lifestyle

CARE International Japan takes holistic approach to fighting poverty

4 Comments
By Karryn Cartelle

CARE’s roots have always been firmly set in fighting poverty. The NGO was founded in the aftermath of WWII, offering food and supplies in the form of “CARE Packages” to suffering families in Europe. Soon after, relief was extended to Japan — from 1948 to 1955, 10 million Japanese received $2.9 million worth of aid.

In an act of paying it forward, CARE International Japan was established over two decades ago with the goal to help vulnerable communities in Asia, Africa, South America and the Middle East. Now, 60 years after the first support package was sent, CARE has stayed true to its roots. Though the causes of global poverty and the workings of the organization have changed, the fundamental goal of helping people improve their quality of life remains.

CARE International Japan is currently working on a number of projects throughout Asia and Africa. “Our strength is our holistic approach,” says Chitose Noguchi, 36, the organization’s national director. “People don’t think of things in different segments; everything is connected. The problem of HIV/AIDS is not just a health issue — it’s an income issue, an education issue, as well as a social issue.”

One project within the landlocked African nation of Lesotho offers an example of how CARE addresses a broad range of issues all at once. Lesotho has one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in the world, with nearly one third of its citizens aged 15-49 infected with the virus.

On top of this, severe droughts have led to food shortages, and a lack of education has kept the country in a rut. CARE is helping communities establish home gardens, training them how to assemble simple irrigation systems so they can grow their own vegetables, and teaching women about proper nutrition.

In Vietnam, meanwhile, CARE has created self-help groups for people living with HIV/AIDS. It promotes prevention among youth while educating local healthcare workers about the virus — a necessary service, as some clinics have turned away suffering patients.

As Vietnam’s economy booms, so does the rate of infection. Currently CARE is working with a Japanese construction company to educate locals about the problem. “People who use intravenous needles are the most vulnerable to contracting HIV/AIDS, followed by sex workers, then [transient] workers such as those working on construction sites,” explains Noguchi. “We are raising awareness among these groups in Vietnam.” CARE International Japan relies on help from corporate sponsors.

The NGO collaborated with Starbucks to carry out emergency relief in Indonesia following the 2004 tsunami, helping internally displaced refugees on the country’s Madura Island. With Nissan, the group aided in tsunami clean-up efforts in Sri Lanka.

As it looks to the future, CARE is hoping for increased corporate support from foreign companies based in Japan, along with Japanese companies abroad. Noguchi sees these sponsors as like-minded partners, and hopes that establishing relationships with them will lead to an increase in both funds and awareness. Private individuals can also help by donating time, expertise or money, and by becoming a member of the CARE network, which provides regular updates on the NGO’s activities around the world. With 13,000-14,000 workers worldwide, plus a host of volunteers, CARE has grown into one of the three largest international NPOs, alongside Save the Children and World Vision.

The local team may only be small in comparison, with a staff of 11, but it has momentum and growing ranks of volunteers. Thanks to the number of ways people can join in — and with a number of countries needing attention — CARE International Japan has the potential to make a big impact on reducing global poverty.

This story originally appeared in Metropolis magazine (www.metropolis.co.jp)

© Japan Today

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

4 Comments
Login to comment

Nice story, another example (out of countless others) of Japanese citizen's generosity and help towards those less fortunate in this world. Great for them and others in other countries doing the same.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

rjd jr; You are joking arent you?

Check personal charity donations by country, and then see how generous the Japanese are.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Check personal charity donations by country, and then see how generous the Japanese are.

This article is about what some Japanese are doing and not about what some Japanese are not doing. You can in no way dismiss what CARE has accomplished.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

In other countries, people donate money to give themselves good conscience and more often than not for tax deduction purposes. Japanese NGO members on the other side, give their time and sweat to help the world's problems. Even all the money in the world won't solve hunger, poverty and disease problems without some courageous people who just go out there and get things done.

Besides, I think japanese governmental aid spending more than makes up for the lack of private donations. Even though they reined it in, it's still one of the highest in the world.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites