To everyone who has always supported JVC’s activities in various ways.
We know that you are worried because of the outbreak of the new coronavirus (COVID-19). We sincerely hope for the safety of all of you and your loved ones. On behalf of the entire staff, I would like to express my gratitude to all those who, even under these circumstances, have sent their words of sympathy to the staff and expressed their support by saying, “We support you in times like these.” Thank you so much for sharing your sympathy with JVC and the people of the world during this difficult time.
JVC is concerned that, in addition to the ongoing disparities and conflicts in various regions, the spread of infectious diseases and the subsequent social turmoil will further impoverish the lives of vulnerable people in the social structure of Japan and other countries around the world.
The people whom JVC has supported through your assistance are influenced by social conditions. A variety of negative impacts have already occurred, including people’s fear of infection, information gaps, and food insecurity. The situation and support activities in each area are summarized below.
While hoping that the situation will settle down as soon as possible, we will continue to gather information and listen to what you have to say, and work with you to find out what JVC can do. In order to support people’s lives after the infection has settled, we will continue to make efforts and trials to protect the activities that we have been carrying out. Please lend your strength to the people of the world. We have also received messages from people in our activity areas asking the people of Japan, “Is Japan okay?” and “Please stay safe. Please continue to take care of yourselves.”
April 24, 2020.
President, Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC)
Takaki IMAI
Afghanistan
Status of our activity area
As of April 23, 1,221 positive cases and 42 deaths were reported, according to the Afghan Health Department. People are at risk of a pandemic because of the adverse effects of the long-running conflicts and the lack of a public health system. The country borders Iran and Pakistan, where many infections are spreading. Although there are still relatively few confirmed cases in our activity area, Nangarhar, the situation is unpredictable in the light of the number of patients without confirmed infections, the shortage of health and medical facilities, and the difficulties in accessing them.
In addition, the price of food in general and daily necessities have doubled or tripled as a result of the spread of the infection, causing prices to rise sharply. There is widespread fear of starvation among those without reserves, and there are reports of suicides from that despair. There are also people who are illiterate, have no access to the Internet, etc., and are unable to get the right information about infection and hygiene. In addition to these issues, attacks by antigovernmental forces and the Taliban, as well as the activities of extremist organizations such as the “IS”, are continuing, which have further driven people’s lives into a tailspin.
Our activities
Together with our partner organization, Your Voice Organization (YVO), we are preparing to hold literacy classes, which are scheduled to be held this fiscal year. During these preparations, we are also ensuring proper hygiene at work. In early April, YVO began a campaign to raise awareness of the prevention of COVID-19 infection and to distribute hygiene kits, and JVC is also supporting these activities. See the article below for more information.
- “YVO, our partner organization in Afghanistan, has started prevention activities against the spread of COVID-19 infection!”
- “The campaign to combat COVID-19 in Afghanistan continues!”
Cambodia
Status of our activity area
Although 122 people were infected as of April 22 according to the Cambodian Ministry of Health, the increase in the number of infections is slowing down, with no new infections since April 13. There were no deaths, bringing the total number of people who werecured to 110. After the first Cambodian case of infection was reported on March 9, fears of spreading the infection have led to the closure of all educational facilities, a ban on gatherings, restrictions such as stricter entry requirements, a partial blockade of the border, and the postponement of the New Year holiday due to concerns about the movement of people. JVC started a simple survey on April 20 to see if there are enough hygiene products in the villages.
Our activities
We have suspended activities that gather people, such as agricultural training. We only continue to excavate the ponds that need to be finished before the rainy season begins in May, and to run a pilot farm managed by our staff. Staff wear masks and work at an appropriate distance. While taking care that the visits do not lead to anxiety among the villagers, we cooperate with the government and interview them to the extent possible about the availability of hygiene products and efforts to prevent infection. For a long time, JVC has been promoting vegetable gardening and other activities with the goal of enabling villagers to earn their own food. We hope that these activities will lead to a sense of security for the people in this uncertain situation. More information about the activities can be found in the following articles.
- “The impact of COVID-19 on rural Cambodia and its future.” (link in preparation)
Iraq
Status of our activity area
In Iraq, which is located next to Iran, the number of infected people has continued to increase since late February. Since March 17, our activity area, Kirkuk, has been in lockdown, although the lockdown was temporarily and partially cancelled. People who disobey the lockdown orders may be subject to arrests and fines. There are concerns about food shortages due to the blockade, and in some provinces, prices have risen sharply. It should be noted that people affected by the long-running conflict are living in 86 displaced persons camps across Iraq, where there are fears of a lack of sanitary supplies and the spread of the virus. There is also concern about the situation of people who are not even able to enter the camps and are living in difficult conditions.
Our activities
JVC’s partner organization, INSAN, has continued its Peace Yard and mental health care activities for children, which were originally scheduled to be held in April or May of this fiscal year. It will be implemented after the convergence of the situation. The strict curfew has made it difficult for NGOs to work, but we will continue to look for ways to help, while keeping in touch with INSAN.
Korea
Our activities
Through the “Relief Campaign Committee for Children, Japan (RCCJ)”, JVC has continued to connect children from Japan, North and South Korea, and China by exchanging children’s paintings. In addition, Japanese university students have been communicating with North Korean students, who study Japanese, face-to-face in Pyongyang. As the spread of the infection is feared in each region and various countermeasures are being taken across the country, JVC’s activities, which until now had been based on the premise of “face-to-face meetings,” have been greatly affected. The year 2020 will be the 20th anniversary of the “Children’s Art Exhibitions”, an activity to connect children in Northeast Asia through art. Although it is expected that our activities will be greatly restricted this year, we will continue to connect the hearts of the children by going back to our starting point of “connecting hearts through pictures because we can’t see each other” and seeking “what we can do without seeing each other”. We plan to adjust the specific activities of the “Exchange Program of University Students from Japan and North Korea,” while keeping an eye on the spread of the infection. We would like to create an environment where university students can voluntarily participate, think, and learn through the exchange of ideas as much as possible.
Laos
Status of our activity area
As of April 21, 19 infected people have been announced, and the Prime Minister’s order issued at the end of March declared the suspension of office work except for certain industries, a ban on going outside except to procure necessities, a ban on moving around the region, and a ban on gatherings, and these measures are expected to continue until May 3. JVC operates its projects in the city of Sawannakhet, where traffic is strictly restricted because of the current checkpoints that have been set up. The Prime Minister’s order also includes a ban on hoarding and price hikes, and there appears to be no disruption in prices in the urban areas where the crackdown is taking place. On the other hand, some rural areas have seen changes such as the price of rice increasing by 1.5 times and salt by 3 times. In rural areas, people are still relatively self-sufficient in terms of food, and there are mutual aid systems among relatives and within the village, as well as food sources such as mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and fish from the forests and rivers. On the other hand, areas affected by last year’s floods have a shortage of food and seeds to grow rice, and follow-up is needed.
Our activities
In the flood-affected areas, we are procuring and transporting materials for setting up rice banks and distributing rice seeds for those who lack rice as their staple food, and we expect to be able to do so as scheduled. Due to the prohibition of meetings, legal training and other events have been postponed, but the excavation of the reservoir and other events have been carried out with exceptions, meeting only with the minimum number of people necessary and with sufficient anti-virus measures in place. In addition, the local staff continues to work from home. JVC’s activities have supported the livelihoods of people living in rural areas and supported the management of natural resources by villagers themselves. We will continue our activities in order to help people live in peace in the midst of social turmoil.
Mozambique
Status of our activity area
As of April 22, some 40 cases of infection have been reported in Mozambique. People are avoiding direct contact, said Costa Estevao, the head of the Farmers’ Union in the country’s northern province of Nampula, where JVC has worked together to oppose the ProSAVANA project. However, the impact of COVID-19 on the future of people’s lives has been pointed out. Local smallholders have a habit of helping each other out in the fields with their neighbors, but this year they are not able to do so from the standpoint of infection prevention, which could lead to a shortage of hands for the harvest and even lower yields. In addition, restrictions on movement have limited the number of places to sell agricultural products, resulting in a situation where middlemen are buying them at a cheap price. We have been informed that this situation has led to a decline in cash income, with some households unable to afford the necessities of life, including hygiene products.
Our activities
Mozambique experienced a cyclone in June 2019 and JVC provided emergency assistance in Sofala and Manica provinces. In October of the same year, local partner organizations reported that some areas were unable to grow crops due to flooding. Usually, people survive the hardships by supporting each other, such as renting a field in an unaffected area or providing labor to secure food. However, restrictions on movement have made that impossible this year, and the lives of the affected small farmers have been extremely difficult. It is also becoming difficult to support each other through a network of smallholder farmers in households and communities with low harvests. Mr. Costa, the head of the Farmers’ Union, laments, “I want to go and check on everyone, but I can’t.” On the other hand, we received a warm message from him, saying, “I’m worried about everyone in Japan.” JVC will continue to gather information and listen to the needs of the local community while exploring the possibility of providing support.
Palestine
Status of our activity area
According to the WHO, the number of infected people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (the West Bank and the Gaza Strip) has exceeded 300 as of April 19. Movement restrictions have been imposed prohibiting entry and exit. The virus is more widespread on the Israeli side of the border, with the number of infected people exceeding 10,000. The number of people working in the country is restricted, slowing economic activity like in Japan. The economy on the Palestinian side is also starting to be affected because it relies on the Israeli side for imports and exports and people use the same currency. There are concerns that it will become even tougher in the future. The people who went to work on the Israeli side every day from the West Bank side, including East Jerusalem, are also unable to work because of the restrictions on movement. There is a fear that the people who connected their lives with daily wages will become even more impoverished. There are already concerns about the deterioration of public safety, with the number of thefts on the rise.
Our activities
Our work in East Jerusalem has been going on for about seven years now, and we are continuing to coordinate with new partner organizations for the next phase of our work. Our partner organization in Gaza, Ard El Insan (AEI), is spreading prevention measures against the new coronavirus, in addition to the usual activities to protect children from malnutrition. Some mothers in refugee camps and impoverished areas are anxious and panicked. People with children who need specialized treatment due to malnutrition, anemia or developmental delay also tend to avoid going to the hospital or traveling long distances for fear of infection. For this reason, we have set up temporary clinics to provide minimal care in the areas where we work, while paying close attention to infection prevention. In addition, local women volunteers trained in health, nutrition, hygiene, and child-rearing provide counseling through SNS and pass on knowledge of infection prevention.
South Africa
Status of our activity area
According to the WHO, about 3,500 infected people have been reported as of April 22, and a “national disaster” was declared by the President on March 15. Various measures have been implemented, including a ban on entry from “high-risk” countries, closure of all schools from nursery schools to universities, restrictions on non-essential travel, a ban on alcohol and tobacco sales, a ban on rallies, and a nationwide lockdown that began on March 27. In addition, all households have begun to be inspected for infection through home visits, and this will be carried out gradually in the areas where JVC operates. While South Africa is well-equipped with medical facilities, there is no national health insurance system, and there are concerns about the negative impact of disparities, such as poor people who cannot afford private insurance and do not have access to quality health services. In addition, due to the economic structure of South Africa, which is based on investment and resources and heavily imported, daily necessities such as stationery have been difficult to obtain even in our activity area since the beginning of February. There are many people who grow maize, the staple food in the area. Since maize has reached its harvest season, they can secure food for the time being, but according to the local staff, prices at supermarkets are increasing.
Our activities
Due to the closure of educational institutions across the country, the DIC (Drop in Center) in which JVC works with children in difficult family situations, such as those with absent parents, has also been closed, and activities have been halted due in part to the lockdown. In the meantime, we have begun to interview people (including children) through local staff about the impact on their lives, the state of food procurement, and the mental aspects of partner organization staff, while taking account of the range of travel and hygiene. In addition, since domestic violence is common in South Africa and has long been a social problem, we will continue to gather information on the situations of people under lockdown. Through our activities in South Africa, we have been promoting the cultivation of home vegetable gardens while teaching organic farming methods. As the lockdown continues, we have begun researching how a home garden that utilizes the familiar natural environment is affecting people’s situation and their sense of security, and are considering what support can be provided even during the lockdown, such as delivering food harvested from the garden to children who have no parents, or growing vegetables with children.
South Sudan
Status of our activity area
According to the WHO, there have been four outbreaks of the disease as of April 23. Movement within the country is restricted, in addition to a border blockade and airport blockade, as well as a ban from going out at night. In South Sudan, where the effects of the conflict remain reverberant, humanitarian assistance is a lifeline for many people. Since flights between the capital and the provinces have stopped and UN flights have been reduced, there are concerns about the impact on the activities of the UN and NGOs. There are also restrictions on the movement of UN personnel due to infected people from them. In the Yida refugee camp near the border with Sudan, where JVC operates its project, movement to and from neighboring camps has been banned. It is beginning to have an impact because families and relatives are often living in separate camps while helping each other with food and other necessities.
Our activities
JVC has continued to support kindergartens and care for children who have no guardian in the Yida refugee camp located on the Sudanese border. Although kindergartens and schools have been closed since April across South Sudan, JVC continues to work to protect children as much as possible.
Sudan
Status of our activity area
As of April 23, the number of infected people in Sudan has exceeded 150, including foreigners and returnees from abroad. The government has declared a state of emergency, shutting down all traffic outside the country. Going out at night and cross-state travel within the country are restricted since late March. The capital Khartoum has been locked down since April 18. Sudan has had inflation for some time now, and prices continue to rise as the effects of the virus spread. Food and sugar prices have risen two or three times since the beginning of the year, and some people have been affected by the lack of access to medicine due to restrictions on the transportation of goods in the country. There is also widespread fear among the people of spreading the infection.
Our activities
Since mid-March, schools have been closed across Sudan. As a result, the JVC’s remedial school program for those who did not have access to educational opportunities has been halted. In addition, the transportation of goods is also limited, so the construction of schools that need materials is also being postponed. In the province of South Kordofan, where we are working, it is difficult to obtain permission to travel because NGOs need to consult with the Ministry of Health before they can visit communities. Our staff is responding to this situation by assessing the needs of the local people, with a view to including COVID-19 in our activities as we prepare for the resumption of operations.
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