|
|
|
Name (English) |
|
Miyazaki International Volunteer Center (Acronym MIVC) |
|
Name (Japanese) |
Miyazaki Kokusai Volunteer Center (Acronym MIVC) |
|
| Established in |
Year 1991 |
|
Registered status in Japan |
NPO (Registered under the Law to promote specified non-profit activities) |
|
Name of the Representative in India |
Sakuyo Sugimoto |
|
| Address |
4276-751 Maehama, Awakigahara-choMiyazaki-city, Miyazaki Prefecture, JAPAN
|
|
| Tel/Fax |
+81-985-29-7419 (Tel/Fax) |
|
| E-mail address |
|
|
URL |
|
|
Activity in India Since |
Year 1991 |
|
| Objectives of work in India |
When Ms. Sugimto was in India about twenty years ago, she had a
chance to meet the President of Dr. Graham’s Homes School,
where there were many orphans and needy children studying. She decided
to support those children from Japan. After she came back to Japan
she founded an NGO and named it Miyazaki International Volunteer
Center. It was fifteen years ago. She collected membership dues,
raised money, gained money by selling things and then sent the money
to DGH. Now we are supporting fifteen children per year, which has
been our main job. DGH stands on the hillside in Kalimpong, West
Bengal in India. Kalimpong is mainly an agricultural area but its
scale is very small and most of the villagers grow vegetables only
for their own consumption. In 1996, Miyazaki International Volunteer
Center started the greenhouse project, in which we aimed to give
the students agricultural education. It was possible with the help
of Miyazaki Prefecture Agricultural Experiment Station. Since then
we have supported the students to receive career education. |
|
| Outline of ongoing JICA Partnership Programme projects |
The effect of the greenhouse project was gradually
recognized by the local people and those who were concerned
with nurseries. They came to ask us to teach agriculture and
help them grow vegetables and flowers in the area. So we decided
to help them lead their own lives by agriculture in the future.
We have made the following four concrete plans. (A part of them
has already started.)
1.Building the gHorticulture Technology
Centerh to support development and improvement of the research
activities, and disseminate knowledge and skills gained there.
2.Supporting the local people to find new markets through training
of shipping techniques.
3.Supporting the local people to develop
food-processing techniques using the local products.
4.Teaching
techniques of flower arrangement, pressed flowers, and dry flowers
using local flowers. |
|
| Field of Activity |
Education, Children |
|
| Working area |
Kalimpong,
West Bengal |
|
| Name of the
partner NGO |
Dr. Graham’s Homes (DGH) |
|
Message
from the Representative in India:
The area of Kalimpong is located in the mountain-ringed region
of the Himalayas, and 80% of the local residents are full-time
farmers. Their main product is rice, ginger, and beans are produced
as well. Today, however, the poverty problems of Indian farmers
have worsened because of economic globalization. In the urban
areas of India, the economy is dynamized mainly by the IT industry,
and the well-to-do population has been on the increase. Meanwhile,
the gap between the rich and the poor has been widened in the
course of the problems of sudden inflation, illiteracy, and
lack of proper market dealings. In the area of Kalimpong, the
local venders buy crops from the local farmers at a very low
price, and hardly any food is left for farmers themselves. Many
of them suffer chronic malnutrition. Because of the poverty,
many children cannot attend school and have to help their parents
at home, instead. There is hardly any industry except farming
there, so they have no source of income other than farming.
Therefore, within the grass-root capacity, we have decided to
carry out this project to provide technical support to the farmers
suffering from poverty, and to teach them how to increase the
cash crop yields and their income.The children, whom we are
supporting, are the ones who have had no chance of going to
school because of the poverty. Providing a chance for education
is necessary in order to break the vicious cycle of poverty.
At the same time, it is very important to improve the economy
of the areas where the children grow up, in order to create
a healthy environment and to stabilize conditions for their
future. Through this project, the income of the farmers can
be increased. It will not only improve their lives but also
enable the children to go to school without receiving aid. If
the production of vegetables is increased and enough food is
saved for the children, their problems of chronic malnutrition
can be improved. Moreover, through producing processed flowers
and crops, job opportunities for women can be enhanced. Consequently,
we will be able to secure economic independence of the women.As
we listen to the views of the local people, and work with many
people, various challenges and difficulties in the future can
be expected.However, this is an important and meaningful project
evolving from the education project to the vocational training
project (greenhouse project), and to the development of the
local area. We hope to continue this project for the next 3
years, and to set this project solidly in place.
|
|
|
