Press Releases from HOPE

June 2009

HOPE visits high school and university to talk about the world's poor

This month HOPE visited Nanzan Kokusai High School, Shokutoku University and Nagoya's JICA office to make presentations on our activities and the plight of the world's poor. If you would like to have HOPE come speak at your school, university or community group please send us an email to info@hope.or.jp .
 
 
 
June 2009

Thank you for the generaous donations for Sri Lanka

HOPE would like to thank the generous donations for the relief effort in Sri Lanka following the political unrest, which already has been sent to our partners on the ground. This money will provide displaced families with much needed supplies and reviving their livelihood and to become self sustainable. If you would like to learn how to help the displaced people in Sri Lanka please visit our website www.hope.or.jp
 

Cyclone Nargis Relief Project in Myanmar - Project Report

When Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar in May 2008, an estimated 140,000 lives were lost.
 
Beyond lost lives, and injuries incurred by survivors, it destroyed buildings, infrastructure, and livelihoods. Agricultural land, crops, and seeds were severely damaged or destroyed. Water sources were destroyed or contaminated. Relief aid initially focused on providing medical treatment, temporary shelters, providing food, also, de-salinating ponds and providing water treatment.
 
The implementing partners had long-standing pre-existing relationships in the area; this facilitated early assessment of the needs of the affected communities, which was done in cooperation of community leaders and community volunteers. These needs and conditions were regularly assessed so as to ensure that each community served was receiving the appropriate help. HOPE Myanmar’s knowledge of the local context and existing partnership before the cyclone facilitated trust and working relationship in the communities after the tragedy.
 
All the relief work done in the field is, in the long-term, to ensure self-sufficiency and community building in the affected areas, for this reason we encouraged the beneficiaries to drive the decision-making process and to have input and control in the decisions that affect their communities. Also, women were directly involved in leadership roles in the implementing agencies and were well represented in decision-making groups in their communities.
 
The project was coordinated with other international and local agencies in an attempt to assure equitable distribution of resources and to avoid duplication. Strong encouragement was provided to overcome group identity barriers and distrust between groups. Some good progress was made, though plenty of work remains to be done.