a cluster of SHG groups much like a cooperative, that can address and resolve problems that individual groups cannot do on their own. Each SHG group selects 2 representatives to the CLA, and subsequently, 5 leaders are selected to represent and lead their respective ward’s CLA.

CLAs also help address the needs of the communities by mobilizing resources, help form new SHGs to lift more women out of poverty, help bring about new values and norms in their communities, and ensure the participation of women in the governance of their communities. In other words, while SHGs are focused at the level of the individual, that is, improving the wellbeing of its individual women members, CLAs are focused at the level of the community.

Workshop

To lead and conduct the workshop, we invited Tesfaye Telahun from Addis Ababa, a Capacity Building Manager for the SHG program, who has many years of experience with SHGs not just in Ethiopia but across several countries in East Africa.

The workshop was held in the town of Sawla, a two to four-hour walk for many of our participants from their respective wards. The first day kicked off with a review of the basics of SHGs, what they are, their purpose and roles, and an introduction to the basics of CLAs in the afternoon. The following two days covered several topics including the governance of CLAs, rules and regulations, selection and rotation of CLA representatives, record keeping, to name a few.

Some of the sessions required audience participation, such as for each ward mapping their respective village resources, analyzing their communities’ strengths and weaknesses, and creating action plans for their own CLAs to pave the way forward. Many participants eagerly posed questions, and provided feedback during each session.

Feedback

"I feel good," said Asegedech Mekuria, the CLA Chairwoman from Uba Yambala Ward. "We've learnt a lot, and we will teach and guide the SHGs in our community, and also use the manual that we were provided with."

"One of the topics I remember well was about the formation of new SHGs. There are other women in my community who want to join the SHG program, and we will support them and lead by example."

Uba Yambala Ward's CLA leaders

"Since we were able to meet with SHG members from the other Kebeles (wards), it was a good chance to share our experiences," said Meselech Matito, the CLA Cashier for Balta Ward.

"Many people in our community initially had mixed feelings about the SHG program, but thanks to Muluneh (HOPE’s Livelihood Officer) and Chorfo (HOPE’s Community Mobilizer for Balta), and of course through this workshop, I feel that our communities’ attitudes have changed since we have gained a lot of knowledge."

Muluneh, HOPE Ethiopia's Livelihoods Officer who leads the implementation of the SHG program, was very positive.

"The workshop was very good. Participation from the attendees was very high, and I felt that they were eager for the knowledge, and they have expressed their appreciation for this workshop many times in the last 3 days. Some women have claimed that they have never experienced this sort of thing before."

Read about Muluneh »

"I felt the workshop was received well," Tesfaye, the trainer, concluded. "Of course, how the SHGs and the CLAs develop from here is up to them but I am hopeful, and I would like to follow-up with them next year."

Tesfaye, the SHG specialist

Your donations support our SHG Projects in Ethiopia

A New Door to Clean Water

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 17:30:00 GMT

In August 2022, when our HOPE Cambodian staff visited Oeun, she was hard at work in the fields under the scorching sun as usual. Oeun met with HOPE about 20 years ago. Having lost her husband and raising two children by herself, she worked as a laborer which earned her a daily income of about 50 yen (35 cents). She was so poor that she could not afford to feed her children.

Building a foundation to change lives with clean water

In 2004, she received assistance from HOPE's Water Project. A well was built near her house to provide her with access to clean water.

Our work with local communities begins with clean water, and together and comprehensive support tailored to each individual's living conditions, this ensures that our beneficiaries can escape poverty. By providing access to clean water, we can prevent diarrheal diseases and improve the community’s health.

Clean water has also improved the health of Oeun’s family. Since then, she has benefitted from our projects in several ways, such as home gardening assistance to increase the yield of vegetable crops, an animal bank to cultivate her farmland, and the women's Self-Help Group Program (SHG), all of which are designed to help people on the path to self-reliance. She received training in small business entrepreneurship through the SHG program in 2012 and subsequently opened a little shop on the highway nearby. "We got a new house, and my children can go to school”, she said with a beaming smile at the time.

Always proactive

Oeun was able to lift herself out of poverty not just through HOPE's assistance alone. In order to become self-reliant, it is important to cultivate a strong sense of ownership of the support provided and to take initiative.

Not only was she provided with support, but she had a strong desire to overcome her dire situation.

18 years later, I'm still happy

With the availability of clean water came new opportunities and Oeun's life changed for the better. About 20 years have passed since we met with her, and her living conditions have changed.

Her two children now lead independent lives with families of their own. Friends and family gather at her home during the holidays, but she occasionally visits her son's family in Battambang Province nearby.

Oeun now lives together with her cousin. She closed her grocery store in 2020 due to the lack of customers during the pandemic, but since then she has been selling the vegetables that she grows at the market and earns enough money to get by.

“I can't believe where I am now”, she exclaimed as she reflected on the past 20 years. “My life has changed so much since HOPE built that well. Since then, I’ve not gotten sick, and my health has improved. The only time I get sick these days is when I catch a cold, but I get better quickly. From having nothing, my life has improved to the point where my needs are provided more than adequately, and I think I was able to build a better future for my son and daughter.”

Oeun now enjoys her time with her grandchildren.

“They call me often and since my son has a car, he comes over to see me from time to time”, she said. “Both of my children are doing well and are leading self-sufficient lives. That is enough to make me happy.”

Please have a look at voices of the beneficiaries of HOPE's Water Project »

Your donations support our Water Projects in Cambodia

Picturing Healthy Habits

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 08:36:05 GMT

A session on drawing posters was held with the WaSH club students (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) at the Kale Malo Primary School in mid-June at one of our project sites in Ethiopia. The purpose of this session was to raise awareness on the importance of sanitation and hygiene among the school children. The best posters will be selected by TOTO, our sponsor of this project, and the illustrations of the selected posters will be painted on the walls of the school latrines that were constructed earlier this year.

The importance of Sanitation & Hygiene

The words "sanitation" and "hygiene" are not something we think about often, although these habits are ingrained in our everyday lives and perhaps practiced slightly more consciously these days due to the pandemic.

However, matters of hygiene and sanitation are critical to the health of the communities such as Kale Malo, where the basic habit of hand washing is not commonly practiced, never mind the use of soap, and where open defecation is still prevalent. In such environments, water-borne diseases are commonly found, the causes of which are poorly understood within the community.

Drawing Session

All twenty-one students from grades four to eight belonging to the WaSH Club took part in this event. When asked whether the children have had any experience drawing before, only two raised their hands. This added to the challenge, but the children faced the task head-on.

At first, we explored the messages that the children of the WaSH Club regularly communicate to their fellow students: the importance of handwashing, washing of clothes, bathing, and so on. The children were then grouped in threes and were assigned to draw a picture illustrating one of these messages on a large sheet of paper with a couple of markers. Some dove in right away, while others started hesitantly, drafting rough sketches while discussing with their fellow group mates.

WaSH Club Students and Teacher

Towards the end of the session, the children added finishing touches with messages written in Oydinya, their native tongue. When asked to rank the best posters out of a total of eight, they unanimously chose the hand washing poster followed by the cleaning of latrines as the second best. It appears that the children are well aware of the importance of these aspects of hygiene.

Feedback

The children expressed their enjoyment of the activities, especially given the fact that many had never drawn pictures before.

"We don't have art lessons in school, so this was a special experience for the children", Simalis Bakala, the WaSH Club teacher explained. "There are teachers here who have artistic skills, but we don’t have the tools and supplies to conduct art classes. I was very pleased to see the children enjoying this session. The students who participated today have been WaSH Club members for some time now and possess a strong awareness of sanitation and hygiene, and I will continue to instruct them on their importance in maintaining their health."

Mr. Simalis, WaSH Club Teacher

We accept donations for Sanitation & Hygiene programs

Overflowing with HOPE - Jonepher Noja

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 14:19:56 GMT

Pamulaan Center is an institution of higher education for the indigenous communities in Davao.

Indigenous peoples of the Philippines have their own cultures and languages. However, there are many who hide their ethnic identities due to discrimination resulting from their communities being economically isolated and suffering in poverty.

The Pamulaan Center was established as a place for indigenous peoples to regain their pride, protect their own cultures, and acquire the knowledge and skills to coexist with modern society. Many students who have studied here have returned to their communities and are contributing to the development and the preservation of their traditional cultures.

My name is Jonepher Dumaplin Noja, 21 years of age and a Manobo-Agusanon of La Flora, Talacogon, Agusan del Sur. I came from a family of farmers and fishermen. I am the sixth among the seven siblings. Four of them are already married, one sister is working, and like me, my younger brother is currently studying. It is hard to say that three of my siblings - while they have finished secondary education - could not continue tertiary education anymore because of financial constraints.

Despite this, I am contented to be born into a loving and caring family. I could not help but compare my experiences to other students because of the challenges I encountered during my early years of studying. Commuting to school takes an hour from home by boat and on foot. At times, my lunch would be root crops or corn-rice without any viand. There would be days when I was not given any money to buy my school needs.

When rains fell heavily, I would have to wade through flooded areas, preventing me from attending classes. When I was in senior high school, I had to live with my uncle since the school was far from our home to continue my studies. Despite these challenges, I do not feel ashamed. When I look back, for example, on my experience of living away from my own family, I learned how to be an independent person. The challenges I had have helped me to become more resilient and to persevere better in my studies. In fact, I was consistently put on the list of academic achievers.

When I was younger, I initially thought of becoming either a soldier or a teacher. However, becoming a soldier was not a dream that my parents shared with me for some practical and financial considerations. On the other hand, pursuing an education course became a viable option for me, especially when I got an offer to apply to Pamulaan Center. I applied and luckily got accepted, together with four other applicants from our tribe.

Pamulaan Center widened my perspective about our country's diversity of cultures and traditions. I appreciate how the center brings in, recognizes, and encourages peoples of different tribes to share their unique dances, cultural attires, languages, and values. It made me appreciate my community’s identity, practices, and rituals which I feel are now gradually disappearing. Similarly, Pamulaan, being a formation center, teaches us to be responsible individuals. We live by the ideals of Pamulaan to hone us to become self-disciplined, such as waking up early to do specific tasks from cooking to tending gardens. One of the significant activities I appreciate the most is the morning praise, as it strengthens my faith and gives me opportunities to thank the Lord for all my blessings.

Currently, I am giving service to the children of my community through our Community Outreach and Service Learning Program. I am conducting tutorial classes focused on reading, writing, and arithmetic as part of our Basic Education and Enhancement Program for Uplifting Performance (BEEP-UP) of Pamulaan. In this way, I can share my knowledge with Manobo-Agusanon children in our community while improving their learning outcomes on basic competencies, especially during pandemic times, where learning poverty has worsened.

After graduation, I hope to return to my family and continue serving my community. I pray that I will be given enough strength to actualize my hope and dreams and have the passion for enduring years of studying to gain the knowledge I can share with my family and community. In my prayers, I continue to thank the Lord for Pamulaan as an instrument for me to study along with its sponsors and benefactors like HOPE International Development Agency.

Read about other Pamulaan students »

We accept donations for Education programs

HOPE Field Staff: Our Muluneh, leading the charge!

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 08:05:12 GMT

Introduction

Muluneh is the Livelihoods Coordinator at HOPE Ethiopia's Field Office. He leads the implementation of the Self-Help Group (SHG) Program and the Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WaSH) Program on the ground with the help of the Project Officers who report to him.

His job includes providing training directly to local communities, monitoring their progress and supporting them in several aspects, including in the setup of local committees in conjunction with the authorities.

Background

Muluneh brings with him his passion to serve that is evident through his many years of experience in the SNNP Region in the fields of Community Development as well as in Humanitarian Assistance, including a short stint as the mayor of a small municipality.

Born in a farming village and raised in Chano Dorga, a local community near Arba Minch, he is very familiar with the struggles that many remote communities face, and is especially sensitive to the needs of women and children.

Meeting HOPE

After graduating from a teacher's college, he worked as a high school teacher in South Omo. This was when he came into contact with an USAID school development project, where he served local communities in developing their school infrastructure and expanding educational opportunities for girls, to ensure the children receive a quality education.

Ever since then, he has worked at several NGOs where he honed his skills and developed his knowledge to serve local communities and support the most vulnerable, which eventually led him to the SHG program. It was while he was a Project Manager at another NPO in Ethiopia that he first met HOPE, who brought him in as a consultant to train the SHG groups at HOPE’s project sites, one of which included his very own community of Chano Dorga.

Working with HOPE

It has been five years since he joined HOPE. " What I found attractive about HOPE is their work in remote areas, and the life-saving work that they do for women and children", he said. "My passion is to serve, to transfer knowledge to those in need who can benefit from it."

Over the many years, he has seen changes in many communities, in people's lives, their livelihoods and in women. "Before HOPE goes into a community, it is like they are in the dark. The villagers' clothes are threadbare, their homes are unkempt. Our work is to train the community to get into the work habit, to encourage them to work, especially the women who have no means of income, and teach them to become economically independent. It is satisfying to see these women’s lives transformed through our program, to see them eventually be able to buy school uniforms for their children, upgrade their grass houses to iron-sheet roofs."

Challenges & Future

Muluneh's work in the field with local communities keeps him away from his family for a large part of the year, who are always in the back of his mind. "My family is very happy with my work," he beams with a smile. "I often share with them about the things I do." However, Muluneh is still keen to continue his work and is eager to see more communities develop and transform.

Read about HOPE's other local staff »

We accept donations for Ethiopia

Strengthening our foundation to quickly deliver higher quality aid

Mon, 23 May 2022 07:41:59 GMT

In recent years, NPOs/NGOs have been recognized as important agents in solving social issues, and the number of subsidies that support their work is increasing. Panasonic Corporation established such a support fund in 2001 and has been supporting NPOs/NGOs that are active in Japan and overseas ever since.

The philosophy behind the ‘Panasonic NPO / NGO Support Fund for SDGs’ is that their projects (cargo) will develop only if there is a solid organizational foundation (ship). They provide support to NPOs/NGOs to tackle global poverty in a sustainable manner by helping them strengthen their organizational foundation.

To deliver high quality aid promptly

This year, HOPE’s grant application for this Panasonic support fund was approved. We had three reasons for applying for this grant. The first is to reaffirm HOPE's vision and mission within the organization, the second is to improve the quality and speed of implementation of our projects to those in need, and the third is to improve our accountability to our supporters. For these purposes, we felt that an organizational analysis to strengthen our foundation was necessary.

As times change, so do the requirements

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become necessary to take on new challenges, such as shifting from in-person fundraising meetings and events to remote online venues. At about the same time, we celebrated HOPE's 20th anniversary and the new appointment of our current Executive Director. This seemed a good time to review the port (goal) where we aim to reach and the amount of cargo (project) that can be loaded on the ship, with the help of an expert to guide us at several milestones on our journey.

What we have been up to!

In January this year, we welcomed Masao Kawai, a consultant from Office Musubime who has catalyzed our organizational analysis. Once a month, we hold a workshop at our office in Nagoya to identify issues in our organization and discuss various matters such as determining the causes of the issues.

By looking at the organization from the eyes of an outsider, we noticed our strengths and areas needing improvements that we had never thought of before, and every workshop has been an eye-opening experience. In addition to the workshops, we had the opportunity to have meaningful discussions with all the staff, sharing each of our ideas, such as new discoveries, excitement, and what kind of organization we want to create.

Strengthening the foundation of the organization and creating goals

Sometimes, there are voices that question whether we should prioritize providing aid over strengthening the foundation of the organization.

Instead of thinking in terms of ‘providing aid vs. organizational improvement’, we would like to build an organization that can continue to provide aid and receive continued support from our partners by strengthening our organization.

Your donation supports HOPE's projects.

Salam! Ethiopia Once Again

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 14:30:58 GMT

Return to Ethiopia

It is at once strange but very comforting to find ourselves back once again in Ethiopia, which has essentially become our second home since having set foot here four years ago.

Having had to work on our projects remotely from Japan ever since our lives were disrupted by the pandemic, being in regular contact with our field staff but limited to emails and phone calls over the last couple of years has been challenging at times but being here now again on Ethiopian soil, reuniting with our Addis staff and with the prospect of re-joining our team in the field and the communities we work with, gives way to a profound sense of relief, and we are looking forward to picking up from where we left off from before the pandemic.

Addis Ababa

We are also relieved to see that the capital city remains unaffected by the internal armed conflict that cut short our brief one month visit last October. It was a bittersweet memory, as we had no choice but to leave abruptly after having just arrived in Ethiopia a year and a half later when the pandemic had relatively calmed down. Our colleagues and our friends have always been on our minds since then.

Now, to be able to gaze down on the street below from our hotel window and see the neighborhood carrying on with their everyday lives, to be welcomed back warmly by the familiar faces everywhere we go – the security guards at the office, the shopkeeper at the corner, the restaurant manager from across the street – to reconnect with them, and to see that they are well, helps ease us back into life in Ethiopia.

MOFA project in Oyda District

We have now begun the second year of our Oyda project, where we are planning to construct the Water Systems at the remaining two sites of Balta and Bagara. These two communities are located even further from the nearest town, in a relatively remote region of the country compared to our previous projects. Both are looking forward to the construction of their water systems as it has been over a year since they have started making preparations.

We will also continue building on our Women's Empowerment program in all four communities of our current project with more training on income generation and through further capacity building and strengthening of all the SHGs (Self-Help Groups). These women are also very eager to get on with their training to continue creating more income to ease the lives of their families and to provide better for their children.

TOTO latrines and the school children

Together with the MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan) project noted above, we will be constructing school latrines at an elementary school in our current community of Uba Yambala. This school latrine project is funded by TOTO who have generously contributed for a second consecutive year. This year, we hope to engage more with the school children from both the schools (of last year and this year) and have planned a few events to help instill in them the importance of hygiene.

Updates from the field

Akemi and I are looking forward to spending the rest of the year in the field, to live together with the locals at our sites, and witness up close the impact of our project on the individuals in our communities. As the year progresses, we hope to provide you with personal stories from the locals and project updates from the field.

Your donation supports HOPE's projects.

What corporations expect from their NGO partners

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 09:01:07 GMT

What do corporations engaged in social contribution activities expect from their NPO partners? We asked TOTO.

TOTO Ltd. has been a pioneer of Japanese hygiene technologies since the early 1900s. They have greatly contributed to the public health of Japan, through the development of toilets, and they currently have a TOTO Water Environment Fund, which they use to tackle water environment problems in developing countries.

HOPE applied for the fund again this year expecting that TOTO would share our understanding of Water, Sanitation & Hygiene issues in Ethiopia, and as luck would have it, we were selected once again as a grant recipient for the second consecutive year.

This month, we spoke with Mr. Kawamura from TOTO about the fund, his impression of HOPE, and his expectations of NPOs.

TOTO Water Environment Fund Office

From the left, Mr. Uehara, Mr. Sakoshita, Mr. Kawamura, Ms. Hara

Please tell us about the support that your company provides to NPOs.

The TOTO Group was established in 1917 with the desire to provide a healthy and culturally rich life. With this in mind, we aim to contribute to the development of society through various products that are clean, comfortable and environmentally friendly.

However, in order to realize a sustainable society, it is indispensable for companies to work with people who are familiar with the local conditions of the beneficiaries of their projects.

Therefore, we created the TOTO Water Environment Fund in 2005, and as a company that provides water-related products, we began to support organizations engaged in environmental matters related to water.

Our aim for sustainable development is not only restricted to providing supplies and financial support directly to communities, but also by supporting organizations engaged directly with local communities.

How do you pick which organizations to support?

When selecting the organizations, the selection committee composed of TOTO Group's employees meets with the organizations and communicates their desire to solve regional issues related to the water environment together with the local communities.

Then they check the details of the organizations, their motivation, and determine whether the work is rooted in the community, whether the work being done is meaningful in the long term or just a temporary solution. These sort of concerns are the criteria upon which they make their decisions in order to match with an organization whose mission and culture is the same as ours.

What is your impression of HOPE?

We recognize that HOPE is implementing multifaceted work within a single project. With HOPE’s project in Ethiopia, which we are supporting, in the process of improving the water environment through work together with the local communities, from the construction of the water system and the hygiene facilities, to education on its proper usage and management, we feel that this will lead to local meaningful development in the long-term.

In addition, we feel that every detail is taken into consideration in the project implementation, such as encouraging the participation of women when selecting management committee members. As part of its public relations, HOPE has devised ways to engage with many supporters, for instance, through the sharing of films on YouTube. HOPE is a very reliable organization, including the person in charge with whom we usually interact.

What do you expect from NPOs in the future?

As mentioned before, the work of citizen groups such as NPOs who are familiar with local circumstances and who support local communities are indispensable in the realization of sustainable societies. On the other hand, in order to solve various social issues at an early stage, we think it is necessary for society as a whole to recognize the problems and act quickly to resolve them. We would like to help HOPE by funding your work and communicating those activities both within and beyond our company, so we would like to continue to work with you.

With this grant, we will start the second school latrine project in April 2022 in southern Ethiopia. The children at Kale Malo Primary School, whose latrines were built last year, will create slogans and educational posters to encourage hand washing and the use of toilets. In addition, this year we will build school latrines at Yongi Primary School and create an opportunity for the children to interact with the students of Kale Malo Primary School from last year. We will keep you posted on Facebook .

TOTO Water Environment Fund »

Update: Helping neglected communities become self-reliant

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 10:11:01 GMT

Our "Women's Empowerment through Community Participatory Water Supply System," which is a 34-month project in Oyda, Ethiopia, began in 2021 and is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects, will soon reach the end of its first year cycle.

Previously, we have been implementing projects aimed at improving access to water and health, but this time, we are going a step further, that is, to improve the lives of women.

Women in local communities are burdened with the task of fetching water and household chores every day, and therefore they have no time or opportunity to work and earn income. Through a survey conducted at our project sites, we learned that many women are poor not only because they do not have jobs, but also only 1% of women had some savings and no one had a bank account. It was also found that 90% of women have suffered physical abuse and discrimination from the men in their communities.

This project constructs several "Water Points" in the community, freeing women from the task of fetching water. And with the time freed from this daily chore, training on the concept of savings and entrepreneurship are given to the women over the course of two years. The women form groups of 20 people per group called Self Help Groups (SHG), and they work together to save money. Eventually, each woman will start a small business by taking loans from their group savings and aim for financial independence. We believe that women's empowerment and a reduction in their discrimination will improve their livelihoods as well as their standing in the community and ultimately lead to the development of their communities.

This month, we would like to share with you the voices of these women.

We look forward to sharing with you how their lives will be transformed in the next two to three years.

Your donation supports HOPE's projects.

HOPE for the New Year

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 03:02:19 GMT

Dear Friends of HOPE,

From all of us at HOPE Japan, let me wish you a Happy New Year! May 2022 be prosperous for you and your loved ones, and especially this year, may we all remain healthy and well.

Thank you for being a faithful supporter of HOPE Japan. This year your contributions will provide those in most need with access to clean water, education, and livelihood resources. Let me share our announcements to celebrate HOPE with you.

Cambodia: Water Project in Veal Veng District, Pursat Province

In 2021 the Dry Season Rice project in Bakan was completed. This livelihood source for 400 families includes organic pest management, pig raising, home gardening, and composting for sustainable farm systems. In Pursat we built 10 wells for 184 households in Krawsaing Pnov. Now in 2022 we will build 10 new wells in Krawpeu Peekrom in their integrated community development project. HOPE is also building an elementary school in Krawsaing Pnov thanks to your generous participation in our first ever crowdfunding campaign. In 2022, we will conduct another campaign to continue our annual school building commitment.

Ethiopia: Progress in the Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples' Region

Construction of the Garbanza Galo, Uba Yambala, and Kale Malo water systems were all completed in 2021. These are now a source of hygiene and sanitation to prevent waterborne diseases in Bonke and Oyda district. We also constructed sanitary latrines at schools to halt disease vectors. However, the urgency of the projects in Bereta and Bagara continues as children’s health suffers and women still spend much of their day collecting water. The Women’s Empowerment through Community Participatory Water Supply System, which will benefit some 19,806 people through self-help groups and income generating activities that began in 2021 will continue throughout 2022 into 2023.

Philippines: Seeds of HOPE

HOPE Japan is providing more opportunities for higher education to Indigenous Youth in the Philippines who otherwise would be deprived due to social and financial reasons. We are deeply thankful to the generous donors that graciously provide scholarship funds for these outstanding students.

Learn more about HOPE projects »

Join HOPE to Help the Neglected Poor become Self-reliant

Please stay tuned. We will inform you of upcoming events as soon as they are decided.

News

An article about HOPE was published by gooddo , a magazine about social issues and the SDGs!

It includes a lot of details about who we are and what we do.

Your donation supports HOPE's projects. You can be assured that your gift will make a significant difference to those in most need in Cambodia, Ethiopia, and the Philippines.

Any gift you purchase through the HOPE Gift Catalogue or money you donate is tax-deductible in Japan and you will receive a receipt.

Year-end Message from Jeffrey Behr

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 14:08:32 GMT

As we reflect on all that has transpired in our lives during this past year we realize there are uncertainties beyond our control. This year again, coronavirus and its multiple variants have continued to plague us, yet we keep on going. Our hearts and minds are focused on our Mission: Helping the Neglected Poor Become Self-Reliant. We do this because despite the uncertainties we know that our society has a foundation of critical lifelines: the necessary utilities, healthcare, and social welfare to support us. However, those we serve do not, and we are able to share our blessings with those less fortunate than us. It is this caring and compassion that makes us human.

As I write this today, our friends in Ethiopia are faced with an outright war raging toward their capital and a country on the brink of collapse. Yet, HOPE continues to build water systems for access to clean and safe drinking water, while conducting sanitation and hygiene training, as well as women’s empowerment and income generation projects. With your generous support we can make a difference in the lives of thousands of disadvantaged people in Ethiopia, Cambodia, and the Philippines.

Please donate during this holiday season. You can be assured that your gift will make a significant difference to those in most need in Cambodia, Ethiopia, and the Philippines.

Any gift you purchase through the HOPE Gift Catalogue or money you donate is tax-deductible in Japan and you will receive a receipt.

*Donations received by the dates below will be tax-deductible for 2021.

Donation by credit card (online): by December 21, 2021
Donation by Bank Transfer: by December 29, 2021

Our Field Staff's quick return to Japan

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 11:55:39 GMT

Forced return to Japan once again

Due to an escalation in the armed conflict in Ethiopia, Akemi and I (HOPE Japan's field staff) had to suddenly evacuate the country and return to Japan on November 7th.

Some of you may be aware of the ongoing armed conflict in Ethiopia which began about a year ago in the Tigray region in the northern part of the country as a result of a power struggle between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government .

It was during this conflict, which was confined to the north of Ethiopia, when we landed in Addis on Oct 11th, about a year and a half later after having left the country due to the pandemic. We were full of relief at having been able to return to the field, and were looking forward to returning to our Ethiopian colleagues and visiting the new project sites. Little did we imagine we would have to leave the country again in less than a month.

The development of Addis Ababa and the impact of the pandemic

Since our field assignments are long-term, as soon as we landed, we immediately began our application for our work permits, a long drawn-out process that requires patience in navigating several government offices. While we got the work permit application process going, we caught up with our friends and set out to re-familiarize ourselves with all things Ethiopian - the food, the city sights, and most importantly, the Amharic language.

We noticed a few changes since when we left Ethiopia in the Spring of last year: new road construction projects in several parts of the city, the almost finished construction of the Commercial Bank tower that is currently the tallest building in Ethiopia standing at almost 200 meters, the heavier traffic congestions in Addis, the new Friendship Park and Unity Park, all signs of Ethiopia’s growing development.

Commercial Bank Tower

Downtown Addis Ababa

We also paid extra attention to hygiene in this time of COVID-19, carefully eyeing how people in general exercised preventive measures. It was sad to see how the pandemic has affected local traditions, for instance where some discontinued the culture of communal eating and especially of the rubbing of shoulders when greeting each other.

Unanticipated turn of events

As we slowly settled back into the daily rhythm of Addis, it was at the end of our third week when we first got some inkling of trouble, at our meeting at the Japanese Embassy, when we were informed of the possibility of Dessie being taken by the TPLF, a city located to the north of Addis in the Amhara region.

With the hotel TV tuned to only two local Ethiopian channels coupled with a very spotty internet connection, we were mostly in the dark on the news. Our only source of information were the email alerts sent out by the Japanese Embassy and the rare bits of news coverage by the Japanese media which we accessed on the phone.

The next day, we received a message informing us that Dessie had fallen, followed by another alert two days later that the region of Amhara (immediately north of Addis) had declared a State of Emergency. At this point, we didn’t think much of it as Dessie was still distant, and the people around us weren’t bothered. However, two days later on Wednesday, November 3rd, the situation started to pick up dramatically when we received several messages from the Embassy informing us of the declaration of a nationwide State of Emergency, the possibility of the TPLF’s advance to the capital, and a request to Japanese citizens to consider departing the country.

However, despite the State of Emergency, life continued normally in Addis. People went about their business as usual, the everyday traffic jams, shops, restaurants and businesses were open, with zero hint of panic, no hoarding of food and everyday supplies. Nobody around us spoke of the TPLF, nor did they seem worried about their proximity to the capital. A few of our friends whom we prodded replied that they were confident that the TPLF would not reach Addis.

A local supermarket

We were struck by the contrast between the urgent tone of the messages from the Embassy and the relaxed demeanor of our friends and colleagues. Lulled by their positive outlook, we decided to stay put for a few more days and see how the situation unfolded. At this point, we were nearing the very end of our work permit application process, and we held a tiny bit of hope that we could immediately leave for our project sites in the south, far removed from the conflict areas.

Sudden evacuation request

As we prepared to settle in for the weekend after lunch on the Friday, November 5th, we received a call from our Grant Manager in Japan, informing us to leave Ethiopia immediately on the flight the following day, based on the request from the Foreign Ministry of Japan urging all Japanese to evacuate the country as soon as possible.

What followed was a flurry of activity in preparation for our departure in the little time left as we zipped across the city between the Ethiopian Airlines ticketing office, the Immigration Office, the Embassy, and the clinic for our PCR tests. Our minds were barely able to process everything that was happening, our emotions see-sawing between feelings of elation from the optimism of our friends and colleagues, and the dread and sadness as we imagined the possible ruins of Addis that were passing through our taxi windows.

Wish for peace

The well-being of our friends weighed heavily on our minds as we called them to say our goodbyes while waiting to board our Narita-bound flight.

We wish and pray for a quick and peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ethiopia, and we certainly hope to return again very very soon.

Returning to Ethiopia one and a half years later

Sun, 17 Oct 2021 11:01:46 GMT

In March last year, our Japanese field staff Kiminari and Akemi abruptly returned from Ethiopia, due to the pandemic. Since then, they have been looking forward to getting back to the project sites for a year and a half and have finally flown back to Ethiopia on October 11th.

In the last year and a half, the Water Supply Project in the District of Bonke ended, and from February of this year, we started a Women's Empowerment Project in the Oyda District.

This marketing technique that features donations through product sales is known as CRM (Cause-Related Marketing). HOPE worked with Pokka Sapporo Food & Beverage Ltd. in 2014, which marked the beginning of our use of this model, which was later applied to sales from vending machines, wine, coffee, apparel, and LINE stamps, through several partnerships with a variety of companies.

CRM has benefited many businesses, consumers, and NGOs in the following manner.

As field staff, Kiminari and Akemi needed to work with our local staff in Ethiopia even after returning to Japan in order to track the progress of the project and gather field data.

Therefore, given the circumstances of working remotely from Japan, we held online meetings with the staff in Ethiopia. However, due to internet connectivity problems in Ethiopia, it was not easy to gather some critical details, and in the end, information had to be collected through emails and telephone calls.

Our Japanese field staff are expected to visit the project sites and monitor the project through direct contact with the local staff and communities, but this was made impossible by the pandemic for the past year and a half. Certain details, including small changes on the ground, can only be perceived and understood in the field. For the first time, due to the difficulties of monitoring the project remotely from Japan, we gained a deeper appreciation of the importance of being in the field.

Below are the frank comments of our Japanese field staff just before leaving for Ethiopia and their update on the current state of the Women's Empowerment Project currently being implemented in the Oyda District.

Kiminari Onodera (Ethiopia Project Manager）

" A lot of progress has been made since February with our Women’s Empowerment project in Oyda. Although we have been fed reports from the field by emails and phone calls, I cannot wait to meet the local community and get their firsthand account of the project’s impact on their lives. "

Akemi Nozawa (Ethiopia Project Officer）

" For a year and a half after returning to Japan, I was always frustrated because my understanding of the progress of the project was restricted to the information that was provided by our Ethiopian field staff. Finally, I am able to return to Ethiopia, and see the project sites and monitor the progress without the time lag of gathering and processing of field data by our local staff. From now on, I would like to share more details about the local communities in real time. "

The current project

A Women's Empowerment Project has been implemented in the District of Oyda since February of this year. At the beginning of the project, we conducted a survey of 538 women in order to gain a better understanding of the challenges they face in their communities. We found that Oyda is a very poor area with no clean water just as with the previous project sites, and the discrimination against women is relatively high.

95% of the women who participated in the survey have claimed that they are physically and verbally abused. The survey also revealed that only 17% of women attend community meetings, many women are subject to physical violence, and that they do not participate in community activities.

HOPE is currently training women who are victims of physical violence, and who are socially and economically disadvantaged, to help them rise above these difficulties.

For instance, when providing them with training and education about savings, we first ask 20 women to get together and form a group before teaching them about savings. Many individuals in these communities have never saved money and are unfamiliar with this concept. They are also taught maths to calculate and record their savings.

At this point in the project, these women regularly save 5 birr (approx. 15 yen) each at their weekly group meetings. The groups, which have been saving for four months now, have saved 1600 birr (4800 yen) each. It may not be easy to save alone, but it certainly helps to save regularly on a specific day together with others.

These trained women will use the knowledge they have learned to start their own small businesses with their savings. At this point, it is still a small step, but by earning their own income, they will regain their self-confidence which will help them take the step toward independence and empowerment.

We will provide you with updates on how these women are changing their lives.

In the future, our two Japanese field staff will share more information from Ethiopia. We hope that you will continue to watch the transformation of these women in Ethiopia.

Crowdfunding Campaign: Cambodian School

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 15:40:27 GMT

Build a School for Cambodian Children

We exceeded our goal! Thank you for your generosity!

Total raised: ¥ 3,520,000

We would like to introduce some of our donors

Ecoro International Co., Ltd .

RW Design
Kaoru Yamamoto
Nanayo Kamiyo / Sumiyo Miyamoto
Maki Yamaguchi
Tomomi Okane
Gold Green Japan Co., Ltd,
Midori Tanaka
Mika Chujo
Shimoei Co., Ltd,
Brilliant Balloon / Miyuki Matsuyama
株式会社 Laule’a / Noriko Kado
Yukari Ishiura
Yukiko Matsuura
Taisei Sangyo

※ The list above is in no particular order

※ Donors selected levels of support that includes listing on our website.

Ethiopian Holiday Season

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 12:24:18 GMT

Two major Ethiopian holidays occur in September

September is an important month in Ethiopia as it hosts two big holidays - the Ethiopian New Year and Meskel .

The Ethiopian New Year

Some of you may be aware of the peculiarities of the Ethiopian calendar. Unlike in Japan and in many parts of the world, Ethiopia celebrates the New Year on the 11th of September (12th in a leap year). Ethiopians follow a calendar that has much in common with the Coptic calendar, which is 7 years and 8 months behind the Gregorian calendar due to its observance of a different date for Jesus' birth, and thus this New Year will ring in the year of 2014 for the Ethiopians.

Please check this article, from 2019, for more details on the Ethiopian calendar .

The Ethiopian New Year marks the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the harvest and pleasant sunny weather. As in many countries, celebrations start on New Year's Eve. Church services begin at midnight, often lasting till dawn. Children, donned in new clothes, visit their friends, neighbours, and relatives and present them with hand-drawn paintings and flowers, upon which adults reward them with money. Flowers, especially yellow daisies and grass, symbolize the return to life and the end of the rains. It is customary for families to exchange bouquets of flowers (now replaced by New Year cards), and freshly cut grass is strewn on the floors inside of people's homes.

Meskel – Finding of the True Cross

Meskel or ‘cross’ is one of the biggest spiritual festivals celebrated on the 27th of September (28th in a leap year) in Ethiopia that goes back 1,600 years. It celebrates the finding of the original cross on which Christ was crucified and it is registered with UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.

CRM has benefited many businesses, consumers, and NGOs in the following manner.

Image: PS_MeskelCelebrations_Meskel_Square by ITDP Africa

It is one of the largest religious festivals in the country and celebrations start on the eve of Meskel with the Demera bonfire in town squares all over the country. A large pyre of wood is put together, surrounded by yellow daisies and green grass to symbolize the New Year. One of the biggest celebrations is held in Meskel Square in Addis Ababa, where thousands gather to kick off the celebrations. Priests holding ornate crosses, archbishops, government officials and many believers dressed in robes sing hymns and dance in front of the pyre. The bonfire commemorates a dream that queen Eleni (Roman Empress Helena) had, which instructed her to light a huge fire to find the True Cross. It is believed that part of the cross was brought to Ethiopia.

Meskel in our project area

Meskel celebrations in our part of south Ethiopia, that is the SNNPR, are especially huge, often lasting a week, sometimes two. Celebrations are held in the local communities at our project sites with their local variations on traditions such as food, dance, and traditional clothes.

Preparations for this holiday start long before the event, when people start saving money to buy clothes and gifts. It is a time when families gather and migrant workers return home. Meat, which is not a common part of their diet, is served plentifully.

Happy New Year and Melkam Meskel ‼

If you find yourself in Ethiopia in September, you'll be able to experience a lot of the national and local culture within the span of a few weeks - public celebrations, foods, sights, and local experiences. However, due to the ongoing pandemic, large celebrations for both these holidays were scaled down in 2020, and looks to be the same this year, with the most recent announcement of a rapidly rising third wave of the pandemic in Ethiopia.

Despite the difficult times, we wish the Ethiopians a safe but Happy New Year and a joyous holiday season.

Enkuan Aderesachihu (Happy New Year), and Melkam Meskel (Happy Meskel).

Our individual contributions for a sustainable future

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 10:57:35 GMT

What are SDGs?

Today, we are facing many challenges, such as poverty, conflicts, and climate change.

The Sustainable Development Goals are the shared goals of the international community set by the United Nations which aims to solve these issues to protect the earth and enable a sustainable future for all by 2030.

The SDGs comprise 17 goals that address various issues such as human rights, the economy, and the environment. Solving complex interconnected problems and achieving the SDGs requires a comprehensive approach to multiple goals, rather than working towards just one goal.

The current state of SDG initiatives around the world and in Japan

According to a report published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) in June of this year, there are very few goals that have been achieved so far ( ● , ↑ marked in green in Diagram 1), with a conspicuously large number of goals yet to be achieved (marked in yellow , orange , red , in Diagram 1).

The report even included the following statement: "For the first time since the SDGs were adopted in 2015, the world lost ground on the SDGs in 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic has created not only a global health emergency but also a sustainable development crisis." (Diagram 2).

On the other hand, how are we doing on the SDGs in Japan?

According to the report, Japan ranks 18th out of 165 countries in its achievement of the SDGs, down from 11th in 2017 for the fourth consecutive year.

There are multiple issues concerning each goal, but the ones that have been achieved so far are:

Goal #4 "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all",
Goal #9 "Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation",
Goal #16 "Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels",

as shown in Diagram 3.

And as in other countries, work on the remaining goals is expected to be stepped up.

In recent years, businesses and corporations have also begun contributing to the SDGs in their respective areas of expertise. Initiatives that contribute to SDGs abroad as well as within Japan are now common.

Sustainable Development Report 2021 (SDSN)

HOPE Staff SDGs contributions

HOPE is working to achieve the following SDGs.

Our staff are also aware of how the SDGs are personally relevant in our lives and are not only working to achieve the goals related to HOPE’s work, but also doing what they can on a personal level.

Below are a few examples.

I donate old books to organizations that provide educational support to the poor in developing countries. The secondhand bookstore buys old books, and the money is donated to appropriate organizations (NGOs).

I favor local production for local consumption, which is good for the environment and promotes the creation of sustainable local communities.

I try not to use the words "because he’s a boy" and "because she’s a girl" when discussing children. I let children choose their favorite colors and clothes they want to wear so that they do not have fixed concepts such as "pink is for girls".

I convey to the people around me about the importance of water on my visits to the project.

When I visit developing countries, I cut my hair short to save water when I wash my hair.

I try not to use plastic bags at the project sites.

How can you contribute to the SDGs?

If you are interested in contributing to the SDGs, have a look at The Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World published by the United Nations. You’ll find many suggestions here that you can take up to make an impact.

We need to act!

At first glance, the SDGs are grand goals and may seem irrelevant to us. But even the small individual contributions that we make can contribute to the attainment of the SDGs if many of us act.

Start with what you are interested in and what you can do.

The world will surely change as each person becomes aware of the SDGs and acts!

Life in an Ethiopian Village

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 10:43:37 GMT

Nature-rich village mornings

Mornings in the village at the project site, which is located over 2300 m above sea level, always felt refreshing as if you spent the night camping in the woods. There is no electricity or gas, but the view of the lush and quiet mountains and valleys is refreshing, like a very luxurious nature getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city.

As I wash my face and brush my teeth outside my tent, I see smoke rising from the roof of my neighbor's house. By 7 am, the villagers have already started the day, the women have fetched their water, and are busy preparing breakfast.

A smile in the middle of the hill

After breakfast, I start my work. I walk to the water springs near the top of a mountain to check on the progress of the construction of the water system, and chat with a few local families about their lives.

Walking through the village in the mountains on rugged paths very much feels like a proper mountain hike. You come across steep hills strewn with large rocks, but the villagers walk these precipitous paths every day. I often meet people who lug water in jerry cans on their way home or carry crops to sell at the market.

What surprises me are the women who climb these rocks in their slippery, thin plastic shoes, often faster than me in my trekking shoes! I always find their big smiles and warm greetings delightful as we pass each other.

The shoes worn by the village women

Children after school

By the time I finish my work and return to my tent, I see children on their way home from school. They don't have textbooks on them as they aren’t allowed to take them out from school but instead some children carry small yellow jerry cans filled with water back to their homes.

When I hold up my camera, some children become shy and run away, but others pose to get their pictures taken.

Children play volleyball and soccer in the flattened grounds near my tent.

They are very much into soccer but instead of a soccer ball, they kick around a ball of cloth. I was impressed by their creativity.

How I use water in the village

Before dinner, it is my daily routine in the village to walk to the water source which is three minutes away from my tent. I fill two 2-liter plastic bottles every day to wash my face, brush my teeth, and for drinking. Water for cooking is fetched separately, usually about three liters of water a day.

When I’m in the village, I can't shower because there are no bathing facilities, but I wash my hair once every three to four days with water from my plastic bottles. The villagers bathe in the river, but the frequency varies, and I’ve heard that some people bathe about once a month.

I only need enough water for one person, but in a large family, women and children must fetch about 40 liters of water in several batches, which is what they use on average every day.

To be in her shoes

There is an English expression “to be in someone’s shoes", which means ‘to share that person’s experience or circumstance.” It is important to actually spend time in the villages at the project sites and experience life as close as possible to the locals in order to understand their hardships.

After returning to Japan, when I use water, I remember my life in the village, and at the same time I feel the gratitude and guilt of being able to use water freely. I realized that I could learn a lot from their wisdom, even though I live in an environment where I rely on many material things that can be easily replaced when broken.

The water supply system constructed by HOPE makes the lives of the villagers safer and healthier.

I hope that my valuable life experience in the village can contribute in some way to HOPE.

The Pandemic's Affects on HOPE Projects

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 03:01:37 GMT

The pandemic is still raging relentlessly. Amongst the anguish that it is causing to our medical professionals and the problems to the economy, will the vaccines shine a ray of light of hope?

Travel abroad is also restricted, and our HOPE Japan field staff have been unable to visit the project sites for over a year. We are kept up-to-date through regular reports shared from the field but how are the local communities actually doing and how have their lives been affected by the pandemic …, we have a lot of concerns.

What is the local situation like in Cambodia and Ethiopia? We asked our local staff.

Cambodia

We spoke about the current state of the pandemic with Ly, the Director of HOPE Cambodia.

It appears as though the number of infections have gone up since the start of the year.

Ly: With the arrival of the third wave, a lockdown was put in place from late February to May 6th of this year. In the capital, Phnom Penh, 80% of shops, businesses and government offices have been closed since February. Since the state of emergency varies from state to state, cross-state travel was also prohibited.

These days, you can get information on the state of the pandemic not only of Cambodia but also of all the countries around the world through social media channels, cable TV, YouTube, and so on. There is some information that is questionable but the people here are being cautious about the pandemic.

Schools have also been closed since February and they are strictly regulated, especially in the urban areas. The Ministry of Health has not announced when they will lift the restrictions as of yet.

Please describe what the situation is like at our project sites in terms of infections.

Ly: According to the Pursat Department of Health, the first infection in the state was confirmed on April 5th of this year. As of May 24th, the cumulative number of infections stood at 86 and 1 death was reported.

How are the communities doing at our project sites? Can HOPE staff visit them?

Ly: Our staff continues to visit the project sites, although less frequently than before the pandemic. During their visits, they wear masks and take some rubbing alcohol with them. Since our work hasn’t ceased, sometimes we conduct discussions in small groups of 5 to 7 people to talk about the project’s progress in the field, but the local communities are careful of coronavirus prevention measures and wear masks, diligently disinfect their hands with alcohol, and practice social distancing.

How is the vaccination drive going?

Ly: Vaccinations began in February and our staff was vaccinated in April. These are provided free of charge. The government intends for everyone to be vaccinated, but many have not yet received them. I just hope that the pandemic will dissipate soon and that everyday life will return to normal.

How is the vaccination drive going?

Ethiopia

We spoke with Awoka, a staff member of HOPE Ethiopia, about what it’s like at our project sites.

In Ethiopia, as of May 20th this year, a total of 268,000 infections have been reported. What is the situation like in the communities at our project sites in terms of infections?

Awoka: So far, there have been no large outbreaks (in the Oyda district). However, there are no facilities nearby where you can get PCR tests, and many people are asymptomatic even if they are infected, so the reality is that even if people at our project sites are infected, they do not notice it.

What kind of preventive measures are taken by the local communities and HOPE staff?

Awoka: Unfortunately, the communities at our project sites are not being careful in taking preventive measures. In rural areas, people tend to downplay pandemics, and some even think it's not half as bad as the flu. We feel that it is necessary to raise awareness through health and hygiene education.

There are no restrictions on site visits at this time, so our staff can still access these communities. Our staff always wears masks, and they also wash their hands, use hand sanitizers, and practice social distancing.

How is the vaccination program progressing?

Awoka: In Ethiopia, 20% of the population is expected to be vaccinated by the end of 2021. Vaccines are free, and in March they have been prioritized for our healthcare professionals, the elderly over the age of 60, and people with chronic illnesses. However, it seems like it will take a considerable amount of time for everyone to get vaccinated because the number of vaccines that are expected to become available in the future is small.

How are school students studying?

Awoka: From March to November last year, all schools in the country were closed. Now they are open and back to normal. During the closure, students in the cities were able to take classes online and through television programs. But when it comes to rural areas where the infrastructure is poor, the story is different. Students were confined to their homes, revealing differences in learning opportunities from urban areas.

How are the local communities doing economically?

Awoka: At first glance, nothing has changed, but national and local government reports indicate that livelihoods are deteriorating and people are getting poorer. The local produce markets also appear to be collapsing.

This is a summary of the condition of the communities at our project sites in Cambodia and Ethiopia.

Vaccinations do not seem to be progressing as much as expected in both countries. Our staff will continue to support the local communities in order to minimize infections, and to ensure that our project work stays on schedule to help improve their lives.

Latrine construction and women's empowerment supports education!?

Thu, 13 May 2021 22:30:02 GMT

The Internet gets cut off during school exams

Every year in Ethiopia, the internet gets shut down a few times which disrupts our email communication with our HOPE Ethiopia staff. Many people may think that this is about information control. In fact, in Ethiopia, Internet services become unavailable now and then due to riots and political disturbances, but during the national exams, which are normally held from the end of May through the first week of June, the Internet is blocked nationwide. Exam questions have been posted on social media in the past, so it's a measure taken to prevent this from happening. School exams are just as important in Ethiopia as they are in Japan, a big turning point that determines your life.

The Ethiopian education system

The education system in Ethiopia is designed with 8 years for elementary school, 2 years for junior high school, 2 years for high school, and 4 years for university. Education is compulsory up to the 4th grade, and tuition is free. Therefore, enrollment in elementary schools is as high as 84% (UNESCO in 2015), but the fact is many children don’t attend school.

There are various reasons for children not attending or discontinuing school. Even if tuition is free, many families lack the financial resources to buy school supplies such as uniforms and stationery. Other economic reasons include families having to send children to work in the urban centers and even to the Middle East. Furthermore, for girls living in rural communities, there are cultural expectations from them to do housework, and the practice of child marriage. Still, other reasons are due to inadequate facilities such as lack of toilets and unsanitary conditions in schools.

If parents think that "we’re financially poor and we want the children to work instead of going to school," the children would normally have to give up school. And even if they could go to school, if latrines aren’t available or if the latrines are unsanitary, they end up defecating out in the open. This is especially dangerous for girls as it increases their risk of being sexually harassed or assaulted in the outdoors. Would you go to school with such risks?

Increase school enrollment by empowering women and building school latrines!

HOPE Japan is currently implementing two projects in Ethiopia that will help raise school enrollment. The first project supports women's empowerment by easing their financial burden, which will help their children attend school. If women earn an income and become financially independent, they’ll be able to buy school supplies for their children.

The Women's Empowerment project, which started in February of 2021 in the Oyda district, begins with forming groups of 20 women each and building group savings through regular contributions from each member. These women, who have no prior concept of savings, will be educated by HOPE on what they need to do to become financially independent, such as keeping records of their money, savings, and how to start small businesses to earn income. Each member will then become able to earn an income while raising their children by borrowing from their group savings to carry out income generation activities (entrepreneurship).

The second project is the construction of school latrines, which contributes to an environment where children can study with peace of mind. Since April, thanks to the Water Environment Fund provided by TOTO, the construction of a boys and girls latrine at Kale Malo Elementary School in the Oyda District has started.

However, at the moment, we lack the funding to build latrines at four other schools in the project area. We ask for your continued support and cooperation to help the girls in these rural communities attend school.

Contributing to SDGs at your Company

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 04:58:31 GMT

Do you think that there isn’t much your company can do to contribute to SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)?

There is no need to do something big to help solve some of the problems facing the world today. Perhaps you can start with something small. This month, we would like to introduce one of the ways in which businesses can contribute to SDGs through the Charitable Sales model that HOPE has adopted.

This method that allows a small portion of a company’s sales to be contributed as a donation is an initiative whereby a company donates a small fraction of its sales revenue to an NPO’s charitable programs.

CRM has benefited many businesses, consumers, and NGOs in the following manner.

Businesses:

Improvement in sales (depending on the implementation method), corporate image, expansion of sales channels.

NGOs (HOPE):

Increase in funding for projects, consumers become aware of the social issues that the NGOs are tackling with through their purchase of the CRM products.

Consumers:

They contribute to social causes by purchasing the CRM products.

Furthermore, there is also the shared merit of solving social problems through this model.

To demonstrate a recent example of CRM, we would like to direct your attention to our collaboration with the French pastry and canelé specialty shop, CANELÉ ET CRÈME GLACÉE , in Nagoya, which opened in 2021.

With the sale of each canelé, 3 yen is donated to a social cause, which the consumer can choose from five different charities. The shop staff has informed us that their customers are carefully choosing the social cause they wish to support.

This is a great way to connect with and have an impact on social problems that may seem a world away. One of the charitable options at this store is the HOPE Clean Water and Sanitation & Hygiene Education project in Ethiopia . Our staff have also sampled their canelés and we can attest to their delicious taste! The canelés are also available for purchase online.

This CRM approach can be easily implemented by businesses with existing resources and as such can help contribute to the achievement of SDGs.

If you are interested or would like to explore this further, please feel free to contact us.

Inquiries: info@hope.or.jp

Reflections on the 2011 Tohoku earthquake that struck Onagawa

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 14:39:45 GMT

Born and raised in Miyagi, I began my work in 2012 as the local representative in charge of HOPE's Tohoku Emergency and Recovery Projects. It was around the time when many survivors were trying to restart their lives, sheltered in temporary housing, amidst the uncertainty of their future.

Back then, an unprecedented number of people, including businesses, volunteers, and people who wanted to help, were flowing into Tohoku. It appeared that these volunteers were filled with thoughts of wanting to become heroes to the disaster victims, of wanting to be involved in effective projects, which sometimes led them to compete amongst each other for victims to support.

On the other hand, the locals were dealing with concerns about which offer of support to choose and accept and how they should deal with new volunteers providing support despite feeling grateful to those who were there from the beginning.

Under such circumstances, HOPE mobilized its international donors and raised over 200 million yen to immediately provide emergency relief and support to rebuild livelihoods. Subsequently, our work was refocused and continued until 2016 to provide support to children and their families to help them recover from the traumatic event. Both programs were implemented in a manner respecting the local communities’ own reconstruction plans.

In this issue, we would like to introduce a message from Ms. Shimanuki, who runs the clothing store "Daishin", which was the first to rebuild its business in front of the Onagawa Station in Miyagi.

I first met her when she reopened her store on the temporary shopping street Kibo no Kane that was opened after the earthquake. HOPE provided support for the operation of a cafe attached to her store and in the development of a new product, a furoshiki *. Five years have passed since the temporary shopping street was closed and Daishin was reopened in front of Onagawa Station.

*Furoshiki (風呂敷) are a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth traditionally used to transport clothes, gifts, or other goods.

" It's been 10 years since that day ,” she recalled. “ Onagawa, which was a mountain of rubble, has been reborn through the support of many people all over the world. I am truly grateful to everyone for their support and the wonderful relationships that were born. Thank you. ”

“ Prior to the disaster, my store had been around for nearly 90 years since my grandparents' time. They were not from Onagawa, but had moved here and opened their shop. They built up trust within the community and prospered as a business. The number of customers decreased as they got older, but we are still supported by regular customers from our grandparent’s and parent’s generation. As long as I am in business, I value the trust that we’ve built in this community over the many years, and I want to deepen my roots here. There have been many months where the turnover of Onagawa restaurants has shrunk to less than half that since the onset of the pandemic last year. And after the state of emergency that was declared in Kanto in January this year, the number of tourists in Onagawa has gone down as well. This is a town that was reconstructed with a lot of support from many people, so I am doing my best to hold out.

Last year, due to COVID-19, we didn't accept volunteers, but they still come here. There are those in town who think that we still need reconstruction support. However, I think that we cannot look at ourselves as victims forever, and that we must dismiss the idea that we should continue to receive outside support. From now on, I think that if we reach out to the victims of disasters and the socially vulnerable elsewhere, it may help us in the recovery of our hearts. "

Many supporters withdrew within five years after the earthquake, and some of their work was successfully handed over to local organizations, and some not, but the results are clear after ten years. Despite the difficulty of emergency and reconstruction work, I feel that the formerly inward-looking people of Tohoku who after having received support from all over the world, and who are thankful for it, have now become aware of disaster victims and those mired in poverty beyond the country. Nowadays, the areas affected by the earthquake are also affected by the pandemic, which is a global problem, but I hope that many people will continue to visit this area again to help raise awareness of this disastrous event.

HOPE Japan Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Wed, 10 Feb 2021 11:38:50 GMT

Wow. Has it been twenty years??!!

Since that first gathering in Nagoya in Feb 2001... a small gathering including Carl Gettinger, Robert Roche, Erik Olson Kikuchi, Martin Green, Michel Weenick, David Mackenzie, and myself at The Terrace in Hilton Nagoya, we have seen hundreds of thousands of people become self-reliant. The history outline says it all, but it is amazing that it all started with just a small group of friends.

There were many notable moments of kindness, generosity and compassion, but the most memorable, most poignant were the stories of the families who were not self-reliant and living lives where they could not afford to dream or plan for the future.

We have always focused on relationships in Japan. Even the dinners, which grew in influence first in Nagoya, then Tokyo and then in Kansai, were not so much about a party, but rather groups of friends and family gathering around a meal to learn about the plight of the neglected poor.

2020 has taken its toll on all of us, but amidst all this we mustn't forget the world's neglected poor. In 2019, we were encouraged to see the percentage of the world's population living in extreme poverty* falling. The figure in 2019 was 8.4% and the projection for 2020 was 8%. Sadly in the year of COVID-19, the figure rose to 9.4%.

*extreme poverty is defined as living on less than USD1.90 a day. Data from October 7, 2020 World Bank Press Release.

That is staggering and alarming, and confirms that the work of HOPE is needed now more than ever.

We have rightly been concerned in the last year with our own health and safety but have also been reminded that we are not isolated from the problems on the other side of the world.

During 2020, Jeffrey Behr and the team, including staff and the board, have valiantly pursued every avenue to ensure HOPE Japan remained in existence and that we honored our overseas commitments. Now we need to raise our eyes above the parapet and see the greater need.

Thank you for your support over the past twenty years. And now the neglected poor and our partners who serve them need us, you and I, more than ever. So in this 20th year, how about we do something extra, dig deeper and give? Wouldn't it be great if in this year we could release an additional 20 million yen to the field? This would result in about 1,800 people (Ethiopia data) gaining access to clean water for life, and learning how to wash their hands and be given the opportunity to advance to self-reliance.

Whether it is 2,000, 20,000, 200,000, 2 million, or 20 million yen, your gift will make a difference.

Please consider giving here:

Contact HOPE Japan office with any questions regarding giving: info@hope.or.jp

Be assured that your gift will be handled wisely and effectively. Let's look out from our windows in consideration of those that are suffering the most and do something. We can all do something.

Thank you,

Lowell Sheppard

Founder and Board Member

HOPE Japan

World Toilet Day

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 07:59:08 GMT

What is World Toilet Day?

World Toilet Day may seem strange to many, but it is an officially designated UN International Observance Day on November 19th that celebrates the importance of toilets by raising awareness on the broader global sanitation crisis.

Toilet problems on a global scale

Here are a few sobering facts:

4.2 billion people around the world do not have access to safely managed sanitation ^*1
673 million people practice open defecation ^*2
Every day more than 700 children, or about one every two minutes, die from diarrheal diseases (not counting other water-borne diseases) which are preventable ^*3

For something that often is taken for granted, many of us may not appreciate the full extent to which toilets contribute to our health and our way of life. In fact, toilets are a very fundamental aspect of our lives that affects us in more ways than we could imagine.

However, on a global scale, we are not doing well in this regard. The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in July this year that "SDG 6 (Water and Sanitation for all by 2030) is badly off track." A lack of progress on SDG 6 affects all other SDGs, specifically global health, education, food, gender equality, energy and climate change. ^*4 Without clean water and decent toilets, it would be difficult to combat and prevent pandemics globally.

The state of toilets in Ethiopia

Although Ethiopia is one of the fastest growing economies on the African continent, about 8,500 children die each year from water borne diseases. 93% of Ethiopians do not have access to decent toilets, which is the highest in the world. ^*5 Ethiopia’s population of about 109 million is almost equal to that of Japan. Can you imagine 93% of Japanese without access to toilets?

These facts are hard to digest, but they are quite real at HOPE's project sites. Open defecation is commonly practiced especially in community households that lack toilet facilities. Inconsistent usage of toilets coupled with open defecation not only affects public health but also children’s education. The spread of diarrheal and other infectious diseases among children affects their attendance at school. Poor access to health services and the lack of resources to purchase medication further exacerbates this situation, leading to deteriorating health and compromised economic livelihoods, ultimately falling into the poverty trap devoid of income and education.

60% of Ethiopian schools do not have decent toilet and sanitation facilities, but where available, they are often unhygienic and unprotected. Such toilets disproportionately impact girls during their menstrual cycle and affect their school attendance.

HOPE's work on toilet improvement in rural communities

However, HOPE has been addressing these issues of sanitation and hygiene for many years now. Our staff educates local communities at the household level on hygiene and sanitation practices, and instructs them on building simple toilets for their own use. By creating awareness of the importance of sanitary practices, combined with making clean water more accessible through the construction of a water distribution system, we have witnessed a dramatic reduction in the occurrence of diseases in the communities we engage with.

According to the World Toilet Organization, for every $1 invested in basic sanitation in rural areas, the returns are more than $5 in reduced medical costs and increased productivity. Sanitary and hygienic toilets are fundamental in the improvement of lives and in breaking the poverty cycle.

We hope that this article has shed some new light on your perception and appreciation for toilets.

Citations:

A student's perspective on working at an NGO

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 02:26:48 GMT

This month, our intern Umemura-san will share her experience with us. She is currently attending college and doing a long-term internship at HOPE Japan (HOPE). She would like to share about the work that she has been involved in at an NGO from the perspective of a university student.

I first met with HOPE at an event called the " International Cooperation College " that is held once a year at JICA where students and other people can interact with organizations that carry out international aid and development work. Before I got involved with HOPE, I imagined that the main business of an NGO was to go abroad to deliver relief supplies and build schools. However, when I met HOPE at this event and learned that there are other ways to contribute to their work, I felt that I had to do something from Japan.

When I actually became involved in the work I realized that although there are many things that are directly related to project implementation abroad, my main tasks focused on creating awareness of the work that is being done in those developing countries. When you hear the word NGO, you tend to have this fancy image of flying around the world, but there is a lot of other work involved. While there are some staff members who do work abroad, through my internship I learned that the work being done in Japan is what enables the work that’s being done overseas.

One of the specific tasks I worked on was the Online HOPE Night event. HOPE holds a monthly event called HOPE Night featuring presentations about its projects overseas. This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, we held the HOPE Night event online. As this was the first time to do the event online, we rehearsed repeatedly and refined our production by exchanging opinions, and in the end, we finally managed to hold this event after a lot of trial and error. I was very pleased that many people who participated in this event got interested in HOPE. At the same time, I strongly felt the importance of the work that is being done in Japan. I hope the online HOPE Night events will encourage more people to support HOPE’s cause.

In addition to such events, I mainly manage HOPE Japan's social media presence by creating illustrations for contributing to posts on Facebook, and I also translate articles from Japanese to English. Raising awareness of HOPE’s work was my main task. As a result, the number of friends who talk about HOPE and who support me continues increasing everyday which I can still see to this day.

Every day I realize that the work being done behind the scenes, and that usually goes unnoticed, is what eventually saves lives. There are ways to support HOPE locally. I want to bring water and joy from Japan to the world.

Ethiopia, the Birthplace of Coffee; Urban Coffee, Rural Coffee

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 04:12:32 GMT

International Coffee Day

Did you know that October 1st is International Coffee Day?

In the coffee industry, October marks the beginning of the fiscal year in line with the harvesting and shipping of coffee beans. Therefore October 1st was designated as Coffee Day.

Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee

Coffee has been loved all over the world since ancient times. In fact, its origin is said to be in Ethiopia, a country where HOPE sites its projects.

A long time ago, Kaldi, a goat herder in Ethiopia, found a goat eating and leaping excitedly around a little red fruit. He ate the fruit and felt invigorated. That fruit was coffee, and this story is still recounted as an anecdote about the discovery of coffee.

Ethiopia, the world's sixth-largest (*1) coffee producing country, is famous for producing high-quality coffee beans and Ethiopians are very proud of their coffee.

Alternative coffee in rural Ethiopia

However, despite being such a coffee powerhouse, there are people in the rural areas of Ethiopia who cannot afford coffee but instead drink an alternative coffee drink.

It is a tea made by boiling mashed coffee leaves called " Haitsatuke " in the local Gamo language. It is quite different from coffee, with a very bitter taste and a unique fresh leafy smell. In rural villages, where seasoning of drinks is a mark of social status but where sugar is scarce, the locals instead serve this tea with plenty of salt.

About half of the coffee produced in Ethiopia is consumed domestically, and the sight of Ethiopia's unique coffee ceremony is very common in the cities and towns. There are many modern and fashionable cafes in the urban centers, but coffee beans are expensive and considered a luxury for the poor families in the rural towns and villages.

A thought for the villages in Ethiopia

Ethiopia has achieved remarkable economic growth in recent years, which however has mostly benefited the urban cities. HOPE continues to provide support to rural neglected communities not only through its water projects but also to the economic development of local communities by supporting the empowerment of women. HOPE continues in its work to help the poor and hopes to see the day when local communities can enjoy the rich aroma of coffee.

When you enjoy a cup of Ethiopia's fruity and aromatic coffee, please ponder a moment and think about villages of the Ethiopia.

*1出典(coffee, green 2018)

http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#rankings/countries_by_commodity

Reaping the Fruits of Transformative Education

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 02:35:23 GMT

The need for an education to escape poverty

I am Kring, a Mandaya, a Filipina.

I have always believed that education is much more meaningful if it can contribute to solving the many ills creeping in our societies. That belief has been strengthened by my education at the Pamulaan Center for Indigenous People’s Education - University of Southeastern Philippines, an educational institution dedicated to the indigenous peoples in the Philippines.

I grew up in a poor community, a poor family. Having experienced poverty in all its realness motivated me to work harder and do better in my studies. Then came Pamulaan.

With its mission of providing education for self-reliance and community service, Pamulaan allowed me to learn so many things about myself and the indigenous communities in the Philippines. It has deepened my passion and commitment for development work. As one of its 265 graduates to date, I have fully committed my life to continuing to learn and grow from the many diverse experiences of people I meet along the way, and to make a difference in their lives no matter how small.

For and with the indigenous peoples of the Philippines

When I graduated from Pamulaan, I joined the Assisi Foundation. My work at the foundation has allowed me to engage with various ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines. You see, the Philippines is an archipelago with over 7,100 islands and home to around 110 ethnolinguistic groups practicing unique cultures and traditions.

Like in many other parts of the world, indigenous peoples in the Philippines have a long history of oppression and marginalization. Many of these injustices have been carried on into the present times. Despite the various legal instruments in place, they continue to struggle for their rights to be recognized and respected.

As the Senior Program Officer for the Livelihood and Leadership Program, I get to work with community entrepreneurs, indigenous leaders, youth advocates, various local government agencies, and local & international civil society organizations. Together, we continue to work for the sustainable development of indigenous communities. I also get to work closely with youth volunteers and indigenous leaders who are also very eager to work towards the betterment of their communities.

During the nine years of my life’s work at Assisi, I’ve learned to appreciate my Pamulaan formation all the more. It prepared me to be more discerning, critical, and innovative. Both Pamulaan and Assisi allowed me to explore many things about myself that I didn’t know existed. I learned to test my limits, and to continue to explore ways to learn, to serve, and to grow.

Towards a brighter future

While working for Assisi and volunteering for Pamulaan, I also got to complete my Master’s Degree in Community Development at the University of the Philippines. Earlier this year, I was also awarded a scholarship for an advanced Master’s Programme in Cultural Anthropology and Development Studies at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, in Leuven, Belgium.

I believe these opportunities for higher education are significant avenues for me to hopefully make a greater contribution not only to the indigenous peoples of the Philippines, but also to those throughout the world.

SHG supports women's social advancement

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 06:16:59 GMT

SHG program and how it empowers women in developing countries

The SHG program, short for Self-Help Group, is run by HOPE in Ethiopia and it is designed to empower women socially and economically. The program encourages women in the villages to form groups and learn about savings and running businesses together, eventually helping their families become financially independent.

Ethiopian women's social advancement is ahead of Japan

In recent years, there have been many debates on women issues in Japan. However, from a global perspective, Japan is far behind in women's social advancement, and according to a recent report by international organizations, Ethiopia ranks far higher than Japan in terms of gender equality.

Source: ILO (International Labour Organization)

ranked out of 189 countries

Source: IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union)

ranked out of 193 countries

The journey ahead for women in Ethiopia

However, even in Ethiopia there is a large disparity in the social status of women between those living in urban and rural areas. In the villages of HOPE’s projects, the culture of male dominance is prevalent, with commonly held prejudices such as " women do not need education " and " they have no right to speak " considered the norm in the communities. As such, women are designated within certain spaces, and their roles limited to fetching water and housework.

The SHG program provides a space for such women to come together as a group and exchange opinions freely. The women who have participated in the program thus far have made use of their talents and opportunities to become independent. Women in the villages are now learning how to live robust lives with their male counterparts. Personally, as a woman, I have been supportive of these women participating in the program. The women finally have started on their journey towards equality. I hope they will be able to build successful businesses and make big leaps forward.

Cambodian women seek empowerment too!

At HOPE's intervention sites in Cambodia, similar programs are being implemented to support women. The goal of the program in Cambodia is to help women succeed in business and to find ways to become self-reliant, and to contribute to the development of the whole community. By creating a community where not only men but women are also empowered, the future of the village becomes brighter.

Written by Akemi Nozawa, Ethiopia Project Officer

SDGs and their role in the Coronavirus pandemic

Sat, 13 Jun 2020 12:53:41 GMT

What Corporations and HOPE Japan can do

Five years have already passed since the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were created at the UN Summit in September 2015.

The 17 SDGs to be achieved by 2030 are based on the motto of ‘ Leaving No One Behind ’. They are not meant only for developing countries, but for the whole world to enact where every country is expected to fulfill its respective role.

So what do you know about SDGs? You might think they have to do with the environment or contributing to society through volunteer work. Or that SDGs are something businesses can tackle when their profit margins allow them to take action. However, the term SDGs has rapidly gained recognition among corporations, and the number of businesses contributing to these goals have been increasing every year.

Challenges common to the international community brought about by Coronavirus - To Leave No One Behind -

In the first half of 2020, we were greatly shaken by the Coronavirus pandemic. At first glance it may seem unrelated to SDGs, but this threat that has spread globally has become a common problem that the world should unite and solve together, thus highlighting the importance of sustainable societies.

It may seem that we are finally beginning to see the end of the Coronavirus epidemic in Japan this month. But in developing countries with poor hygiene and where weaker health care systems exist, fighting the virus will be a long drawn out battle. In a globalized world, even if only some countries can end the Coronavirus epidemic, economies will not recover unless we can overcome this disease globally. Until then, it will continue to threaten our lives. We have now realized that we all share the same fate, thanks to the Coronavirus.

Rather than treating this crisis as transitory, we should assume that various crises can occur in the future. In light of this fact, it has become an urgent global matter to realize sustainable societies that are capable of responding to any crisis through viable solutions to environmental problems and improvements in social infrastructure in developing countries.

Investing in Our Future Well-Being

The novel Coronavirus appeared suddenly, but its effects have made us think about what we can do to achieve sustainable societies. Many businesses are experiencing hardships due to this crisis. However, we have also learned that SDGs can be important guidelines for corporations to survive in the post-Coronavirus world.

“Nurturing human resources centered on others rather than on oneself, building businesses whose mission is to benefit the common good, we as individuals and businesses should seriously think about how we live, and use this crisis as an opportunity to change our behavior. It is time to rethink how corporations act,” said Toyota Group's President Akio Toyoda. He further declared that he would strengthen his efforts to contribute to the SDGs. (Ref. 1)

Individual contributions are often smaller and time consuming, but sometimes corporations can have a big impact on the world when they act. As businesses can affect consumer behaviour, they can help drive individual efforts as well. Our commitment to SDGs is an investment in the prosperity of everyone's future. And once the world truly becomes affluent, the rewards will be realized by not only businesses but individuals as well.

HOPE Japan's SDG Initiatives

For almost 20 years now, HOPE Japan has been working in developing countries to help severly neglected communities toward a path of self-reliance. Our work contributes to SDG Goals 1 to 6.

The work involved in achieving Goals 2 through 6 all contributes to the goal of eliminating poverty, that is, Goal 1: No Poverty. Especially since the importance of hand washing and access to water has become very clear during this pandemic, HOPE Japan is diligently continuing its work to provide access to clean water, which is most important for people to be able to live a life of dignity.

What Corporations and HOPE can do together

If you are unsure about how you can contribute to SDGs as a business, and which goals to address, supporting an international development organization like HOPE Japan is a clear option. For example:

Donate a portion of your office or companies’ vending machine sales to HOPE Japan
Using this method, your employees or anyone who purchases a drink from your vending machine, can easily and consciously participate in supporting HOPE Japan’s development projects. When someone buys a drink from the vending machine to quench their thirst, they can help others gain access to clean drinking water, for their health, and prosperity.
Producing goods for charity events, such as T-shirts or products and accessories tied to HOPE’s work
Not only do the products convey your contribution to SDGs, they also lead to the recognition of your company among the general public.
Sponsoring a charity event
Create awareness and help solve the social issues of poverty and lack of access to education. Supporting a HOPE Japan event allows your company to gain publicity and recognition as an organization that values helping others overcome these hardships.

There are various ways in which you can work together with HOPE Japan. Apart from contributing to SDGs by helping the disadvantaged in developing countries, you can publicize the values and the work of your company, and strengthen your business philosophy of contributing to global communities. Your efforts can create opportunities for more people to contribute to SDGs and support the building of sustainable societies on a global scale.

HOPE Japan supports companies and organizations that want to focus on SDGs. If you wish to work together with us to solve these social issues, please contact us. We can work together to develop an approach that is unique to your company.

Ref. 1): Annual earnings call for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020 - message from the President of Toyota Motor Corp.,

https://toyotatimes.jp/insidetoyota/074.html

The Life-Saving Tippy Tap

Tue, 12 May 2020 15:14:46 GMT

What exactly is a Tippy-Tap?

You might think this cute and catchy word has something to do with dancing or some new game, but it plays a very important role. Since its invention in the 1980s, starting with Africa, this simple handwashing setup has spread across many regions in developing countries that lack water systems and it has helped improve sanitation in local communities.

Tippy refers to tip, and Tap is a faucet. Using the lever principle, it is a very simple mechanism to literally tip over a water can containing water to let it flow out.

Tippy Taps can be easily made at zero cost

The only materials required to make a Tippy Tap are a jerry can that is commonly used to fetch water, bamboo poles or sticks, and a long rope. Jerry cans are commonly found in every home (in the local communities) so their cost is negligible.

It's very simple to make. Two bamboo poles or wooden sticks are made to stand upright on the ground, and another is put horizontally across on top like a clothesline. The jerry can is hung by its handle from the horizontal stick on top, the rope is tied to the cap and then a short stick is tied at the other end on the ground so that it can work as a pedal. When you step on the pedal, the jerry can tilts over and water flows out through a small hole.

Tippy Tap. Inexpensive and simple. It can be easily adopted by every family.

A Cheap and Environmentally Friendly Life Saver

In Japan, it is normal to wash both hands with tap water at the same time, but in developing countries where tap water isn’t available in homes, people collect water in plastic containers and wash their hands by pouring water out from the container, or with a jug. This means one hand must hold the container, which prevents dirt from being washed away properly from that hand. Rubbing your hands together is important to get rid of contaminants and germs. However, with a Tippy Tap, you can wash both hands at the same time without touching anything, which helps to prevent diseases.

Furthermore, the small hole in the jerry can allows water to trickle out, so you can wash your hands with a small amount of water. And it’s easy to stop the waterflow by taking your foot off the pedal so you can conserve water.

HOPE and Tippy Taps

HOPE not only constructs water systems in the remote villages of southern Ethiopia but we also provide awareness and training on hygiene and sanitation practices. Providing handwashing instructions to the local communities is essential at our intervention sites where water is not easily accessible, especially since the custom of washing hands is not a common practice.

When the construction of the water supply starts, our field educators visit each family to inform them of the importance of hand washing and we also recommend the use of Tippy Taps. If handwashing is made easier by using Tippy Taps, the habit will take root.

Changes in hygiene and sanitation awareness among rural Ethiopians

Residents of the Bonke district in southern Ethiopia are used to washing their faces and hands with water from streams and puddles. After the construction of a water system is completed and becomes functional, those who get sick from using contaminated water can regain their health with access to clean water from HOPE’s water system. Furthermore, the use of Tippy Taps makes handwashing easy, so they can wash their hands before meals and after using the toilet, making themselves less susceptible to infectious diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever.

Understanding the importance of hand washing can also help raise awareness about hygiene and sanitation. Locals who previously defecated in the open, and used to dry their dishes on the ground, now build and use toilets in their homes and use dish drying racks. The added benefit is that for many households the improvement of hygiene has reduced their medical costs and thus has helped ease their household finances.

Small things can make a big difference

We have repeatedly seen that a small change in the awareness of hygiene and sanitary practices in local communities can greatly improve their lives. Similarly, each and every little contribution can make a big difference to those living in the distant villages of Ethiopia.

Your support can help improve the hygiene and sanitation of local Ethiopian communities, prevent infectious diseases, and contribute to making major positive changes in their lives.

750km for 250 people!

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 05:38:07 GMT

Written by Nagoya Gakuin University Student Volunteers

With the support of the HOPE International Development Agency, we ran a Cambodian Charity Bicycle Ride with five students and one teacher for eleven days from February 5th to the 15th, 2020.

It was our first visit to Cambodia, and it was a tough 750 km journey from Siem Reap via Stoung, Oudong, Pursat, Battambang, and Phnom Penh, all the way to Tonlé Sap Lake, Southeast Asia's largest lake.

We rode an average of 150 km every day while the temperature exceeded 35 degrees Celsius. On the days when we covered 200 km, we biked on scorching hot roads from 4 am to 7 pm. This was no easy task.

Riding a bicycle in these conditions is dangerous as it involves several risks. However, in Cambodia, potholes on the roads, motorcycles running the wrong way, and dogs attacking us while riding made matters worse. As we would rarely encounter such incidents in Japan, this exhausted us to no end.

We also ran into problems such as bicycle tire punctures and breakdowns of our support car, but these experiences led to a deepening of our relationships with each other, as we struggled to survive together day after day.

There were a lot of fun moments as well. We were able to enjoy the environment and scenery which were completely different from what we experience in Japan, and we enjoyed interacting with the local people during our hourly breaks. We were touched by their kindness ... they let us use their facilities and toilets and rest in their hammocks.

Having taken up such a big challenge, the moment we finished riding the entire 750 kilometers, we felt an incredible sense of joy and accomplishment.

We spent two days at the HOPE project site in Pursat where we visited two homes: one did not have a well, and another home that had been provided a well by HOPE two years ago.

The first home we visited was inhabited by a couple living with their two grandchildren in a house that had no doors or windows. Their son was away working in the city and the couple were taking care of their small grandchildren. Since there are no wells anywhere nearby, they walk back and forth three times a day on a steep mountain road to a point four kilometers away to fetch water. It appeared to us that this chore took up the entirety of a whole day.

The next day we visited a home with a well. Unlike the previous day, there were a variety of vegetables and fruit trees planted in the garden and the house had raised floors.

“ Before the well, we had no hope ,” they said. “ We were so busy trying to live each day, we did not even have time to dream. But now we can dream of a better life. ”

Through these experiences, we once again realized the importance of water that we so often take for granted. And we were able to thoroughly understand the significance of this type of intervention carried out by HOPE Japan.

At the end of our journey, we felt glad realizing that we were able to provide a well to the home without one with the money we raised.

We are resolved to continue to support this program at HOPE Japan.

The statistics '2.5', '70' and '0.01' related to water

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 12:00:33 GMT

Life on the Water Planet, in a Water Country

Compared to other countries, Japan is said to be a country rich in water resources and where the people are comparatively more deeply connected with water in their lives.

To digress briefly, we see a lot of kanji (Asian writing characters) every day. Kanji are made up of two components: left-radicals and right-radicals , and the left-radicals play an important role in defining the meaning of the kanji. So, can you guess which radical is the most commonly found in kanji?

As you might have noticed from the title, the most commonly used radical in Japan is " Sanzui ”, which means " water ". The Japanese must have had a deep relationship with water in ancient times.

Are you familiar with the picture of our Earth on TV and in photographs as a shining blue marble against the dark vastness of space? As a matter of fact, the Earth's ratio of oceans to land is 7:3. The oceans cover more than twice the area of land and, as such, Earth is called the Water Planet ! However, as you may have guessed, most of that water is seawater. Unfortunately, seawater is not suitable for drinking nor for most agriculture.

So, what is the proportion of water available for human consumption out of all the water on Earth? This is where the numbers '2.5', '70' and '0.01' matter.

Water Planet Reality

Of the 1.4 billion km³ of water on Earth, 97.5% is seawater and the remaining 2.5% is freshwater. What's more, about 70% of that freshwater is locked up in ice and glaciers and is not available for our daily consumption. And yet, most unfrozen freshwater is found deep underground where it’s inaccessible. The water sources we can access are rivers, lakes and shallow underground water. This only constitutes 0.01% of all the water on the planet, or the equivalent of a few eye drops in a 1.5 liter plastic bottle.

So, are we living on a water-scarce planet? Our precious water resources of only 0.01% on Earth are not evenly distributed. While some countries and regions are blessed with mountains and rivers that can store water from consistent annual rainfall, half of the world's population suffers from severe water shortages for at least one month of the year.

In particular, in recent years when the population of the Earth has been rapidly increasing and living standards have been improving, the water required not just for drinking but also for food production and industrial production has increased sharply. It is said that by 2040, the number of countries experiencing water shortages will increase by twenty or more.

A Downward Spiral caused by Water Shortages

The areas where HOPE sites are located in Ethiopia and Cambodia also suffer from water shortages. In developing countries, the lack of basic infrastructure such as water and sewage systems also causes water shortages. Three out of ten people in the world still have no access to safely managed drinking water.

Life without guaranteed access to water creates a downward spiral of worsening poverty. Fetching water is often undertaken by women and children, who fetch water every day, which sometimes takes away educational opportunities from children. In areas without clean tap water, the water consumed often causes stomach problems and around 1,000 children in the world die from diarrhea everyday.

Lack of access to clean water deprives people of a sanitary way of life, and robs children of educational opportunities, and they become entrapped in a cycle of poverty, unable to become self-reliant.

For these reasons, HOPE is working to alleviate poverty by providing access to clean water, which serves as the foundation of our lives. Wells are being built in the western part of Cambodia's Pursat Province, and simple gravity-fed water systems are being constructed in the SNNP Region of southern Ethiopia. It is said that humans can live for 2 to 3 weeks without food, but no more than 5 days without water. HOPE is committed to ensuring that people around the world have equal access to this limited water resource and live dignified lives.

Can a World Water Shortage lead to a Water Shortage in Japan??

The term " water shortage " might not be easy to perceive for those of us living in Japan but we are not unaffected by the world's water problems.

Although Japan is known as a country rich in water, it is also the world's largest water importer.

Have you heard of "virtual water"? This is the amount of water needed to produce agricultural, livestock, and industrial products that are imported. Japan, which is low in food self-sufficiency, relies on importing many goods from clothing to daily necessities that actually consumes a large amount of water in the producing countries, which is the same as importing water. As of 2005, this volume of virtual water was about 80 billion cubic meters, which is equivalent to three lakes the size of Lake Biwa ! (Area: 670.4 km². Catchment area: 3,174 km²)

Japan is said to be a country with few natural resources, but the fact that it has an abundance of clean water is unique in the world. It would be worth taking a moment on World Water Day to rethink how much water you use everyday, how much water you can save, and the amount of food you throw away food that is produced through the use of large amounts of water.

Your donations support our Water Projects.

Sow Rice, Grow Smiles

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 02:08:35 GMT

HOPE's Dry Season Rice Program

Have you ever heard of dry season rice ? If you are anything like me before I started volunteering for HOPE Japan in 2018, the answer is probably not. But don’t worry. Last December, I went to Cambodia to meet the families that received HOPE's support to grow dry season rice and I am here to share with you what I found out.

First of all, what is dry season rice?

Dry-season rice is a strain of rice that needs less water to grow and combined with specific irrigation techniques, allows farmers to grow rice during the dry season and therefore harvest multiple crops throughout the year. This is not the case for traditional rain fed paddies, where rice is planted and grows only during the wet season and can be harvested only once a year. If the weather is not favourable, if there is not enough rain or too much rain and the only annual crop is scarce or damaged, farmers and their families are exposed to food and income shortages. In Cambodia, rice is the first source of food and income for many households. By increasing the quantity of rice produced annually, dry season rice helps people to achieve food security and fight poverty.

Since 2005, HOPE and its partners have helped thousands of farmers living in the province of Pursat, one of the poorest provinces in Cambodia, to develop the cultivation of dry season rice. HOPE helps farmers acquire quality dry season rice seeds and irrigation tools and provides training and technical support. Thanks to HOPE, a community rice mill is installed in each village to process the crops. The by-products are used by the farmers to feed the animals and make organic fertilizers, creating an integrated and environmentally friendly farming system. HOPE also supports animal farming through the establishment of animal bank programs. The community mills, the stocks of seeds and the animal banks are managed by locally established Village Agricultural Committees (VACs) and the entire community works together in cooperation and solidarity to achieve self-sustenance.

In December 2019, while travelling through the countryside of Pursat, accompanied by HOPE Cambodia staff, I had the privilege to meet some of the families that received HOPE support to grow dry season rice. I will never forget the warm welcome and the kindness of the people, nor the eagerness with which they shared their stories. Some of them proudly showed me their green paddies and the thriving ears of rice, explaining to me that dry season rice is tasty and easy to sell at the market. Others showed me the mill and how it works, the water pumps and the healthy pigs that they are rearing. When talking about the past, before they could grow dry season rice, many farmers related stories of extreme poverty. During the dry season, they did not have enough food or money and had to leave the village in search of any type of job in the cities, in the jungles or abroad where they would often emigrate illegally in extremely dangerous and dreadful conditions. However, the recollection of the harshness of the past didn’t seem to cloud the enthusiasm with which they talked about the present and the future. Most families plan to use the increased income generated by the sale of dry season rice to buy more land, rebuild their houses and provide higher education to their children.

This confidence in the future is certainly what characterizes Sanpov and Samonm, a married couple living with their 19-year-old son and three other relatives in Oromchong village. This family joined HOPE’s program and started growing dry season rice in 2013 and Oromchong village built the community mill in 2015. Sanpov is a member of the VAC and helps other villagers to use the community mill that is installed near his house. At the time of my visit, 300 kg of milled rice were kept at the mill and waiting to be picked up by a farmer of the community.

Samonm showed me the bran and the husks that remained after the milling and that will be used as fertilizers or mixed with corn and dry tapioca to feed the animals. Since they started growing dry season rice, the family's income has increased, allowing them at first to meet their basic needs and in time, to extend their paddy and build a bigger and nicer house. In the future, they plan to buy additional land to grow more rice and other crops and wish to provide higher education to their son. Because, as Sanpov said: "now that we don't fear hunger anymore, we can make plans for the future". Being able to make plans, to have dreams is what they always hoped to offer to their son. Their son can now cultivate his passion for music, play the krapeu (takhe), a traditional Cambodian instrument and dream to become a leader of his own music band.

At the end of my journey, thinking of the people I met, their faces and their stories, I recalled that in my native language, Italian, the word riso has the double meaning of “rice” and “laughter, smile”. It is certainly no coincidence, I thought, and I felt grateful of being a part of HOPE that helps people to sow rice and grow smiles.

Memoirs of a HOPE Volunteer in Ethiopia

Wed, 20 Nov 2019 06:48:20 GMT

2 years in the field of international cooperation

HOPE’s project sites are like a forgotten world

“ Helping the Neglected Poor to become Self-Reliant ”

This is HOPE’s mission statement, and our mission. The word “neglected” implies being “disregarded or ignored”. HOPE has been working to reach such communities in neglected parts of the world, and Bonke Woreda in southern Ethiopia is just such an isolated region.

Situated approximately 3,000m above sea level, Bonke Woreda can get chilly even in the daytime, and you can easily run out of breath by walking to the farthest villages on the border of the district. This area has no electricity, gas, water or roads, or any other form of infrastructure, and hardly anyone uses the internet. Many locals live in traditional thatched huts, most of whom are farmers who grow barley and potatoes. While many villagers sell their farm produce at the local markets, the average annual family income is 16,000 yen, which is at subsistence levels of living.

Living and working with the local communities

In January 2018, I came to live in such a village.

HOPE always dispatches several people, mostly local staff, to the project site where they base themselves when implementing projects in Ethiopia. HOPE’s local staff first pays a visit to the village office, meets with the village leaders, and seeks permission to establish a base camp in the village. I also sought permission and was allowed to setup my own tent near the government office. After having setup my tent, and secured my sleeping bag, and a small (but very important!) solar panel for my two years, I went around to greet my neighbours. It’s important to note that HOPE works with our trusted partners – we keep outside presence and interference to a minimum.

I learnt from the villagers that they’ve heard rumours about HOPE for some time and that they’ve been expecting us. The local communities welcomed us, and then later at night, we were treated to a goat as a welcome gift from the village office! The goat was immediately slaughtered and we were served ‘Dorsa Kort’ or raw mutton, which is the village’s highest mark of hospitality. Accompanying this meat dish was ‘Gabula’, which is ground barley rolled into balls. To eat raw meat in a remote mountain village with no infrastructure required a lot of courage, but I couldn't deny the village leader this dish which he served himself, so I prayed that my stomach would survive this ordeal.

In principle, the life of a project is two years. There are many things to do within this period which include the construction of a simple water supply system, the construction of public toilets at schools and health posts, and the creation of a management system to maintain the facilities, technical training for carrying out repairs, and hygiene and sanitation education through household visits.

A wide range of activities are required on site, from construction to technical training, but there is an important component that brings everything together, that is, the trust between the local communities and HOPE.

What you can learn by living among the locals

A lot of manpower is required for development work in remote areas where access by vehicles is difficult. For example, carrying construction materials to the construction site requires manpower, and secondly, it is impossible for the few HOPE staff members to visit each household every day in a community whose population numbers in the several thousands. In creating awareness on hygiene and sanitation, and in providing technical guidance, nothing will start without the active participation and cooperation of the villagers.

That is why a relationship of trust between HOPE and the community greatly determines the success of a project. And that is why, despite the difficult living environment, HOPE staff are stationed in the villages of the project site, and live and work together with the local communities.

In communities where there is no internet, no access to social media, where even mobile phones are not common, it is necessary to build trusting relationships through real dialogue. Despite their familiarity with our organization, we are first and foremost outsiders and therefore its crucial to build trust from the start. If we don’t gain their trust by living amongst them, our work will end there and then.

And, apart from gaining the villagers’ trust, by living in their village, we need to identify what they really need on the ground. Many of the villagers have lived in the same village for generations and continue to live lifestyles that have not changed much. At times I realized that the villagers have different values, and at other times, I learnt that what I thought they needed was not necessarily true. It's important for organizations such as ours to ascertain on the ground what the villagers truly need to become self-reliant, and to learn to provide for those needs. Sometimes the actions I took based on my assumptions of the villagers needs led to unexpected pitfalls, and furthermore could have harmed the local culture and life, or could have created a mentality of dependency as opposed to becoming self-reliant.

For instance, in the communities where I was assigned, the lack of access to clean water was a major barrier to the development of the village. However, having lived in the village, and having seen other villages, I understood that apart from constructing water supply systems, it was more important to create a system to manage the water supply facilities.

No matter how durable the water supply facilities are built, damages cannot be avoided. And there are no plumbers or technicians a phone call away who can rush over from the city.

Thus HOPE stays on site for 18 months apart from the 6 months it takes to construct the water supply system. In these 18 months, HOPE provides support in helping the local communities establish a committee to manage and maintain the water system, to create a system of collecting water usage fees, to provide guidance in building a budget for maintenance in the future, to supervise and impart knowledge on conducting repairs, and in creating connections with government administrative offices for support in the future. It is essential for HOPE’s projects that the villagers understand the importance of organizing and managing the system, and to become independent and proactive in sustaining this system.

Not " Thank you for building the system. ", but " I'm glad I was able to work with you. "

What I learned in the village while watching the project unfold was that no matter how much money is spent, no matter how good the project plan, it means nothing unless there is mutual understanding with the local communities.

Only when HOPE understand the real needs of the local communities, whereupon the development project is accepted by the villagers, will it then lead to the full proactive participation of the locals. This is when the villagers come to understand that they are not just beneficiaries but active participants who helped build the system, not just benefiting from a water system built by for them but a water system that they should maintain and protect.

I think it would be great to run a project where upon leaving the site after its completion, the villagers instead of thanking us, would instead see us off by affirming their commitment to sustain our work into the future. After two years of life living with the locals, rather than having a top-down relationship of us as providers and them as beneficiaries, I would like to think that we consider each other as partners working together.

Note: HOPE Japan staff assignments in Ethiopia that assure funds are properly allocated and efficiently implemented toward project outcomes are a requirement of international finance institution compliance, in this case the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. HOPE Japan monitoring is a grant allocation and does not dilute general funds effectiveness or designated purpose.

A month in Cambodia - Rina’s Reflections

Fri, 11 Oct 2019 08:02:50 GMT

This August, I had the greatest privilege of spending a month in Cambodia as a HOPE Japan intern. It was a month full of experiences with many valuable life lessons. I decided to take this opportunity because I’ve always wanted to do something to address the issue of poverty. Although I had a general idea of what HOPE does, my main purpose was to gain a better understanding, by becoming more familiar with HOPE’s projects and see how it affects the lives of people in neglected areas. Despite wanting to supporting the cause of alleviating poverty, I’ve never actually been anywhere where people faced poverty until my visit to Cambodia. We can collect information for just about anything on the internet in a matter of seconds, but there’s still such a significance in seeing that reality with our own eyes. Some things can only be taught when being on site, which is extremely difficult to transmit through media. I was looking to gain a different perspective on life after completing my month in Cambodia, yet this experience helped me find everything I was looking for and more.

Rachel Warkentin, another intern from HOPE Canada and I spent a total of 25 days in the Pursat province staying in schools in different villages each week. The first week, we stayed at Ream Rey primary school in Ream Rey village. Our main job was to help families and schools by working in the fields, teaching English, and interacting with children. During our time in Ream Rey village, we had a chance to visit many of the well using families, and everyone welcomed us in with a warm smile. When growing crops together, Siem Peun, a mother of the family, told us how happy they were with the clean water that helps them grow many types of crops. She says that they can now eat as many meals, snacks, fruits as they want per day without having to worry about food shortages.

The second week, we stayed in Tadeis secondary and primary school in Tadeis, Somrong commune of Kravanh district. Our work pretty much stayed the same for the most part with the exception of building a brick flowerbed in their schoolyard. We spent most of our time at that school to help with the construction work. All the work was done by local volunteers who were mostly teachers who don’t specialize in construction operation. However, their work was near perfection with the minimal tools they had. They also taught us everything from how to make cement from scratch to brickwork. On Thursday, we moved to a different village called Oromchong to stay with a family whose father is the chief of a dry season rice field. The family let us help with rice planting and harvesting, where no tractors were used and everything was done manually. Although it was time-consuming and a bit exhausting, I very much enjoyed working alongside of them. It makes me happy remembering the joyful look on their faces when telling us how dry season rice has changed their lives significantly.

For our last week, we stayed at Angkrong secondary school in Angerong village. Again, the work was very similar to what we had done in the past two weeks, however, the biggest difference was that we were able to exchange a few words with children there. We interacted and spent a lot of time with children at every school, yet, the first two weeks, we weren’t able to communicate through language. I would say that the biggest challenge was not being able to understand each other’s language, though that didn't stop us from having a great time together. Nonverbal communication certainly helped a lot when getting a message across, but when it came to connecting with each other, our desire of wanting to get to know and understand one another was the most important component I believe. We played sports, grew crops, sang songs, made Origamis, and did so many other activities together. Often times we worked together because they always came over to help whenever we were working. I think we got to bond in a special way within the short period of time we shared. The children always seem to find joy in everything they did, and I loved how they expressed their feelings for just the way they were. The more time I spent with them, I noticed myself becoming more honest with my feelings. Still, it was great being able to exchange some words with the children at Angkrong secondary school which gave more depth to our relationship. I still remember how to write my name and a few words in Khmer that the children taught me while I was there.

Every afternoon, we taught English to children at the schools we stayed at. I was amazed by how motivated they all were to learn. The children took initiative in many things in the classroom. Not once did we have to ask them to take notes or to come up to the board to answer questions. By no means, were their learning conditions the most comfortable or ideal. But they had just enough to create an admirable learning environment for the children. It made me think that it’s really not buildings or comfortable furnitures that make up a sound learning environment, it’s about the culture created.

Our last day in Pursat, we visited a few villages in the Veal district, a remote area where HOPE hasn't been able to extend their work to many families yet. It was clear that having access to clean water nearby made a huge difference in people’s lives. Hearing stories from families that are waiting to receive a well broke my heart at times. I have to admit that I had the knowledge of what clean water could do before going to Cambodia, but not what it truly meant. It shocked me to see how a single well can help so many people. This whole experience opened me up to many possibilities clean water can provide, and the effects it has on our lives. “Every 5 days to 5 times a day” is how often they can bath now, says a blind man with such joy. This phrase kept repeating in my head on our way back. What I can do might be really small but I’m determined to contribute in ways I can to help increase the number of people like him.

This whole experience has given me so much and touched me in so many ways. I’ve been exposed to Cambodia’s beautiful culture, and cannot be more grateful for the opportunity that’s been given. There’s no need to understand language to recognize an act of kindness, and their culture really showed the beauty in humanity. It once again reminded me that we don't have to be someone to give. Giving is something anyone can do, and what’s even more amazing is that there’s no requirement on how much, who, or how many for people to give. I believe the small changes we make around us is the first step to making our world a better place. I aspire to become the change we hope to see in the world.

What’s the date in Ethiopia today?

Fri, 13 Sep 2019 07:47:42 GMT

This year is 2012 and there are 13 months in a year

In Japan, the new “Reiwa” era began this year. This unique Japanese era system may be a little difficult for foreigners to understand. But, the Japanese calendar follows the standard Gregorian calendar. Recently, the use of the Gregorian year count in formal documents has gradually become popular, making it easier for foreigners to follow.

However, Ethiopia stands apart from the rest of the world by going its own way.

The Ethiopian calendar is an old calendar that originated from around the 4th century, which Ethiopians still follows to this day. There are 365 days in a year, but the first day of the year starts in mid-September, and one year has 13 months! The first 12 months are 30 days long, and the remaining 5-6 days make up the 13th month. Furthermore, due to the different interpretations of the birth year of Jesus Christ, there is a deviation of 7-8 years from the Gregorian calendar.

The first day of the year in the Ethiopian Calendar corresponds to September 11th in the Gregorian Calendar. If you look closely, each day on the Ethiopian Calendar has two numbers; the upper number is the Gregorian date and the lower number is the corresponding date in the Ethiopian Calendar.

It’s not just the calendar, but time is also read differently in Ethiopia

Furthermore, there is “Ethiopian Time”. This doesn’t imply being careless with time, but the way that time is read is different. To us, midnight is 12 am, but in Ethiopia, midnight is 6 am. Due to this system, Ethiopian clocks are 6 hours out of sync with our watches.

This makes it hard to schedule appointments…

When an Ethiopian sets a meeting for 3am on 27/11/2011, this to non-Ethiopians is 9am on 2/9/2019. When you visit Ethiopia, you should keep this in mind to avoid missing out on your appointments.

Ethiopian New Year

Thanks to this calendar, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day (i.e Dec 31st and Jan 1st) are regular working days in Ethiopia and not holidays. New Years for Ethiopians is on September 11th (12th on a leap year). On festive holidays, it is common to eat a chicken dish called Doro Wot, which is a type of chicken stew that is served on a thin crepe called Injera together with boiled eggs. Injera is a fermented dish and the spices used are unique to Ethiopia, but served with Doro Wot or with various other stews, Injera can get addictive.

Children with paintings of flowers, are often seen during the New Year holidays.

In fact, this is an Ethiopian version of New Year's greeting-card culture. When children give their flower paintings to their relatives and neighbors, they get a little bit of pocket money and sweets in return.

In a remote village at a HOPE intervention site

Not everyone can celebrate New Years with delicious meals and new clothes.

Although Ethiopia is experiencing rapid economic growth, the gap between the rich and the poor is getting bigger. At the rural communities in southern Ethiopia where HOPE is implementing its projects, there are many people living near subsistence levels on less than a tenth of an average urban income (about 15,000 yen a year). Injera, which is regularly served in Ethiopian towns and cities, is only eaten on special occasions in rural communities.

Improving lives in such villages: what HOPE can do

Many villagers are unfamiliar with the concept of saving. Even if they start to save money a little at a time, it takes a considerable amount of time to save a meaningful amount of money based on a small income.

Therefore, together with the water systems, HOPE implements an SHG (Self-Help Group) program for women, to empower them and provide them with opportunities to play active roles in their communities. In groups of about 20 people each, this program teaches them how to save money and it educates them in ways to generate income.

The group saves money little by little, conducts various business activities with the money, and distributes the income generated among its members. Even if one woman can't do it alone, if they combine their wisdom and strength, they can achieve many things together and play active roles in their communities. A total of over 900 women are taking part in the program at the three sites supported by HOPE this year. After undergoing training provided by HOPE staff, each group began various income generating activities such as cotton processing (spinning yarn), livestock farming, and agriculture.

A “social fund” for celebrations within groups

The women who participate in the SHG program decide on the amount every member saves per week within each group. The amount is about 50 yen per person per week, which is a small figure to us, but not to the locals.

Members contribute about 10-20% of the amount they save towards a social fund. Social funds are not used for business activities, but are used to celebrate New Years and holidays together within groups. It may be a simple celebration but it's still an invaluable time for everyone.

Earnings are necessary in order to live a comfortable life, but by also cooperating with others you can accomplish many goals, celebrate holidays together, and build a community where women are respected. This will eventually lead to better development in these villages.

Highways of HOPE

Thu, 08 Aug 2019 01:21:20 GMT

- the ripple effects of HOPE’s projects -

Why do we need roads?

The construction of water supply systems carried out by HOPE in Ethiopia and the building and repair of roads in the project areas are inseparable. Apart from allowing the transport of pipes and bags of cement necessary for the construction of the water supply systems, it provides an opportunity for the community to contribute to the project by having them build and repair roads, which is essential for the success of the project.

Building roads in villages without heavy equipment and electricity

Without roads, we cannot access rural communities. Before the beginning of the construction of the water systems, HOPE requests the residents of the community to build and repair roads and bridges for our vehicles in order to be able to access their villages. There is no heavy equipment in the rural areas, so all of the work is done by hand! It is hard labor, but hundreds of people volunteer their time as they have been eagerly awaiting for access to clean water. Strong men wield their hoes, drag huge trees to make bridges, and women sing songs to inspire them. It is a very moving scene!

Once the roads are complete, HOPE's vehicles can transport the building materials, and construction begins. Children who have never seen a car until then also gets excited.

Building on your own instills confidence

We often get asked why HOPE does not build roads.

Of course, if you hire a construction professional and have roads built in the blink of an eye, our projects can start quickly. However, there is a reason why HOPE requests the communities to build roads.

The keyword is ' ownership '

This means that the locals need to understand that they should improve their lives by themselves. If you implement a project along with the notion that an outsider pays and fixes problems for the community, when the water supply system gets damaged, the residents would not try to fix it by themselves but instead would wait for someone from outside of the community to pay and do the repairs. If they do not understand that they have to take ownership and take responsibility, the water system will not last. It is most important to inspire the community to take ownership of the water system by having them participate and contribute to the project. The very first such contribution is the building and repair of roads and bridges. This is an important aspect that ensures the sustainability of our interventions.

Roads that change lives in rural communities

If HOPE's vehicles carries materials on the roads built by the residents of the targeted communities, construction of the water systems will proceed smoothly on schedule, and the water points and public toilets will be made available within the two-year project life.

And, like the water supply, the road that leads to the village will remain after the project is over.

Roads also change lives in the villages, just as clean water changes people's lives.

In Kechasenga, where HOPE’s intervention began in 2018, since the residents built a bridge, ambulances can now reach the community. It now takes about 20 minutes to get to the clinic, as opposed to the three hours it took previously on foot, which has saved more lives.

In the village of Laka, a HOPE 2013 intervention site, trucks now regularly travel the roads which have contributed to the significant growth of the community market within just a few years. Now power lines supply electricity to the market.

In 2019, buses began to run on the roads built by the residents in the Kuta area, one of HOPE’s most remote project areas. Buses operate only on market days, but it has increased the traffic of people and goods significantly, bringing more business opportunities to the local communities.

Local farmers can now sell their vegetables at markets further away at higher prices. In addition, buying cotton, which was previously difficult to obtain, can now be bought at the market, spun into cotton yarn, and then made into gabis (a thick cotton shawl), which is a specialty of the villages in Kuta.

HOPE's main business is the construction of water supply systems and spreading awareness of hygiene and sanitation, but the roads built for our projects also have a positive ripple effect for the local communities. Roads connect villages which connect people. Even after the end of HOPE's projects, these roads will continue to bring hope to the local communities.

Impressions from Cambodia project visit

Mon, 15 Jul 2019 05:11:49 GMT

...a student’s memoire

At my school, there is a club called the HOPE Cambodia Service Club which regularly organizes activities and events to support HOPE’s projects. As part of the Club’s program, a few students go on a trip to Cambodia every year. I decided to participate in this trip last year because I had been involved with HOPE for a while and knew about the issues in Cambodia through research and stories. However, I had never actually been to Cambodia, so I wanted to find out the realities of poverty and get to know more about HOPE’s projects

The first project that I visited was a school construction project. This was in the Angkrong village of Pursat, where many children cannot access education because of reasons such as lack of school buildings and poverty. Before going on the trip, we had fundraised to build three classrooms in this school, so we also helped out with the construction process during our stay. The work was tough and exhausting but the local children who will be using the school helped with us, which motivated me to work harder. I was also able to form a friendship with some of the children and I was surprised but glad to see how happy they all looked, even during difficult work, because they were finally able to go to a proper school. This reminded me of how I go to school every day without giving it a second thought, while there are children younger than me around the world who cannot do so even if they wanted to. I had never before realized so clearly how I take what I have for granted and it shocked me to see the reality of the issues of poverty.

After the school construction, I had the privilege of meeting two families, one who had recently received a well and another, who was on the waitlist. Each lived in a very remote area but there was a stark difference in their lifestyles as the family who received the well was living in much better conditions than the family waiting for it. I also visited a construction site for a new well in another remote area and the family talked to us about how glad they were to finally get a well. These experiences taught me once again the importance and the impact of water for the families in Cambodia who have to walk several kilometers to reach a water source.

This trip was one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life so far. It was surprising, sometimes shocking and difficult, but at the same time, made me more motivated to contribute to the cause. After this trip, I became the leader of the Club at my school and am now trying to show the other members why our donations and HOPE’s projects matter. I am also doing an internship at HOPE and through this experience, I am planning on further deepening my understanding of HOPE’s role in countries like Cambodia. I will continue to do my best to aid people in need and hope to be engaged with HOPE in the future too!

Article by: Sato Maeda,
Grade 11 student at Yokohama International School

If you, too, want to visit and help our projects in Cambodia, don't miss the opportunity to join our UNION Volunteer Program .

SDGs and HOPE Undertakings

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 06:57:24 GMT

In 2015, SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) were enacted at the UN General Assembly, and have recently been getting a lot of public attention. The term SDGs has now spread to various industries, and steps are being taken to achieve these goals by 2030.

If you are involved in development, you may have heard of the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals). These were the eight goals that the UN set to achieve by 2015, including an end to extreme poverty and hunger.
Unlike the MDGs which focused on development issues in developing countries, SDGs with its 17 goals, encompasses the development of the whole international community including developed countries, and also includes a pledge to “leave no one behind.” The SDGs are goals that all countries, not just developing ones, but also developed ones, have pledged to work on. In Japan, NGOs and NPOs, as well as governments, companies and schools have begun work towards achieving the SDGs.

HOPE, in providing clean water in developing countries, is working on SDG goal #1, that is, to "end poverty in all its forms everywhere" and goal #6, which is, to "ensure availability and sustainable water management and sanitation for all."

One of the main reasons why HOPE constructs clean water sources is to fulfill HOPE's mission, that is, "to assist the neglected poor in the developing world to help themselves." The first requirement neglected communities need is access to clean water.

Why Clean Water?

In areas where clean water and supply infrastructure is not in place, people rely on rivers, lakes and pools of water for their daily needs. However, it is dangerous to use the water in which animals are bathed, washed, in which sludge is mixed. Children with poor immunity and those who are malnourished when drinking such contaminated water are putting their lives at risk to diseases like diarrhea and typhus. Furthermore, women and children who spend many hours a day fetching water are deprived of social advancement and educational opportunities.

When clean water is available nearby, women and children are freed from the daily chore of fetching water, and instead can use the time saved to work and earn income, or attend school and get an education. The way to break out of the poverty is thus opened.

In the state of Pursat, Cambodia, where HOPE has been active for many years, more than half of the population has access to clean water and they were able to escape poverty by themselves. However, HOPE alone cannot achieve the goals of the SDGs, and it is necessary to work with various businesses and governments. “HOPE x Wool Fabric Project” in collaboration with Nishikawa Inc. which began last year, aims to tackle social problems related to water usage. This collaboration was borne out of the fact that Nishikawa Inc. uses a large amount of water in their manufacturing process of clothes. This is our first attempt at collaborating with a company (B2B). We have designed a scheme where a certain amount is donated to HOPE’s water projects with every purchase of specific clothing materials. In this way, even companies in Japan can contribute toward achieving SDGs. Please contact us if you are interested in collaborating with HOPE.

Details for HOPExWool Fabric Project »

Building a community that nurtures children

Mon, 13 May 2019 02:20:45 GMT

The circumstances of children in Ethiopia

There are many large families in the remote villages of southern Ethiopia. It is not uncommon for a mother to have ten children. Unfortunately, many children do not make it to their 5th birthday, as 18.9 million children under the age of 5 or roughly 6 in 100 (5.9%) children die every year. This is roughly 20 times higher than Japan (In Japan, about 3 out of 1,000 children die under 5 years of age)

In face of these realities, what is HOPE doing to address this problem?
The following is what we can do to help protect these children's future.

Children's lives can be transformed with clean water

Providing safe access to clean water is one of the main goals of HOPE’s interventions. Access to clean water through water supply points not only prevents the spread of waterborne diseases but also reduces the physical burden of fetching water. In the rural villages, fetching water is a daily chore often borne by children (especially girls), who typically carry more than 10 liters of water in jerry cans on their backs for more than 30 mins on foot on the steep and dangerous mountain roads and paths. The importance of a water supply point is very significant to the children who bear this labour of fetching water several times a day since this chore costs them of their energy and time away from school.

Children's participation in our project

Children are also important members of the community. HOPE encourages children to proactively participate in our projects.
For example, children take the initiative in collecting stones necessary for the construction of latrines at the elementary school. Schools also form a student association called WaSH clubs (Water, Hygiene & Sanitation), which provides hygiene and sanitation knowledge to their classmates and to children from lower grades. These club members, in the spirit of self-reliance, are also put in charge of managing the school water supply points and the toilets.

Hygiene & Sanitation practices and family planning

Educating children and mothers raising children on proper hygiene and sanitation practices is an important aspect of HOPE's program.
In February of this year, in collaboration with JICA's Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, we conducted a lesson to children on hand washing in a village at one of our sites. Hand washing is a very effective and a simple daily practice in preventing waterborne diseases. Together with JICA, a ‘hand washing song’ was made in the local Gamo language to teach children on the importance of washing our hands.

To protect families and the lives of children, it is important for mothers to understand the risk of diseases to their children, and the importance of family planning and the use of contraceptives in tackling the pressures of raising large families. HOPE works together with the local health clinics to promote and spread knowledge on health issues.

Providing children with bright futures

In remote communities, children are the hope for the villages' future.
HOPE supports children so they can live healthy lives and grow into adults who can contribute to the development and prosperity of their communities.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation for enabling many children to have futures and enabling them to contribute to their communities.

The significance of 5.8 seconds

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 12:47:09 GMT

Relecting on the statistic of "5.8 seconds" on World Health Day

One death every 5.8 seconds...
In 2018, UNICEF published a report that claimed 5.4 million children die before the age of five in a year. This is about 15,000 deaths a day, or one death every 5.8 seconds. While infant mortality has been greatly improved in the past 25 years, many of the causes of the death of children under the age of 5 are said to be preventable if safe water and vaccines are made available and proper hygiene and sanitation are practiced.

April 7th is World Health Day as designated by the United Nations. I would like to take this opportunity to look at the reality of the world once again and introduce HOPE's approach in tackling this problem.

HOPE intervention site in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is one of several countries in which HOPE is active in. Although it currently enjoys rapid economic growth, the growing gap between the rich and the poor has become a major social issue.

In fact, most children’s deaths before the age of five are said to be preventable or treatable, such as complications at birth, pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria.

Unlike in Japan where you can easily access medical services, in rural areas it is most crucial to follow proper health and hygiene practices to prevent illnesses.

What does HOPE do?

HOPE builds clean water systems to solve this problem. Safe drinking water is essential in preventing diarrhea and other illnesses. However, if your hands and cups are dirty, and you do not have a clean restroom, you can not prevent diseases despite having access to clean water, unless you adopt the regular habit of washing your hands.

Therefore, HOPE also focuses on communicating proper health and hygiene knowledge alongside building water systems.

After HOPE leaves a project site

HOPE staff cannot be at an intervention site forever. Therefore, collaborating with local clinics is important to ensure that the hygiene and sanitation knowledge will continue to be communicated even beyond the two-year life of a project. We have built a collaborative system to share information and have staff from health clinics participate in training.

Although the clinics in remote areas may not be able to provide adequate medical treatment due to lack of facilities and medicine, the World Health Organization is aiming for “Universal Health Coverage” (UHC) where the goal is for everyone to have access to health care. Coincidentally, and in concurrence with this objective, the Kashaso health clinic (near one of HOPE’s sites) is adding more medical services from this month of April and has been provided with additional medical supplies and medical devices necessary for child delivery and for the treatment of illnesses including water-borne diseases.

Many people are working hard every day to improve this statistic of a child’s death every 5.8 seconds in this remote village. HOPE is helping to build a foundation so the residents can continue to tackle these problems with the local administration even after the end of the project.

Partners of HOPE

Tue, 09 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

While our focus will always be on assisting communities around the world to break out of the cycle of poverty. Without our partners in the field, our continuous effort to helping the neglected poor become self-reliant would not be attainable. This month we would like to highlight the moments and provide a deeper understanding of their roles and the impact they have made for communities in Ethiopia and Cambodia.

We are pleased to introduce our dedicated partners;

Wosen Girma , Project Coordinator, Ethiopia
Abebayehu Sapa , Community Mobilizer, Ethiopia

and

Kim Soth , Micro Credit Officer, Cambodia
Sem Kim Leng , Project Officer, Cambodia

Each one of them have taken the time to share their stories and portray their unified vision of taking the next step towards self-reliance for communities in Ethiopia and Cambodia.

Wosen Girma

HOPE Ethiopia
Project Coordinator

Please tell us why you joined HOPE.
HOPE works in particularly remote areas, in areas that often don’t receive any help. I really liked HOPE’s mission to work in such areas, and having seen the results of other projects, I really wanted to work here.

Please explain your role.
I first started as a community mobilizer in one of the project areas for two years. I now work as the Project Coordinator. All together, including ongoing and new projects, by the end of this year I will be overseeing five projects. My main responsibilities include the supervision of staff, handling paperwork for each project and coordinating with all the relevant government offices.

What do you find challenging?
In southern Ethiopia, data made available by the regional government offices and other organizations is poor as there aren’t many studies and surveys conducted in our project areas. Therefore it is difficult to share accurate information with the HOPE network and its supporters. While there is data available on the national level, there is not much statistical data in southern Ethiopia which makes it difficult for us to set clear targets.

What do you find rewarding about your job?
As a student, I studied public health and sanitation. I work a lot at my desk most of the time but occasionally I visit the villages to conduct training sessions on hygiene and sanitation. I have acquired a lot of knowledge through my studies and experience, and seeing people really benefiting from what I share makes it worth it.

Abebayehu Sapa

Hope Ethiopia
Community Mobilizer

Please tell us why you joined HOPE.
I joined because I learnt that HOPE gives courage and hope to those suffering poverty, by sharing good practices and knowledge and also empowering people economically.

Please explain your role.
As a Community Mobilizer, it is my job to make sure that the project is progressing smoothly, by facilitating cooperation between the villagers and HOPE. The literacy rate in my area is very low. So together with support from the locals, we organize educational sessions to teach them to read and write. I also handle household surveys after the training sessions. I make sure that the knowledge shared through our training sessions are practiced, and conduct follow ups until the imparted knowledge sticks.

What is challenging?
Most of the villagers cannot read and write. So it is hard to teach them new ideas, and to have them change their thinking and adopt new habits. It is also a challenge to train them to continue practicing and maintaining the skills and knowledge we’ve imparted so they can be self-reliant after we leave.

What do you find rewarding about your job?
I also grew up in a poor, rural village. My parents enabled me to go to school and now our lives have improved significantly, but I also know what it is like to be one of the impoverished villagers as I’ve experienced many similar hardships. So to be able to help people who I can relate to and see their lives improve makes it worth it.

So Kim Soth

HOPE Cambodia

Please tell us your work history prior to joining HOPE.
I was working on agricultural projects at the Agricultural Dept in Pursat Province, when my friend told me about HOPE. I thought that it would help me make the most of my experience, so I decided to join in 2003.

Please describe your role.
When I joined HOPE, I started with the water and sanitation & hygiene projects, but since 2006, I’ve been working with our micro-credit program.

What has been challenging about your job?
Microcredit was a new program for us, so it was difficult to understand how best to procure good results. In the initial stages, everything from making the most out of the information we were able to gather and the best way to convey information was a challenge.

What do you find rewarding about your job?
Over time, bit by bit you can see the changes that are being made in people’s lives. This really makes the job worth it above all else.

Sem Kim Leng

HOPE Cambodia

Please tell us your work history prior to joining HOPE.
Just as with So (Kim), I worked at the Pursat Province’s Agricultural Dept until 1998.

Please describe your role.
I work in the water and sanitation and health program, and these days I also work as the assistant to Ly, the Country Director

What has been challenging about your job?
When I first joined HOPE, the water and sanitation program was quite new. Starting everything from scratch was difficult, but the most difficult was how best to communicate information to people. It may be a given to many of us, but it was very difficult to explain to the villagers who have always relied on rain water, puddle water and river water the dangers of using these unsafe water sources. However the local government officers that supported our projects also stepped in to help educate the locals, and now past beneficiaries of our programs also reach out to new beneficiaries and support them by sharing their newly acquired information. This has helped to really make our work progress more smoothly.

What do you find rewarding about your job?
Seeing people’s lives change over the long term is really rewarding. The people that I work with in the villages are like family to me now.
The most memorable episode was with Li-Han. He was a former beneficiary of HOPE’s work, who together with his mother received a HOPE well. Back then, they were living in extreme poverty and it must have been very difficult for the two of them to survive, but she still sent him to school. I remember him from when he was running around naked around a HOPE well. Now he works here with us.

The strong commitment from our HOPE partners around the world have supported our projects and enabled us to provide clean water for life to thousands of people in Pursat, Cambodia and Southern Ethiopia. If you are interested in learning more about our projects, please click here .

HOPE Celebrates the Indigenous People's Month

Tue, 28 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The world evolves and new cultures form, others vanish. Some grow stronger, some fight for their existence, and many learn to adapt with the changes taking place to survive and prosper. Unfortunately, poverty often is a factor in why some cultures and societies vanish. Such is the plight of indigenous ieople in the Philippines.
※ August 9th: International Day of the World’s Indigenous People

HOPE has been working with these communities for three decades, helping them attain self-reliance. Often starting with clean water projects, they have developing sustainable agriculture projects, education and social enterprises. About ten years ago a new exciting project started to further our work with these indigenous communities. The initiative is known as the Pamulaan Center.

Benjamin Abadiano, the founder of the Pamulaan Center, was a university student when he first began to take interest in indigenous peoples in the Philippines. He was surprised, for despite being Filipino himself, he had heard little of them and found information on them difficult to trace. So he went in search of these mysterious peoples.

Sir Ben, as Benjamin Abadiano is also known, lived with indigenous communities for seven years. He discovered that there was a plethora of tribal cultures, traditions and languages. He also saw that they were heavily marginalized and that tribes were vanishing rapidly. He knew that they were being pushed to the brink of extinction.

In discussion with indigenous elders, he understood that the key to addressing the plights of the indigenous communities was to empower their youth with education - education that would enable them to be a bridge between their heritage and the adversities that they faced. This led to the creation of the Pamulaan Center that HOPE-JP and many of its supporters now support.

The Pamulaan Center is a university for young indigenous peoples in the Philippines, committed to helping indigenous cultures preserve their traditions and overcome extreme poverty. Its program has been highly successful since its inception, and over 100 students have since graduated with a bachelors and have been empowered to make their way in the world, advocate for their heritage and assist their communities. Its success largely stems from a fundamental acceptance of realities and a desire to work with them, while educating others about indigenous cultures.

Now, the Pamulaan Center receives support and solidarity from many people around the world. Moreover, indigenous communities in the Philippines have established a united front that the Pamulaan Center actively supports. It is perhaps one of the strongest and well organized indigenous fronts in the world, advocating fair treatment, respect and understanding. Ben and Pamulaan graduates continue to advocate and improve conditions for indigenous communities and are now committed to empowering the next generation with education.

Pamulaan is an indigenous word for “Seedbed”, expressing the vision and wish that students will flourish in the seedbed and grow. Ben continues to teach at Pamulaan and assist indigenous communities with graduates, and it is evident that the seedlings are already doing a great deal for themselves and their communities

If you are interested in learning more about the Pamulaan Center and supporting its work, please click here. [link to gallery]

Cow Naming Rights? What does that mean?

Thu, 19 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

People purchase rights to name all sorts of things - boats, stars, cars - and HOPE supporters can opt to sponsor and a name a cow. But what does this mean?

While the lifespan of a cow is certainly a tiny fraction of a star’s, the good that one cow can do during its lifetime is perhaps what makes “Cow Naming Rights” a very popular prize at our dinners.

Cows are essential for successful farming in rural Cambodia as they provide natural fertiliser and help plough the fields. The difference in yields between a farmer who owns a cow and a farmer that does not have one are enormous. However, the majority of families that HOPE encounters are simply unable to afford one, and in some cases they opt to loan chemical fertilisers from middlemen and become trapped in a cycle of debt.

In order to help rural farmers break out of poverty, HOPE has an animal bank that loans a female cow to a family for approximately 18 months. During this time, the cow helps the family improve their farming capacities dramatically, and she also gives birth to a calf. Once the calf is reared, it stays with the family, while the mother goes on to assist the next family.

To keep the animal bank running, we offer opportunities for supporters to name a calf so that costs to purchase a mother cow and ensure her good health can be met.

A Cow Named Moon

Last year a friend of HOPE sponsored a cow and named her Moon. This is the story about Moon and the family that she lives with.

Everything changed when Reim joined a Well User Group and the Animal Bank. With permanent access to clean water from a well, and thanks to Moon, they have expanded their garden and rice field. They no longer have to loan chemical fertilizer from middlemen, as they have Moon’s manure to make compost with. All this also enabled Soam to come home, and the family are reunited and living together again.

It costs 80,000 yen to buy a mother cow for the Cow Bank. Not only does this include the cost of the cow, but also vaccinations for the mother cow, as well as training for each family who hosts the cow.

If you are interested in naming a cow, please get in touch with us or come to our next HOPE Tokyo Dinner on Friday 27th July. [link]

Our Cause Related Marketing Partners

Thu, 21 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Raising support and awareness for our projects is a big part of HOPE-JP's mission. This is the way in which we can translate peoples' desires to help others in need into tangible and effective results, such as clean water. Over the years it has been inspirational to come across all the different ways that people and companies contribute to our fundraising activities and support projects. Lately, a really fun and rewarding method for all involved has been Cause Related Marketing (CRM).

CRM is when a business’ campaign for one of its products or services also supports social initiatives. We are really fortunate to have some great CRM partners, and we our proud to introduce them here.

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Shop Japan is one of our longest standing partners in many respects. As the biggest name in Japan for television shopping, they had the scope to run our largest CRM partnership campaign to date and raised funds to support our projects in the tsunami affected areas through their wonder core campaign. For every wonder core (abdominal muscle training device) they sold, 1 percent was donated to the project and was hugely successful and popular. If you are interested in learning more about Shop Japan’s great work, particularly in the tsunami affected areas, you can read more here .

Pokka, Sapporo and Coca-Cola have created CRM vending machines where a percentage of all drinks purchased from one of their machines are donated to HOPE projects. We currently have 2 vending machines in operation at offices of of companies that support us.

JAMMIN is a fashion brand, but one with a compassionate twist. All of the apparel that it creates is specifically designed to support non-profits and their projects. They design apparel inspired by the causes and then distribute them online, designating a portion of every item sold to the dedicated project. In this way, they hope to make it fun and easy for people in Japan to support projects, while also emphasizing that it’s trendy and cool to support charities. At HOPE-JP we have been fortunate to have their support for two projects and really look forward to collaborating with them again in the future! Stay tuned for our next sale with JAMMIN and visit their website here .

Did you know that we have HOPE Line stickers ? Artist and HOPE supporter Masao Hatayama designed some fantastic stickers inspired by our projects and is now selling them on LINE. A percentage of all the stickers sold go directly towards supporting are projects and of course, the stickers themselves a lot of positive awareness!
Get your HOPE line stickers!

Our partnership with Grapeoff K.K has led to the formation of a HOPE wine club called WATER4LIFE. Each month, members of the club are sent a fine selection of wines from Grapeoff. In turn, Grapeoff donates a portion of the membership fees directly to HOPE clean water projects ' hence the name. If you are interested in joining the WATER4LIFE club, you can sign up here .

Thank you so much to all of our CRM partners! This has been a great journey and we hope to continue making a difference in this way with you.

If you have ideas or are interested in learning more about becoming a HOPE CRM partner, contact us any time. We would be glad to start the discussion with you.

I Love You Mum!

Tue, 22 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Mothers: the life givers, nurturers, and sources of unconditional love - it is the same across the world. Meet some of the amazing Mums that we meet in the field here!

Chem Sarouen (Pursat, Cambodia)

For Sarouen, a widow and mother of three, receiving a HOPE well has been an enormous source of relief. Her children no longer have to walk 1.5km to fetch water in a river that was often too dangerous for them to reach. They can also now bathe in clean water whenever they wish, in the safety of their home. Mum is now growing vegetables to feed her family and sell in the market too!

Sansem (Pursat, Cambodia)

With their new HOPE well, Sansem has been busy expanding the family fields and growing crops such as string beans and oranges. For her, seeing her children properly fed and happily snacking on their homegrown oranges has been the most wonderful life change.

Dayto Dayza (Kuta, Southern Ethiopia)

Having recently lost her husband, Dayto and her family were struggling to make ends meet by farming their small plot of land. But since HOPE began its activities in the area, Dayto has joined a Self-Help Group and is partnering with her fellow members to save and learn to plan for the longer-term. She now feels empowered, as she is able to really think and plan for her family's future.

Hance, from daughter to mother (Philippines)

Some of you may be familiar with Hance, who was featured in our film on the Pamulaan Center. Hance is now in her final year, working hard towards earning her Bachelor’s degree and accomplishing an education that her Mother could only dream of her attaining. Her Mother - a teacher in the community herself - endured a whole life of extreme poverty but worked tirelessly to raise Hance and her elder sister. Both are now in university and now making plans to help their community and give their Mother everything that she deserves.

Building Secondary Schools in Cambodia - a New Milestone!

Mon, 23 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Going to secondary school in Cambodia is a big deal. The most recent statistics provided by UNICEF indicate that only 45% of children of secondary school age continue their education beyond the primary level (UNICEF Data, 2017). As the amount of education that youth can access greatly affects a community’s ability to develop sustainably, this is an issue that HOPE is keen to address. Being able to address this, however, is also a positive indication of sustainable changes already taking place.

At HOPE, we understand that access to clean water, income, and the ability for children to access education go hand in hand. Without clean water and sufficient income, children are required to assist their families and do not have the time to go to school. This is why in every village in which HOPE installs clean water wells, schools are built/renovated as necessary - in the hope that through the completion of step 1, children will have the opportunities to access education. And after 25 years of working in the Western Province of Pursat, which was one of the poorest provinces in formerly one of the world’s poorest countries, we are now seeing real change. People are now able to meet their fundamental needs and children are going to school. To think that we can now address the problem of the lack of secondary education, beyond primary, is an incredible milestone.

Many many young people in the rural area of Cambodia cannot pursue secondary education, as the closest middle school is too far away for them to commute to. The same was true for the youth in the villages of Ankrong, Tadeis, Lavieng and Yey Moa East, where 180 students eagerly await the opening of the Ankrong Secondary School, the first ever secondary school in the area! After the initial enrollment, it is expected that approximately 150 new students will be added to the school every year!

Neal Walters was motivated to do something about this after visiting the area. As a long-time supporter of HOPE, he was keen to get involved more deeply and proactively raise funds for a project from his network. He chose this secondary school Project, as there was a need, and because it also reflects the positive impact of HOPE’s core values: Self-Reliance, Dignity, Compassion, Integrity & Long-term Relationships. People are becoming self-reliant and attaining their dignity; our long-lasting relationship with the province have now led us to the point where we are witnessing families being able to give their children opportunities to learn more than reading & writing.

So Neal has been on a mission to see that children of Angkrong and neighbouring villages can access a secondary education. The students of Nagoya International School and Yokohama International School have also shown incredible support towards this project by rising funds of 3.5 million yen and visiting the school to help with the construction themselves. 3 out of the 5 planned classrooms are now complete, and Neal is now endeavouring to raise the final 1.7 million and making a final push to complete the last 2 classrooms and playground. These children are soon going to receive more education than their parents ever did, and they may even one day have the potential to attend university one day.

Education for the youth is critical for a country’s sustainable development. How much education youth can access greatly affects whether or not a country is poor, what its industries are, and its ability to progress through the efforts of its own people. As these children progress through their education, perhaps engineers, politicians, software developers, artists that can earn a living, higher educators may emerge among them.

If you are interested in supporting the school, please visit Neal's Facebook Page and come to one of his fundraising events, or you can make a direct donation right here. [link to donation page]

How a Water System in Ethiopia is Built

Sun, 18 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

To successfully build a water system that supplies thousands with clean water in the rural highlands of Ethiopia, the thousands have to work together. In order to make it sustainable, they need to learn new skills. It also requires a simple but high feat of engineering, funds, and dedicated staff with the right expertise and experience to lead the operation. When all of this culminates, a water system is built.

The culmination largely happens because of dedicated HOPE Ethiopia staff, who live in the communities and work with the people, in order to help each project - each system and community - succeed. The on site team usually consists of Fetene, the water system engineer; community mobilizers, such as Ermias and Makades; and drivers, such as Merkam and Sisay. Each have an integral role to play throughout each project, which usually spans two years.

For the water system engineer, Fetene, the first few months are crunch time, as he designs the blue print for the system and launches the construction. In the Southern Highlands, fresh water springs are available on the mountain tops, and these are capped (protected) and formed into the water sources for the systems. Pipelines then draw the water down from the capped springs into large reservoir tanks, and from there the water is distributed to water points spread throughout the communities. This is the standard water supply system model in the highlands, but every mountain, every spring, is different, and Fetene needs to carefully consider the differing topographies as he designs each system. Who are his advisors? The local farmers, who understand the terrain best.

People in the highlands are excellent farmers, and their ability to work deftly and tirelessly in mountainous terrain makes it feasible to construct the system in such remote areas, for they are the ones to actually build it. Where there are no roads for vehicles to transport materials, the community dig dirt roads and carry the materials themselves. In the stead of modern construction machinery, they dig the pipelines that span kilometres across mountains. In this way, not only is the system constructed, but the community also takes full ownership of the system.

Spring Capping

When the springs are capped, 3 different filtration layers of sand are installed, to filter out any unwanted material that may contaminate the water.

They are also carefully sealed, to protect them from animals or playing children that may tamper with them. Three different pipelines are also connected to each spring: one that leads to the reservoir, one for overflow, and one that serves as an outlet for cleaning, when the spring is periodically cleaned.

The Reservoir Tanks

The reservoirs are large tanks that collect the water from the springs and then distribute the water to the various water points. Depending on the number of water points and springs, the number of reservoirs can be as many as 3. The reservoirs are cleaned and the water is also treated with chlorine periodically here, and these tasks will eventually become the responsibility of the community to manage by themselves as well.

The Water Points

To make the clean water accessible to everyone within the community, the water points - where families can access the water - need to be strategically placed. Ensuring that each household be within 5 minutes walking distance of a water point is another important factor of the designing process, and Fetene, the community mobilisers and the community work together to determine where each one will be installed. While running tap water may still not be available in each home, for families who were used to walking kilometres each day to fetch water, this is a life change.

For the majority, no access to water and sanitation, also meant that their knowledge on hygiene and good sanitation practices were very limited. Reducing water related diseases and improving health overall, requires not only clean water, but also change in behaviour. The integral task of providing communities with this education rests on the shoulders of people like Ermias and Makades, who are the community mobilisers. From the start till the finish of the project, they live in the communities, learn their local languages where needed, build strong relationships with the people, and from there teach important practices such as hand washing and improved methods of household cleaning.

Finally, to ensure the sustainability of the systems, ownership of each system needs to be fully passed on to the communities. Selected members of each community are trained on how to fix the pipelines, clean the springs and the reservoir tanks. This they learn on the job, and as they learn, they also direct the construction of elements, such as the water points, themselves. For many, these are valuable skills that they had always aspired to learn, and they form what is known as the water system maintenance team. In addition to the maintenance team, water committees are also formed, and it is their responsibility to manage the various water points and collect funds from the community for any materials that may be required to repair the system in the future. HOPE always makes it a prerogative to ensure that women are also included as members of the water committees, which, for many communities, is another large shift in behaviour to have women in leadership positions in a predominantly patriarchical society.

HOPE staff and local communities work hand in hand for 2 years to build a water system, which is made possible by the donations of HOPE supporters around the world. In this regard, it is a truly global effort, to ensure that remote communities in the highlands of Ethiopia, have their fair share to clean water.

HOPE is currently implementing a Water Supply and Sanitation project in Kuta, where 4600 people are now on their way to receive clean water - March 2018.

Mother Tongues

Tue, 20 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

" Languages, with their complex implications for identity, communication, social integration, education and development, are of strategic importance for people and planet. Yet, due to globalization processes, they are increasingly under threat, or disappearing altogether. When languages fade, so does the world's rich tapestry of cultural diversity. Opportunities, traditions, memory, unique modes of thinking and expression - valuable resources for ensuring a better future - are also lost.

More than 50 per cent of the approximately 7,000 languages spoken in the world are likely to die out within a few generations, and 96 per cent of these languages are spoken by a mere 4 per cent of the world’s population. Only a few hundred languages have genuinely been given pride of place in education systems and the public domain, and less than a hundred are used in the digital world.

International Mother Language Day has been observed every year since February 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. "

There are an estimated 80 different tribes in Ethiopia, each upholding their own languages and customs. In the Philippines, there are an estimated 110 Indigenous tribes, and they too can be differentiated by their languages, costume and cultural characteristics. But many of these languages and cultures are in danger of vanishing. Poverty also tends to prevail in these rural/ tribal areas, and as HOPE works with these communities, we must also take care to help them access sustainable development in a culturally sensitive manner. Good communication becomes integral, and this is one of the reasons why the actual implementers of projects are not us in Japan or Canada, but local staff who speak the language and understand the culture.

Southern Ethiopia - Kuta

Amhara is the official language utilized by the Ethiopian government, but in Kuta, Southern Ethiopia, where we are currently implementing a large scale clean water and sanitation project for close to 5000 people, the locals speak Gamo language. In fact, the majority only speak Gamo.

Recently, school text books have also been made available in Gamo and children are now learning how to read and write in it. Nevertheless, literacy rates are still low, especially among women, and only 1 - 2 out of 20 can read. As a result, for the health and sanitation training component of our project, it is essential that trainers speak Gamo.

Furthermore, HOPE staff always stay in the village for the duration of the project, in order to further understand the life and culture of the people. It is by speaking their language, working together and understanding the situation from their point of view that we can bring development benefits without forcing our mindsets and cultures upon them.

>>> Children singing in the Gamo language

The Philippines

To address the problem of rapidly vanishing Indigenous Cultures, the Pamulaan Center - our partner in the Philippines - endeavours to provide Indigenous Youth with access to higher education that is also culturally sensitive. While working towards earning their university degrees, students are also strongly encouraged to take pride in their heritage and learn and share their languages and customs.

For many students, to hear that their mother tongue, appearance and customs are beautiful and interesting, is a first. Due to the marginalization that many faced in other circumstances, youth are often discouraged from learning their mother tongues, and as elders are unable to pass on tribal stories and traditions, cultures fade and are lost forever.

Thanks to efforts from initiatives such as the Pamulaan Center, however, more youth are keen to preserve their cultures and learn what they can. At the centre, students not only learn their own traditions, but that of others as well. They are, in their own right, excellent anthropologists. And as they graduate with degrees that can be officially recognised by the globe, all go back to their villages for 2 years of community service, implementing sustainable development programs and sharing their knowledge with their tribes in their mother tongues.

Giving Thanks from the Field

Tue, 14 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Take a few minutes to enjoy these heartfelt messages of thanks from our friends in HOPE Project Areas. Video reports from Cambodia, Ethiopia, and the Philippines.

Cambodia

Ly, HOPE Cambodia Director, takes a moment to give an update on progress in the Pursat Province towards helping people become self-reliant.

Philippines

Students from the Pamulaan Center that we are supporting give greetings, thanks and an update to all their supporters in Japan.

Ethiopia

See the wonderful changes that have taken place in Tsayte, as we complete our Water and Sanitation project there and people become self-reliant.

Happy World Food Day!

Fri, 13 Oct 2017 15:46:19 GMT

What do people eat in the countries that we work in?

As we celebrate today and work towards helping the world achieve "Zero Hunger by 2030" at HOPE as well, in this months newsletter we share some delicious information on the types of food eaten by our friends in Cambodia, Ethiopia and the Philippines.

Cambodia : Morning Glory and Rice Noodles

Morning glory is a staple in Cambodian Cooking. True to its name, this simple green leaf vegetable is pretty glorious no matter how it is cooked, and it grows reliably in the Cambodian climate.

Once families start home gardening after receiving a well, many include morning glory in their garden crops, as you can see Rai Han is doing in the photo.

Rice Noodles are also a local favourite, and as some of you may recall, Pahl and her daughter Sophea started a thriving local rice noodle business after they received a well. Using the clean water from their well to cook and wash their noodles, they are now famous for providing some of the best rice noodles in the area.

Rai Han

Pahl and Sophea

Rice Noodles

Ethiopia: Sweet Potatoes, Fosase, and Kietel Buna!

In Tsayte, where HOPE completed a water and sanitation program in 2016, injera - a sour crepe like bread that is is perhaps the most well known Ethiopian food - is actually not common. This is because it is considered a luxury to eat in the village, and locals eat sweet potatoes and fosase instead.

Fosase is a dish made of corn ground into fine powder, mixed with vegetables such as cabbage and beans. Shikuwarudenechu is the Ethiopian name for sweet potato and literally translated means "sugar potato". It is usually steamed, and while very simple, it is delicious.

One drink that HOPE-JP staff really struggle with is kerterbuna. This is made from local Ethiopian coffee, but the leaves, not the beans, are used. The tea like, green drink has a pungent smell and usually makes staff grimace before drinking!

Dinner time (Sweet Potato)

Ethiopian home cooking, Fosase

Local strong tea, Kietel Buna

The Philippines: Banana Chips, Banana Chips and Lemon Grass Tea

Sustainable agriculture and social entrepreneurship are two of the degrees offered to students of the Pamulaan Centre, the university for Indigenous Youth in the Philippines that we partner with. Students in Sustainable Agriculture learn how to grow staple crops, coffee, vegetables, fruits, and herbal plants for medicinal tea. These are cooked and eaten by the students together, and some of it is passed on to the Social Entrepreneurship students who are never short of ideas on products to sell. Popular items made from the student gardens are banana chips and lemon grass tea.

Filipinos are famous for their hospitality and enjoying food together is a big part of the culture. No matter what the time of the day, if you pay a visit to a family, food will be served.

The students of the Pamulaan Center come from impoverished Indigenous Communities. In these communities rice, while a staple in the Philippines, is a luxury and is substituted by corn that is resilient and does not require fertile soil to grow. But even in these communities, when a visitor comes, they will never draw back from the custom of showing warm hospitality. They cook precious chicken into a tasty stew with plates of rice, and as you the savour the meal as a visitor, you are filled with deep appreciation for their generosity.

Tsayteayo - Mother of Tsayte

Fri, 15 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

In Tsayte, Southern Ethiopia, where we have been continuing our water and sanitation program, lives a Grandfather called Iyasu. Iyasu's Mother, who is alive and well, is known as the oldest person in the village. With her beaming smile and cheery disposition, she is loved and respected by everyone. Warmly sharing what she has, even with me, a stranger to her that could not even communicate in her language. She gave me delicious potatoes and tea, and took delight in posing for these photos.

Japan has the highest life expectancy in the world, with the average for woman being 87 years and almost 81 years for men (1). 1 in 4 people are over 65 years of age (2). In contrast, the average life expectancy in Ethiopia is 65 years. This is substantially longer than what the average was in 1980, which was only 40 years, but it is still very rare for Ethiopians to see their great grandchildren. The Mother of Tsayte, however, knows hers, and we were able to take a rare photograph of a family spanning four generations here.

There are several factors that contribute to Ethiopia’s low life expectancy, one of which is a high infant mortality rate. 59 children out of every 1000 die within their first year, 88 out of every 1000 do not reach 5 years of age (compared to the world average of 31.7 out of 1000) (3) (4). The World Health Organisation attributes this to the lack of information and support available to pregnant woman and high risk to diseases and ailments for newborns.

In Tsayte, where access to health care is very limited, most women continue to deliver babies in their own homes. To address this, HOPE staff make regular house calls, educating families on sanitation and health care, so that mothers can circumvent some of the risks themselves. Through the installation of a clean water system and improving health education, HOPE staff also aim to reduce the risks surrounding child birth.

Clean water can also of course help increase the life span of adults, reducing diarrhoea and water related diseases for them as well. On this day of “Respect for the Aged”, at HOPE-JP we also hope that many more people of Tsayte will live long lives and be well like Tsayteayo.

【1】 Statistical Bureau, Statistics Japan
【2】 The World Bank, Ethiopia Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (2015) : 64.58
【3】 WHO Regional Office for Africa, Africa Health Observatory
【4】 The World Bank, World Mortality rate, infant (2015) : 31.7

Blog post and photographs by Simon Kondo

Buckets of clean water!

Tue, 29 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Conversations on the importance of clean water always emphasizes the reduction of water related diseases. While of course true, clean water does more! Cool down and smile with some stories on how families are staying cool in Cambodia and Ethiopia this summer.

Pursat, Western Cambodia

Seasons in Cambodia, hot throughout the year, are divided into two: the rainy and dry. During the dry season, temperatures can rise to above 40 degrees celsius, and with little rain to bring relief, the lives of those living without reliable access to water are severely tested.

Here we share the experiences of two women who recently received HOPE wells.

Chiemun Sarun

When Chiemun didn’t have a well, she would carefully wrap her infant child and shoulder her, place a tank for water on her own head, and walk 1.5 km to go and fetch water. She would make this necessary journey every day, made more arduous in the dry season when she would have to navigate her way down a steep embankment to reach the shallow waters.

Now, she has a well, and she no longer has to labour for water. Smiling as she watches her young son cool himself with buckets of clean water in the summer, she moves forward safely from a more difficult past.

Hun Chantey

In the scorching hot dry seasons, to help cool her children down, Hun Chantey would take her children to the river to bathe. There they would bathe in the muddy river waters, but relief from the heat was short, as they would soon be covered in sweat in again on the long walk home.

But now, they have a well, and they can cool down in the vicinity of their own home. While the river water was muddy and luke warm from the sun, the well water is clean and cold, and being comfortable at home is a new luxury that they can now enjoy.

Tsayte, Southern Ethiopia

Tsyate is located high in the mountains at an elevation of 2000m. While the early mornings are almost chilly, as the sun rays grow stronger, the temperature increases sharply, leading to extremely hot days. Children walk 1 - 2 hours to Sharaga, where their school is located, every day. The summer heat can be unbearable for them, and by the time they reach school, they are hot and thirsty and struggle to concentrate in class.

Wondom Wogazo, the headmaster of the school, told us more about what was done to address this.

Wondom Wogazo - Headmaster of school in Sharaga

Until HOPE installed a water point at the school, the students used to go to a nearby river to cool down and find water to drink. As it was so hot, they would of course let the students go to the river, but this affected their studies, as they would inevitably end up playing by the river and in some cases just go home because it was too hot.

Having a water point on school grounds now has not only made it possible for students to safely drink water and cool down, but it also has greatly improved their ability to study. Teachers are now able to apply properly scheduled break times and water breaks without worrying about the health of their students, and students concentrate better. Furthermore, they now also have water to keep the school clean!

Tanabata Dreams from the Field

Mon, 24 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We share the dreams of Lai Han, a wife in Cambodia; Mrs. Manni, a woman in Ethiopia; and Phillip, a graduate of the Pamulaan Center in the Philippines. The skies were clear this year - may their dreams come true! The photo of the milky way above was taken in beautiful Tsayte, Southern Ethiopia.

Western Cambodia Pursat Province (Providing Water/Assisting Family Farms)

Thanks to the well HOPE, we are now able to access water quickly and easily. With this water, my husband and I have started our own family farm where we grow lemon grass, eggplants, bananas, and hot pepper, in both the rainy and dry seasons. As a result, we have more than enough food, allowing us to sell these crops and get a much higher profit out of it.

My current No.1 dream is to rebuild my home!

Up until now, we have been living in a simple house without walls. However, now that we are able to save money, we have started buying materials to use for rebuilding. As I look at my new house slowly being built, part by part, I know that my dream will be realised soon.

Southern Ethiopia Tsayte District (Providing Water/Micro Credit Project)

In 2016, HOPE built a water-supply system in the Tsayte District. After that, I received micro-credit assistance from HOPE and now I am dreaming of starting a new business with the women in my neighborhood!

Although their faces were familiar, I had never worked with anyone else outside my family, nor did I ever think about saving money. I was very surprised when I first heard about the idea. However, as I started talking with everyone, I realized that perhaps starting a business together was possible, and we started to communicate ideas seriously.

To start off with, we decided to breed animals like chickens and goats and sell them at the market. If we buy chicks and kid goats at a cheap price at the market and breed them successfully, we can get a high profit out of it. My dream is to prove that even women can do business, if given the opportunity.

The Philippines (Supporting University Education of Indigenous Youth)

I am from a small family living in a rural setting. I was very sick as a child, but by Taganiit's (God) grace I became free from sickness. But another problem arose, my parents could not support my studies because of the expensive fees and tuition. I thought that it would be the end of my dreams of continuing into university, but I was flabbergasted when my mother told me about Pamulaan and its free education. My prayers were answered when I was accepted into Pamulaan. I really didn’t know what to feel, I was so happy and at the same time afraid, because being a grantee is not an easy task. But I knew that this chance for an education would be my gateway to achieving my dreams. I enrolled as a student of Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, and graduated.

Right now, I am working as an Anthropologist and a technical support staff for the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, a government agency that promotes the welfare of my fellow Indigenous Peoples. My work is to gather anthropological data from IP communities. Together, with my fellow anthropologists, we ensure that the customs and traditions of the ethno linguistic group will be amplified through our work and introduced to the mainstream society. Being an anthropologist is not easy, but I am happy because I am living my dreams. My dream now is to encourage every young person to continue on dreaming and keep on believing, because even if you fail once, it does not mean that you will fail every time. Daghang Salamat! Thank you.

What's Misunderstood About the Rainy Season

Wed, 28 Jun 2017 14:39:10 GMT

When you drive along the dusty, cracked roads during the dry season in Cambodia and see children walking long distances to fetch water from a small puddle, you wonder when the rains will come and bring relief. Much of our work in water and sanitation is based upon the need to address water scarcity during the dry seasons in the countries that we work in.

Unfortunately, however, even the rainy season cannot effectively provide the relief needed for families waiting for water and sanitation. While the rains can fill up the rivers and ponds and water fields, this can also endanger the health and well being of families. Reliable infrastructure for water and sanitation is essential for well being throughout the year.

Ethiopia: Contaminated Rivers

HOPE completed the installation of the water supply system in Tsayte, the Southern Ethiopia in 2016.

Prior to this, people in Tsayte did not have latrines and relieved themselves in the bushes alongside the river. As a result of heavy rainfall during the rainy season, the river often rose and mixed with all the precipitated waste on the riverbed. The water carried everything downstream and frequently caused people to contract diarrhoea and fall ill.

Death from drinking contaminated water and resulting dehydration was one of the main causes of infant mortality.

Fortunately, people in Tsayte do not need to drink this water anymore after the completion of the project! The clean and safe water they now fetch from the water points comes from a highland spring that is carefully capped and filtered.

Cambodia: I cannot bring my children to the river in the rainy season.

This is Chielun Salun, a mother living in Pursat, Western Cambodia. Prior to receiving a HOPE well in her community, she used to fetch water from a river nearly 1.5km away from her house.

While the rainy season increases the amount of water available, rivers rise and grow deeper and the currents become faster. This makes it very dangerous, especially for children.

For fear of them drowning or sudden showers and thunders, Chielun Salun could not let her children go to the river by themselves. The options for her children were limited to dry months with scarce water, or wet months where they could not even enjoy it.

But having a HOPE well in their community has changed this. Families are able to safely fetch water all through the year within few minutes. Mothers do not need to send children to rivers anymore.

The Growing Difference that a School Lunch Program is making!

Tue, 30 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Lunch time at Chanserey Elementary School, in Western Cambodia, is the daily highlight for students! HOPE, in partnership with Kinder Kids International School, supported the construction of the school building and installed a well there in 2009, and on further assessment of needs, started the lunch program from 2012.

The Difference that the Lunch Program Brought

SraiKayle is a girl in 5th grade, who told us that not only does she enjoys the delicious meals each day, but that it also helps her concentrate in class because she doesn’t feel hungry anymore. Prior to the start of the lunch program, many children were only able to eat two meals a day at best and struggled to concentrate. This is no longer the case, as all the students are well fed and receiving proper nutrition.

With HOPE's well in the school compound, students can also keep their dishes and cooking materials clean. It is endearing to watch the older students taking turns to help the younger ones to wash their utensils properly. The knowledge and awareness of health and sanitation is spreading now not only within school, but also to families and communities through these children.

The school is also endeavouring to provide the best environment for students. The principal, Montela, is now building eating areas in the yard, so that children can enjoy their lunches under a beautiful blue sky and the shade of big trees.

The attitudes of students and teachers who are taking the initiative to make life better and nurture the children’s futures are, at the end of the day, the key elements that are making a difference now in Chanserey Elementary School!

Pamulaan Graduates - Where Are They Now?

Fri, 28 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Out of a total of 182 graduates of Pamulaan Center for Indigenous Peoples Education, 67 are now working with government agencies, 64 are with civil society organizations (people’s organizations, non-government organizations, church groups, etc.), 12 joined the private sector, 13 are self-employed, while the remaining 3 are unreachable.

Most of those who are with government and civil society organizations are assigned to work for indigenous communities and other marginalized groups because of their background in anthropology, indigenous education, peace education, social entrepreneurship, and sustainable agriculture. They work as anthropologists, community teachers, community organizers/ facilitators, and program coordinators, helping communities with subjects such as sustainably improving farming methods, overcoming issues surrounding land tenure and environmental degradation, preserving language and cultural traditions, and developing social enterprises.

Letters from Graduates

Michelle and Melvin have taken the time to write formal letters as well, and we are happy to share them with you directly here. Like Jinefer, they are both busy and well, assisting Indigenous communities and youth with a range of subjects from land tenure, ecological restoration and educating current students at Pamulaan. We hope their stories inspire you, as they have inspired us.

Melvin's letter
Michelle's Letter

Note: files don't exist on server.

What Can We Do to Conserve Water & Reduce Wastewater?

Thu, 30 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The theme for this year's World Water Day, held on 22nd March every year, was wastewater .
" Instead of wasting wastewater, we need to reduce and reuse it. "
( worldwaterday.org )

In a broader sense, wastewater is the water that is discharged from our homes, factories, farms, public spaces, and released back into the water cycle. In some cases it is effectively treated and recycled, in others not. The UN has released a fact sheet to help us understand the importance of wastewater management and reduction in a world that is urbanising and demanding more water rapidly.

While it may be difficult for us as individuals to take better actions to treating wastewater and recycling it; we can already make a difference by simply reducing the amount of water that we "waste". Being mindful of this is perhaps expected of staff working for an organisation whose projects largely focus on making a difference through access to clean water, but when we took a look at what each of us as individual staff do address the above in our daily lives, we didn’t exactly pass with flying colours either. We have no problems accessing water in Japan, after all.

What does HOPE-JP do to help reduce wastewater?

Our clean water and sanitation projects focus on providing long-term access to clean water, but measures are also taken to ensure that the newly accessed clean water is not wasted.

Concrete aprons surround the wells installed in Cambodia. These serve the multiple purpose of packing the soil around the well, protecting it, and providing a flat surface for families to do their washing on. Pipes also surround the perimeters of the concrete aprons and lead directly to vegetable gardens. This is so that the runoff water from the wells is not wasted and recycled to water the gardens. Similarly in Ethiopia, some farmers will connect water points to farms by digging gutters to save water and nourish their fields.

Whether it is in Cambodia or Ethiopia,training on water management is always provided. Families also come up with their own, creative ways to ensure that water is not wasted and sensibly recycle it when they can. Knowing the hardships of not having water all too well, they are the last people to waste it, even when they have their wells or water systems.

On the other hand, what HOPE-JP staff do? We took a moment to discuss this in our office and had to admit that none of us had really thought about it much, although we each had something, which was better than nothing!

"I'm good at washing my hands with little water."

"I turn the water off when I’m not using it in the shower."

"I learnt that you can brush your teeth with just a couple of mouthfuls of water in Ethiopia."

"I am good about taking short showers when I come back from project sites, but after a couple of weeks of being back in Japan, I am back to letting the water run until it’s nice and hot again."

Our favourite, "I always cut my hair really short before going to visit projects, so that I don't have to wash it when I don't have water!"

In the end, all of us had learned the best water conservation methods while visiting projects, from people who had no alternative but to use water sparingly every day. While we may be one of the entities posting a lot of water related issue facts around World Water Day (March 22nd), we have just as much as anyone else to reflect on too, with regards to our own habits and actions.

What do you do to reduce your wastewater? If you have any good tips, please share them with us by replying here and we’ll make a summary post next week. Happy World Water Day, and may we all make changes, big or small, to see that there is plenty of clean water for everyone now and in the future.

Your donations support our Water Projects.

Toilets Change Lives Too!

Tue, 28 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Currently, "2.4 billion people still do not have access to basic sanitation facilities such as toilets or latrines" (World Health Organisation 2016). This is nearly a third of the world's population.

In communities where basic sanitation facilities are not available, the introduction of latrines can be transformative. They immediately improve sanitation practices and reduce the spread of diseases. Enclosed latrines also offer privacy and more security, particularly for women. This is why compost latrines are an important part of HOPE's Water, Sanitation and Hygiene programs in Cambodia.

With every well that is installed, a compost latrine is also installed. Designed to be simple but effective, pipes connect the latrine to storage pots at the rear, where waste is treated for 6 months until it is ready to be used as fertilizer in the fields.

Correctly aligning the pipes can be difficult, and this is where a trained technician's expertise is required. HOPE Cambodia's well and latrine technicians help families install their wells and latrines. Coming from communities that previously benefited from HOPE's program themselves, the locally trained technicians understand the hardships of living without clean water and latrines all too well.

HOPE Cambodia staff continue to pay families regular visits to families post installation. Sharing vital information on health and sanitation, maintenance of the wells and latrines, HOPE staff also give families advice home vegetable gardening and the usage of compost. Because of the journey shared and relationships built, many families remain friends of HOPE, even after they’ve reached self-reliance, and some men join us as well and latrine technicians.

HOPE-JP's Project Goals for 2017

Tue, 31 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Dear Friends,

We hope that this finds you all well and enjoying the start to the new year.

At HOPE-JP, we are looking forward to launching new projects, continuing existing ones, and assisting more people on the path to self-reliance. Outlined below, is a summary of all the projects that we are committed to for 2017. We thank you for your support, and look forward to seeing you at our events and keeping you updated on our developments!

If you would like to see a summary of our activities from 2015 – 2016, you can view our annual report here.

Cambodia

Our longstanding commitment to the people of Pursat Province continues. This year, we will working with the villages of Angkrong and Ta Deis, who have never received any form of assistance to date. Working together with approximately 400 families, we will be installing new clean water wells and lavatories and training them on health and sanitation. Micro-credit programs, to help households increase their income and farming productivity, will also be essential aspects of our activities there. Follow up and ongoing training for families assisted in 2016 will also continue.

The junior class of Y.I.S. are due to return to Pursat in February to build a new school for the village of Ta Deis. With 261 children in need of a safe building structure, Y.I.S.'s dedicated support is very welcome, and special thanks goes to the students of Y.I.S. who have donated their time to fund raise and volunteer for this special initiative.

Ethiopia

Last year, over 6,800 people in the village of Tsayte finally accessed a life-long supply of clean water, as a water system with 33 water points was installed, alongside 8 public toilets to reinforce the message of need for proper sanitation. Following on from this, and to fortify the road to self-reliance for the families of Tsayte, micro-credit programs that will secure reliable sources of income, will be offered 2017. The women of Tsayte will be forming Self-Help Groups, as together they learn about managing their finances, establishing new means of income and safely taking out loans to realise their dreams. Notably, by helping women achieve financial stability and independence, our micro-credit programs are also designed to raise the status of women in communities.

The Philippines

14 students enrolled at the the Pamulaan Centre – a university for Indigenous Youth – under the sponsorship of HOPE-JP supporters last year, and our commitments to supporting their studies will continue, until they graduate in 2019. We are also planning to support new entrees this year, and will also continue to support elementary school programs in Indigenous Communities, working with our longstanding local partner to help Indigenous Communities overcome the challenges they face from extreme poverty and marginalization.

*** If you would like to make a donation to any of the projects listed above, please click here. (Donate Page)
Thank you so much for your support!

hope_japan

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