The Japan Times has begun its 53rd yearend charity drive to raise money for The Japan Times Readers' Fund, which helps the needy in Asia. The campaign will last through Dec. 31.
Last year, readers contributed ¥940,595 to the fund. Thank you for your generosity.Of the 2007 total, ¥178,119 went to the Kyoto-based Nippon International Cooperation for Community Development, which promotes literacy and basic computer skills for poor women in the Jibril area of Herat Province, Afghanistan. The Japan International Volunteer Center, AMATAK (House of Cambodia), PAG-ASA Group Japan and Friendly Asians Home also each received ¥178,119. The Japan Association for Refugees got ¥50,000. Link...
The Japan International Volunteer Center will help villagers in Khammouan Province in central Laos establish legal ownership over commonly shared forests to prevent commercial firms from logging without consent. The group will also nurture forestry volunteers who will help settle problems related to forests and land.AMATAK, led by the Rev. Fumio Goto of Kichijoji Catholic Church in Tokyo, will buy lumber and other materials to build an elementary school in the village of Poytasek in Banteay Meanchey Province, Cambodia — the 15th school to be built by the group in that country.
PAG-ASA Group Japan will combine the money from the fund with ¥100,000 from another group to help about 35 impoverished elementary school students in Muntinlupe near Manila purchase uniforms, bags, shoes, stationery and other items to enable them to continue their schooling.The Friendly Asians Home will help Asians, especially Myanmarese, who have become seriously ill in Japan receive medical care and go back to their native countries if needed. The Japan Association for Refugees will extend emergency aid to needy Asian refugees in Japan.
We once again ask readers to contribute to this fund. Donations can be sent to the following bank account: Mizuho Bank, Shinbashi branch, "futsu koza" 1393499 (the account name is: The Japan Times Dokusha no Nanmin Enjo Kikin).
When people get into any difficulty, rather than using their initiative and and finding their own way off they call mountain rescue 