Introduction of local staff in South Africa: Dudu, Moses, and Philip (Part 2)

[Original by Airi KAMIYAMA, Intern (July 7, 2022); Translated by E. Miyazaki/A. Taguchi] Hi everyone! Following the previous blog, I will continue to report on the interview with our South African staff, Dudu, Moses, and Phillip. I was able to hear very interesting stories such as what they pay attention to at work in JVC, what they gained when working with people from different countries and so on. Please take a moment to read about Dudu, Moses, and Philip’s strong passion. Why did you decide to join JVC? Dudu: At first, I only thought that I had to find a job for myself and my family. However, I came to…

Read more

Introduction of local staff in South Africa: Dudu, Moses, and Philip (Part 1)

[Original by Airi KAMIYAMA, Intern (July 7, 2022); Translated by E. Miyazaki/A. Taguchi] Hi! I am Kamiyama, an intern. Today, I would like to introduce Dudu, Moses, and Philip, our local staff in South Africa. We used to hear from the Japanese staff on similar occasions, but we did not have opportunities to hear from the local staff. Because I wanted everyone to know about our local staff, I interviewed these three staff. I will report my interview with these cheerful South African staff in two parts. In the first part, I will introduce their hobbies and the South African culture to you. Please introduce yourselves! Philip: I am involved…

Read more

A mother who wanted to study, too

[Original by Ko IMANAKA, Sudan Project (February 21, 2022); Translated by E. Yocom] As detailed in this previous report, nearly 90% of the children who have completed the supplementary schooling are still continuing their studies at regular school. The following is a case study of one mother that illustrates JVC’s support and the changes that have been brought about by this initiative. ▼This video introduces the initiative. Cooperation among parents, administration, and teachers In our supplementary schooling initiative, we not only conduct classes, but we also work to remove the barriers to regular school attendance by raising awareness in the community and providing support to strengthen ties between the parents,…

Read more

What changes did JVC’s vocational training make? (Part 3)

[Original by Yuta HASHIGUCHI, Sudan Project (May 6, 2022); Translated by J. Tsuchiya/A. Taguchi] This is the final interview with the trainees who learned how to repair rickshaws (tuk-tuk), an indispensable vehicle in Sudan. I also interviewed their instructor. Please read on to learn about each person’s life and the emotional changes the training brought. Mr. Mohammed (18 years old) “I am from Shair of Kaduqli. Even though I have been working in a bakery for 10 years since I can remember, I didn’t improve my skills that much because I drudged the daily routine and felt like I was stuck at a dead end. One day, a friend of…

Read more

Let’s follow the students who have completed the supplementary school

[Original by Ko IMANAKA, Sudan Project (September 21, 2021); Translated by K. Takemura/A. Taguchi] JVC has been implementing a supplementary school for children who have lost the opportunity to receive an education since 2020. The purpose of the school is not only for the children to receive remedial lessons and improve their academic skills, but also for them to transfer or return to regular morning classes and continue receiving an education. Approximately 500 children initially participated in the supplementary school supported by JVC in 2020. Eventually, 387 have taken the final exam, partly due to a six-month school closure caused by COVID-19 and partly due to a series of evacuations…

Read more

Report on “Friends of Northeast Asia” – Cultural Exchange Children’s Art Exhibition in Saitama

[Original by Ikuru HORIUCHI, an intern on the “Korea Children Campaign” (the Relief Campaign Committee for Children, Japan), (April 28, 2022); Translated by E. Miyazaki /E. Yocom] Hello! こんにちは (Konnichiwa) ! 안녕 (Anyon) ! 你好 (Nihao) ! My name is Ikuru, and I am an intern at the Korea Children Campaign. I would like to report on the Friends of Northeast Asia exhibition that was held in Saitama, which I visited on December 25, 2021. About the Friends of Northeast Asia Exhibition This art exhibition was first held in 2001 with the hope that the 21st century will be a century of peace between the countries of the Northeast Asia…

Read more

What changes did JVC’s vocational training make? (Part 2)

[Original by Yuta HASHIGUCHI, Sudan Project (April 18, 2022); Translated by J. Tsuchiya/A. Taguchi] In my last blog, I introduced how trainees and instructors were feeling after the whole vocational training program ended. This time, I interviewed two other welding trainees. Please find out what kind of changes they have experienced through JVC’s vocational training. Mr. Fatah (18 years old) “I came from Katcha in the rebel territory. I went up to the second grade of elementary school, but because of a family finance issue, I quit and was taken care of in my relative’s shop for a while in Hersana, West Kordofan. Later on, when I came to Kaduqli…

Read more

What changes did JVC’s vocational training make? (Part 1)

[Original by Yuta HASHIGUCHI, Sudan Project (April 4, 2022); Translated by J. Tsuchiya/A. Taguchi] JVC’s vocational training project that began in 2021 ended last February. After finishing lectures and on-the-job trainings, almost all graduates got jobs at factories in the town and other places. From now on, they will start work supported by related institutions, community leaders, and youth leaders. Let’s hear from the trainees who have finished the welding training courses about their impressions and feelings. Mr. Murtada (23 years old) “I moved to Kaduqli from a rebel territory several years ago. I don’t want to talk about the past because I had terrible experiences before I came here.…

Read more

Community forest to protect natural resources

[Original (March 29, 2022); Translated by E. Miyazaki /A. Taguchi] In the rural areas of Laos, people have been taking food and timber from rich forests as much as they need for their daily lives. However, as the economy rapidly developed in recent years, plantations and dams were constructed and deforestation increased. People faced conflicts about unfair land expropriation and deforestation due to ambiguous boundaries of villages and forests. To prevent such conflicts, we created “community forests” in two villages. We chose an area in the forest that the villagers wanted to preserve and registered it as a conservation forest at the public administration office. We also placed signboards showing…

Read more

We provided legal training to protect villagers’ rights

[Original (March 9, 2022); Translated by J. Tsuchiya/A. Taguchi] In Laos, the lands of villagers in rural areas, which they use for daily life, are often grabbed and destroyed by developers without any sufficient compensation. In addition, excessive production of cash crops and woodcutting, including those done by the villagers themselves, cause unnoticed deforestation. To improve this situation, the villagers need a guide to lead a stable life by preserving natural resources and the lands which are the basis of their livelihood as well as to be able to protect their own rights. Therefore, we implemented legal training on land use and other important legal information they need. From 2018…

Read more