[Original by Maki KATO, Afghanistan Project (October 30, 2018); Translated by Y. Miki] JVC started literacy lessons in several villages in Afghanistan this summer. The lessons are for people who either could not make the long commute to school, or for those who could not attend school in their younger days due to some issues. The lessons offer the opportunity to learn reading and writing skills again. Our local female staff, Karima, interviewed one of the students there. Showbina is a 25-year-old woman who is taking literacy lessons of Ms. Sayra in the Kachara village. She is from an economically unstable family. Her father is a farmer and her mother…
Vote for children in South Sudan to help them go to school !
The voting campaign for helping everyone on earth has started as usual this year. It is organized by “the Global Village Fund” of Felissimo Corporation, which has been supporting JVC for a long time. JVC was awarded for the first prize last year. We are grateful for their support! The Global Village Fund by Felissimo Corporation is based on donations in a unit of 100 yen per month. It is aimed to support projects conducted around the world such as “self-reliance from poverty”, “relief from natural disasters,” and “support for restoration.” Six projects including JVC’s South Sudan Project are nominated for the vote of this year. The campaign receives votes…
Charity Concert “Dream of Arab”
– For the children of Iraq – Let’s Enjoy Arabic Music for Charity! JVC will help organize a charity concert to enjoy beautiful music with the Arabic musical instrument called “oud” meaning “Queen of Instruments.” Please experience the exotic world of Arabic culture, which is full of mystery and fascination. The concert proceeds are going to help support the activities of JVC in Iraq. Conflicts have been getting worse in Iraq because of differences in race and religion, which worst affect children. JVC regularly organizes workshops called “Peace Yard,” through which children can learn how to peacefully live together. Also, JVC workers can help treat their mental health problems. We…
ESSENCE OF “DIALOGUE”
Communication Through Nonviolence Training When languages differ communication is difficult, and the lack of communication leads to misunderstanding, tension and eventually create a sense of animosity. And people who are right beside us, seem so far. First thing we need to solve the daily tensions and misunderstandings is communication. To communicate with Japanese people without using Japanese try our nonviolence training session. Session Facilitator: Aree Jabari (Iraqi Peace building activist) Aree is the president of the INSAN Iraqi Society for Relief and Development. As part of the organization activities INSAN applies nonviolence approach in bringing together children from various religious and ethnic backgrounds. Those children in most cases do not…
INTERVIEW WITH A PEACE YARD FACILITATOR
[Ghamra RIFAI, Iraq Project (July 12, 2018)] On July 12th, 2018 I had a video call interview with Miss Shelan Serwan, a facilitator of the Peace Yard of our Iraq project. We chatted about her life, her dreams, and her work with the children. At 40 °C degrees temperature, despite the power outages and the scorching heat Shelan started the video call with a big smile. When I asked her about herself, she said, “I’m from Baghdad, Kurdish, but my Kurdish is not that good, I speak better Arabic than Kurdish. I was born in 1994 and raised in Baghdad until 2007 when the sectarian confrontation between Sunni and Shia…
JVC’s Approach to the ProSAVANA Project
[Original (June 5, 2018); Translated by M. Kanai/J. Hills] Since 2013, JVC has been committed to activities of advocacy against the ProSAVANA project, one of many Official Development Assistance (ODA) projects led by the Japanese government. What is ProSAVANA? Officially called the “Program of Triangular Cooperation for the Agricultural Development of the Tropical Savannah in Mozambique”, ProSAVANA is an ODA project co-managed by Japan, Brazil, and Mozambique. This largescale agricultural development project covers an area of approximately 14 million hectares (more than three times the cultivated land area in Japan) in the northern provinces of Mozambique. The ProSAVANA project was born out of the success of projects undertaken by Japan…
MOSUL CELEBRATES THE SPRING FESTIVAL AFTER 16 YEARS OF SUSPENSION
[Ghamra RIFAI, Iraq Project (July 10, 2018)] On April 10, 1969 the first Mosul Festival was inaugurated and lasted for nine days. Many floats passed through the city in a huge parade presenting various periods of the Iraqi history such as Babylon and Islamic Golden Age, in addition to floats that represented the Pan-Arab mentality of the ruling Baath party. These floats included a model of Al-Aqsa mosque and the church of the holy sepulcher in Jerusalem. The festival was not limited to the parade but it included art performances, poetry reading and exhibitions such as the Mosul flower exhibition, and it was considered a great tourist attraction. After that,…
A miraculous meeting for peace held in an Afghan village
– A ceasefire was realized between the Afghan government and the Taliban. In order to cut the chain of still-continuing violence. – [Original (June 18, 2018); Translated by K. Takemura] Good & bad news The situation of Afghanistan is dramatically changing these days. To our surprise, a ceasefire for three days was realized between the Government of Afghanistan and the Taliban for the first time. And a miraculous meeting for peace was held in a village, where one of the JVC staff comes from. At the same time, suicide attacks occurred to target such moves. We got the surprising news on the Friday night of June 16, 2018. It says,…
A MIRACLE IN ROPPONGI – MEETING A YOUNG AFGHAN MAN AGAIN AFTER TWO YEARS
[Original by Ryo ONOYAMA, Afghanistan Project (June 5, 2018); Translated by N. Mizutani] It was a miracle. In Roppongi, right in the middle of Tokyo, I met again a youth I had met in Afghanistan two years ago. Chances for Afghan people to visit Japan are very limited, so it is amazing that he was exactly from the area JVC has been working in! His name is Ihsanullah. He was visiting Japan with some other Afghan people, to participate in a training program on disaster prevention held by a Japanese NGO. Participants were appointed by the Afghan government, NGOs and the local community. Ihsanullah came as a representative of his…
NGOs in Japan and the Constitution
This panel and discussion event seeks to provide a casual space for English speakers to learn about and share thoughts on the Constitution of Japan, in particular Article 9 and the ruling party’s current efforts to revise it. The event will be held in English, and it seeks to provide an opportunity to find out more about one of the biggest political topics in Japan in recent history and its global stakes. The panel will feature NGO speakers sharing their experiences with the international roles of NGOs and community engagement in Japan, in relation to the Constitution. Then, the floor will be opened for attendees to discuss in a casual…