Distribution of food vouchers by JEN

29th June 2022

• Registration and distribution to receive grocery vouchers ©JEN

Turkey is the main refuge for Syrian refugees. Especially in the province of Kilis, located on the border with Syria, a large number of Syrians have taken refuge and the population is growing rapidly. Local administrative services and the labor market have been severely affected, but the Turkish government and the international community have not been sufficiently supportive, forcing the refugees to accept informal employment and low-wage labor. As a result, they are forced to rely on undesirable coping strategies, such as reducing the quantity, quality, and frequency of meals, choosing debt, child labor, etc. In order to reduce reliance on such coping mechanisms, a JPF member NGO JEN is providing food assistance to approximately 2,500 vulnerable Syrian refugee and host community households by distributing vouchers to purchase food items, allowing each household to make a choice based on its own needs.

Educational support for children of Syrian refugees and host communities in Lebanon

27th May 2022

Approximately half of the Syrian refugees living in Lebanon are children. Because Lebanon has the highest percentage of refugees in the world as a percentage of the population and government finances are tight, the provision of basic public services, including education for refugees and vulnerable host community members study kits, is very limited and children need to be provided with quality educational opportunities and a sanitary learning There is a need to provide children with quality educational opportunities and a hygienic learning environment.

Save the Children Japan (SCJ), a JPF member NGO, provides BLN (Basic Literacy and Numeracy) classes as an alternative education at the Learning Support Center established by SCJ, especially for children who have been out of school for a long time and are considered to be highly vulnerable. The goal is to help children make a smooth transition to public schools or other alternative educational institutions upon completion of the course.

Educational support for children returning to former ISIL-occupied areas in Ninawa Province, Iraq

22nd April 2022

Ivy, a JPF member NGO, has been working for children who have returned to Sinjar District, a former ISIL-occupied area in Ninawa Province, Iraq, to ensure that they have a safe and secure learning space and to build their resilience through the provision of life skills and other programs. Recently, IVY conducted a four-day psychosocial support and life skills activity training for 85 teachers from four schools. The trained teachers and staff will implement what they learned in the training in their classes to promote psychological care for children who have been injured by the conflict.

Educational Support for Syrian Refugee Children in Lebanon

28th March 2022

• A student happily receiving a stationery and bag set ©PARCIC

The primary education enrollment rate for Syrian refugee children living in refugee camps in Lebanon is low compared to the national average in Lebanon. Under these circumstances, PARCIC, a JPF member NGO, is providing educational support to help children gain access to education in order to improve their basic academic skills and emotional stability. Classes have already started in January 2022. PARCIC also distributes stationery, bags, etc. PARCIC will continue to support the improvement of children's academic performance while also conducting academic evaluation tests and other activities.

REALs’ awareness-raising activities for Syrian refugees in Turkey

16th February 2022

• GBV prevention awareness session ©REALs

Since the Syrian civil war in 2011, many Syrians have fled to Turkey and continue to live as refugees. However, violence against women and children has been confirmed in Syrian refugee families due to the severe economic conditions and stress. In order to promote understanding and prevention of gender-based violence (GBV), Reach Alternatives (REALs), a JPF member NGO, disseminate information on GBV using prevention awareness brochures and SNS, and hold GBV prevention awareness sessions. In a short test on the concept and definition of GBV given before and after the prevention awareness session, the majority of participants' scores improved after the session.

CCP’s Support Activities in Palestinian Refugee Camps

26th January 2022

• Children receiving dental care ©CCP

Campaign for Children of Palestinian (CCP), a JPF member NGO, supports children, families and communities living in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon by providing early childhood education, medical care (dental and child psychiatry) and psychosocial support. In addition, refugee camps are exposed to the risk of infection with COVID-19 and severe disease after infection due to poor housing conditions and high rates of underlying diseases. CCP is also working to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by providing hygiene education and distributing hygiene products and food.

From Palestine to Syria and from Syria to Lebanon

9th December 2021

Campaign for Children of Palestinian (CCP), a JPF member NGO, provides support to children, families and communities through education, medical and health care, and psychosocial support in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. In response to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq and Syria, JPF continues to provide assistance within Iraq and Syria, as well as to refugees who have fled to neighboring countries such as Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon, including those who once fled from Palestine to Syria and then fled further into Lebanon due to the escalating civil war in Syria.

IVY’s Support in Iraq

4th November 2021

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IVY provides educational support to children who have returned to the former ISIL-occupied areas of Ninawa province in Iraq. It provides psychosocial support and aims to prevent and alleviate stress.

Housing Repair and Winter Clothing Distribution Support for Children

October 2021

From March 2020 to March 2021, JPF member NGOs repaired houses and distributed winter clothes for children.
As the fighting in Syria subsides, people are beginning to return to their hometowns from where they were displaced in some areas, but their houses are damaged, and they cannot afford to repair them as they return from displaced life and are in financial difficulties. Some of these families said they needed clothes for their children but could not afford to buy them. A JPF member NGO reported on the support activities.

Click here for the report

Water and Sanitation Assistance in Syria

September 2021

JPF member NGO implemented a water and sanitation project as emergency support for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities receiving displaced persons who are living in overcrowded and poor conditions in the northern region of Syria. With the support, the Syrian people have been able to secure access to safe water and improved sanitation.

Please see the video of the situation on the ground.
Click here for an article by a member NGO
https://www.worldvision.jp/news/works/cee/20210922.html

Reflections on the Education Project in Jordan

August 2021

WVJ's education support project for Syrian refugee and Jordanian children, which was implemented as a JPF program, was completed in June.

Aiming to continue the learning of Syrian refugee children who have fled to Jordan, WVJ provided various programs such as remedial classes for children who fall behind in their school work due to living as refugees or attending two-part classes at public schools, training for teachers and parents on how to teach studies and interact with children, recreational activities with Jordanian children and so on.

Click here to see the results of the project and interviews with successive staff members.

PARCIC's Support for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon

19th July 2021

• ©PARCIC

PARCIC, a JPF member NGO, is providing educational support to Syrian refugee children in Arsal, Lebanon.
In cooperation with a local private school, PARCIC is providing educational opportunities to 500 Syrian refugee children. Due to the spread of the new coronavirus and other factors, PARCIC has been working both face-to-face and online, and is striving to provide detailed support to families without internet access.

Click here for the PARCIC report
https://www.parcic.org/report/syrian-refugees/lebanon_education/19427/

June 20th is World Refugee Day

19th June 2021

JPF provides support to refugees around the world who have been forced to leave their homes and become refugees. In Syria, where it has been 10 years since the outbreak of the humanitarian crisis, there are still no signs of an end in sight, and as of June this year, 13.4 million people in Syria alone are in need of assistance. In Iraq, the conflict has ended, but people's lives have not stabilized.
JPF began providing assistance to internally displaced people in Syria and refugees who fled to neighboring countries in November 2012, and to Iraqi internally displaced people in June 2014. JPF has been carrying out activities to protect people's lives. We will continue to provide assistance to prevent and reduce risks to people's safety and dignity, to help them rebuild their lives on their own, and to support a sustainable stable situation after the end of the conflict.

Yahoo! Internet Fundraising　
JPF's Iraq and Syria program is featured on the World Refugee Day Special Page.
https://bit.ly/3gLYfE7

NICCO's Support for Syrian Refugees in Jordan

14th May 2021 21:00

• Syrian refugee child and NICCO staff ©NICCO

Nippon International Cooperation for Community Development (NICCO), a JPF member NGO, has been conducting support projects in Jordan for Syrian refugees and Jordanians in host communities who are struggling to make ends meet.

Syrian refugees, in particular, have been living in poverty due to the decrease in employment in Jordan caused by the spread of the new coronavirus. In order to help them purchase necessary daily necessities, NICCO provides cash transfers using ATM cards.

Continuation of Projects in Support of Iraqi and Syrian Refugees

18th April 2021 21:00

In JPF's response to Iraq and Syria humanitarian crisis, several member NGOs have been implementing projects. JPF provides assistance to internally displaced persons in Iraq and Syria, as well as Syrian refugees who have fled to Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon, in areas such as water and sanitation, health and medical care, education, and protection.
We will continue to post project reports and program response plans.

IVY Supporting Education in Ninawa Province, Iraq

9th March 2021 7:30

On 7 March, the Pope visited Iraq for the first time in history and offered prayers for the victims of the conflict in Mosul, a city that used to be occupied by ISIL. https://www.cnn.co.jp/world/35167460.html

JPF member NGO IVY is providing educational support to children in the Ninawa Province of Iraq where Mosul is located. Currently, they are constructing prefabricated schoolhouses to improve the learning environment for the children.

IVY’s report can be read here.

Supporting Syrian Refugees in Turkey

23rd February 2021 23:00

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JPF continues to provide support to Syrian refugees who have fled to neighboring countries. Of the estimated 6.6 million Syrian refugees, Turkey is hosting the greatest number at 3.6 million*. Currently, JPF member NGO Reach Alternatives (REALs) is implementing support activities in Turkey. Their assistance includes information provision and individualized assistance to refugees, as well as reaching them with employment information as shown in the photo.

*UNHCR, Global Trends Forced Displacement in 2019 (18 June 2020)

PARCIC's Assistance for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon

16th January 2021 7:30

• Preparing for food distribution while preventing the spread of infection ©PARCIC

JPF member NGO PARC Interpeoples’ Cooperation (PARCIC) is supporting Syrian refugees in Lebanon who are in a vulnerable position.

PARCIC had been distributing food and providing nutrition training in Arsal, but since last December, they have been providing educational support to children who do not have access to education, as well as winterization support to avoid health risks during the cold season.

Visit the website below to read more about PARCIC’s activities:
https://www.parcic.org/report/syrian-refugees/syrian_refugees_lebanon/18357/

Response to Iraq and Syria Humanitarian Crisis to Date and In the Future

22nd December 2020 7:30

• Interviewing Syrian refugees ©NICCO

In JPF’s Response to Iraq and Syria Humanitarian Crisis program, nine member NGOs have been implementing assistance projects in Syria and neighboring countries.

In terms of our projects in this program to date, in the “Voice from the Field” section of our website (in Japanese so far), we have picked up the voices of beneficiaries of a project implemented by the Nippon International Cooperation for Community Development (NICCO).

For ongoing projects, they are implemented based on the Iraq and Syria Humanitarian Crisis Response Plan. In the response plan, you can see our strategic objectives and assistance plans.

The response plan can be read here.

SCJ Begins Relief Project

27th November 2020 6:00

In October, as part of the JPF program, JPF member NGO Save the Children Japan (SCJ) has begun an education project for Syrian refugee children and vulnerable children from the host communities in northern Lebanon.

More than nine years have passed since the conflict in Syrian broke out, and approximately 910,000 Syrian refugees still reside in Lebanon. Due to the crisis in Syria and the spread of the new coronavirus, children have been left without educational opportunities. Through this project, SCJ is committed to providing quality educational opportunities and a safe and secure learning environment for Syrian refugee and host community children in northern Lebanon who have difficulty attending school and continuing to receive education.

CCP's Food and Winterization Assistance

30th October 2020 23:00

• Contents of food packages that were distributed ©CCP
• Beneficiaries taking home distributed items ©CCP

As part of the JPF program, JPF member NGO Campaign for Children of Palestine (CCP) is currently providing food and winterization assistance to Syrian and Palestinian refugee families in the mountains of Lebanon.

To date, CCP has provided food assistance to 1,500 Palestinian Syrian refugee and Palestinian refugee households displaced in the mountains near the Syrian border. Many of them are living below the poverty line, and beneficiaries have said that their destitution is more serious than ever due to the spread of the new coronavirus and the worsening economic conditions. Many people also expressed their gratitude for the support they received.

The photo shows the contents of the food packages that were handed out. It contains oil, canned tuna, pasta, and tomato paste.

PARCIC’s Food Assistance through Micro-Gardening

27th September 2020 20:00

• Training session ©PARCIC
• Distributing wires ©PARCIC

JPF member NGO PARC Interpeoples’ Cooperation (PARCIC) is implementing a food security project to support vulnerable Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

PARCIC is improving access to food for vulnerable Syrian refugees living in refugee camps in Lebanon through food distribution and micro-gardening, which can be done in limited spaces. Training in home gardening is being offered to beneficiary households who wish to participate in this program. At the end of last month, PARCIC gave a lecture on pruning, treating diseases, setting up wires effectively to train climbing plants, and making organic pest control sprays, followed by handing out sprays and wires. The participants were very interested in what they were learning, actively asking questions and looking forward to the next training session.

PWJ's House Restoration Assistance in Iraq

31st August 2020 23:00

• Refugees are gradually repatriating to town ©PWJ
• Refugees are gradually repatriating to town ©PWJ
• Restoration work ©PWJ

JPF member NGO Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) is providing emergency humanitarian assistance to refugees repatriating to northern Iraq. Through assisting in the restoration of damaged houses, PWJ is helping war-torn towns revitalize and the repatriated people regain their liveliness.

Please find PWJ's article "Let's Use Iraq as an Example: Why is aid necessary? What are the different forms of assistance?” here: https://peace-winds.org/activity/iraq/18459

PARCIC’s Food and Educational Assistance in Lebanon

26th July 2020 23:00

• Syrian refugee teachers preparing assignments ©PARCIC

JPF member NGO PARC Interpeoples’ Cooperation (PARCIC) is currently distributing food to vulnerable Syrian refugees and supporting education for refugee children in Lebanon. In Lebanon, since October 2019, discontent with the government has surfaced in the form of nationwide protests. While the economic situation has worsened, the impact of the new coronavirus caused a further economic crisis. Even though the domestic situation in Lebanon is such, the return migration of Syrian refugees there has not progressed at all due to the continued political unrest in Syria.

In response to the expected shortage of supplies in Lebanon, PARCIC is providing food assistance for the Syrian refugees. In terms of educational support, PARCIC continues to provide it remotely so that help can reach those in need while also preventing the spread of COVID-19. Syrian refugee teachers are preparing assignments and delivering educational materials to children who eagerly await them each week. PARCIC is also distributing masks and soaps as infection prevent measures.

PARCIC’s report can be read here: https://www.parcic.org/report/syrian-refugees/lebanon_education/17256/

PARCIC’s Food Assistance Activity

29th June 2020 20:00

• ©PARCIC
• ©PARCIC

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO PARC Interpeoples’ Cooperation (PARCIC) has been providing vulnerable Syrian refugees in Lebanon with food assistance. Lebanon’s economy has suffered from the spread of COVID-19, and PARCIC has been giving food assistance there, including distribution of food baskets and training in growing vegetable gardens. Refugees have a difficult time accessing fresh foods even though they know that they are more nutritious, because they lack the cash to purchase them. PARCIC has been helping them grow their own vegetables and herbs through their vegetable garden training. This project allows for the refugees to get at least a part of the necessary vitamins and other nutrients to sustain their health.

PARCIC’s reports can be read here:
https://www.parcic.org/report/syrian-refugees/syrian_refugees_lebanon/17027/
https://www.parcic.org/report/syrian-refugees/syrian_refugees_lebanon/17030/

Releasing Video from “Yoshitomo Nara Talk Event: Experiencing the Life of Syrian Refugees”!

23rd May 2020 23:06

For the first time, we have released the video from a talk event with artist Yoshitomo Nara, which took place in June of last year during the week of World Refugee Day. We reached full capacity in half a day on the first day of registration and had a waiting list after that, and the event ended in great success after all.

We were fortunate to have Mr. Yoshitomo Nara, a renowned artist, join us in the JPFxART Project last year where he had an opportunity to experience how Syrian refugees are living in Jordan - a country in which JPF has been active since 2011 with the Response to Syria and Iraq Humanitarian Crisis Program - and to get to know the refugees there.

In Jordan, Mr. Nara spent time with refugee families and children at two refugee camps, Zaatari and Azraq, and the host community in the capital city of Amman. Later in the year, we held a talk event where Mr. Nara spoke about what he had seen and experienced.

Since the event was fairly long lasting two hours, we had not released any videos until now, but since many people may be spending more time at home now, we would be delighted if you could experience Mr. Nara’s journey at this time - whether you were hoping to attend the event but couldn’t or found out about this for the first time now.

Video of “Yoshitomo Nara Talk Event: Experiencing the Life of Syrian Refugees” is available here:
https://www.japanplatform.org/contents/narayoshitomo_syria/

Digest versions of “Mr. Nara Visits Jordan,” the video shown on the day of the event, are available here:
[3-minute version] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z6NbRU-tfM&t=6s
[11-minute version] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhCBEx5YNzo&t=47s

WVJ Implementing COVID-19 Awareness Activities

30th April 2020 14:59

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO World Vision Japan (WVJ) is implementing education and child protection projects in the city of Mosul in norther Iraq. In this region, children have been deprived of opportunities to learn with schools being destroyed in the prolonged conflict that left the city with not enough teachers and educational resources. In response, WVJ has been engaging in learning support through repairing schools and distributing school supplies as well as implementing child protection through recreational activities.

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) spreads across the world, residents of Mosul, a city that does not have sufficient health care services, are also under the threat of infection. In response to the concerns of residents on lack of knowledge or correct information about the virus, WVJ has been conducting an awareness campaign on the radio starting in April. On the radio, they have introduced some basic prevention techniques such as handwashing, social distancing, and staying at home.

WVJ’s post can be read here: https://www.facebook.com/WorldVisionJapan/photos/a.160445433998573/3047951035247984/?type=3&__tn__=-R

First step towards rebuilding livelihood

26th March 2020 22:00

• ©PWJ

JPF member NGO Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) has been implementing assistance for Syrians who have been internally displaced.

Since the crisis broke out, Nowa and her family have moved throughout Syria in many cities to seek safety over the course of five years. She notes, “Our family is exhausted as we have had to move continuously for many years. Since we are unemployed, we cannot pay rent anymore, either. Our home needs repairs and we had no money for them, but we decided to return anyway. We were hoping to receive support to repair our home.”

With the help from PWJ and its local partner organization in Syria, Nowa’s family could have necessary repairs done to their home, and now it is in good enough shape for them to live in. The children have begun to attend school, and her husband Aftab is now looking for work.

Having a safe and secure place to live is the first step towards rebuilding people’s lives and livelihoods. “We could finally return to our own home,” exclaimed Nowa joyfully.

PWJ’s activity report can be read here: https://peace-winds.org/activity/syria/17403

*Given the conditions in Syria, photographs have been altered, and to protect people from danger and adverse effects, details on project sites have been withheld and pseudonyms are used.

Gift from Arsal, Lebanon

18th February 2020 15:00

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JPF member NGO PARC Interpeoples’ Cooperation (PARCIC) has been assisting Syrian refugees in Arsal, in northeastern Lebanon, with winterization. Arsal is covered by snow during the winter with temperature dropping below freezing, so PARCIC is distributing kerosene and food for the people living in tents. They have a video of the distribution uploaded here: https://youtu.be/G0aqsUc6Et8

By the way, we received a heartfelt thank-you gift from the children who live at the refugee camp in Arsal (see picture). We will continue to provide hands-on assistance to our beneficiaries so that the work of JPF and our member NGOs can surely and securely reach the children in need.

Response to Syria and Iraq Humanitarian Crisis: “THINK ABOUT A REFUGEE” Campaign to support Syrian refugees’ winterization in progress! Expanding the circle of support through the ‘Campaign Cards’ designed by artist Yoshitomo Nara

6th January 2020 11:00

In March 2019, Mr. Yoshitomo Nara visited Jordan through JPF’s “JPFxART Project.” He visited and spent time with Syrian families and children living in refugee camps and in the city of Amman.

“The way I look at it is through this small unit of families, not the large category of refugee issues,” says Mr. Nara. Keeping every child he met close in his heart, he has graciously cooperated with us on designing the card for this “THINK ABOUT A REFUGEE” campaign. The campaign will continue until the end of February. We welcome your participation!

★JPF “THINK ABOUT A REFUGEE” Campaign★
JPF works with its 43 Japanese member NGOs to deliver domestic and international emergency humanitarian assistance to refugees fleeing conflicts and people affected by natural disasters. During this campaign, for those who donate to the Response to Syria and Iraq Humanitarian Crisis or become a new Monthly Supporter who will continue to support JPF’s work and our hands-on assistance for refugees, we would like to gift you with greeting cards (a set of two cards) designed by Mr. Nara, if you wish to receive them.

What each one of us can do may be small, including being concerned about this issue and telling others about it, but we hope that you can use the second greeting card to send to somebody special, so that you can help enlarge the circle of support for refugees through Mr. Nara’s message.

Campaign Term: Friday 15th November 2019 - Saturday 29th February 2020
*Gift of greeting cards only until supply lasts

Greeting cards are for those who:
- become new members of the JPF Monthly Supporter program, or
- donate to the JPF Response to Syria and Iraq Humanitarian Crisis.

For more information, please visit the following pages:

JPF×ART Project “THINK ABOUT A REFUGEE” Special Site: https://www.japanplatform.org/contents/narayoshitomo_thinkabout/

About JPF×ART Project: https://www.japanplatform.org/contents/narayoshitomo_syria/

PWJ’s School Rebuilding Project in Syria

11th December 2019 19:30

• Classroom before rebuilding ©PWJ
• Rebuilt classroom ©PWJ

JPF member NGO Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) has been working with a local partner organization on a school rebuilding project in Syria, and one school has just been rebuilt. Children have begun learning at the newly rebuilt school. We hope that more and more children will not only get to learn and play but experience healing of their hearts at school.

PWJ’s report can be found here: https://peace-winds.org/activity/syria/17068

Winterization Assistance for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon

12th November 2019 18:00

• Snow covering the Arsal Refugee Camp 1 ©PARCIC (Courtesy of URDA, implementation partner)
• Snow covering the Arsal Refugee Camp 2 ©PARCIC (Courtesy of URDA, implementation partner)
• Snow covering the Arsal Refugee Camp 3 ©PARCIC (Courtesy of URDA, implementation partner)

JPF member NGO PARC Interpeoples’ Cooperation (PARCIC) is providing winterization support for Syrian refugees staying in Arsal, a city in northeastern Lebanon. Arsal, where PARCIC has been implementing its aid program, lies at 1,500 meters above sea level. While many may associate the Middle East with the image of the scorching heat, Arsal gets harshly cold in the winter with accumulated snow. Lebanese government has been strictly enforcing controls over undocumented immigrants in the country, and they removed tents fortified by concrete by force in the course of its enforcement. They have been replaced with government standard tents that are made of thin lumber frames and covered with plastic sheets, with thermal insulation added on the inside and carboard and carpet placed on the floor.

Since employment is restricted for Syrian refugees in Arsal, refugees are barely getting by with 90% of the households in debt to purchase food to eat everyday and 60% skipping meals. A girl has remarked, “Eating meat is like a dream.” On top of the insufficient meals and nutrition comes the harsh winter. For Syrian refugees living in tents like the ones described above, fuel and other items necessary to keep their bodies warm would cost them at least 18,000 Japanese Yen a month, even if they were very frugal. This is in contrast with the average monthly income of around 2,900 Japanese Yen for Syrian refugees.

Given these conditions, the assistance provided to them through distribution of winterization items prove indispensable for them to live as safely as possible. We thank you in advance for all of your support.

Find out more about PARCIC’s activities here: https://www.parcic.org/report/syrian-refugees/syrian_refugees_lebanon/15559/

JPF Iraq-Syria Humanitarian Response: Continuing Our Support for the Refugees and IDPs

30th October 2019 23:30

• ©JPF

2019 marks the ninth year of the humanitarian crisis in Syria. 5.6 million people have fled to neighboring countries while 6.2 million people are internally displaced, and more than 60% of the Syrian people are in need of humanitarian assistance.

With our member NGOs, JPF has provided humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Syria and to refugees in the neighboring countries (Iraq, Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon) since November 2012; JPF has assisted Iraqi IDPs since June 2014. We are continuing to provide food, water, and daily essential items to the IDPs living in cities that have suffered catastrophic damages. For the refugees living in camps and in the host communities, we are implementing child protection, livelihood, and educational support programs.

Please read more about the Iraq-Syria Program and other programs in JPF’s FY2018 Annual Report here: https://www.japanplatform.org/lib/data/report/2018_ar.pdf

Black-Belt Taekwondo Player from Azraq Refugee Camp

8th September 2019 15:41

This report is about Wael Fawaz Al-Farraj, a Syrian black-belt taekwondo player who lives in Azraq Refugee Camp in Jordan. Read about him here: https://bit.ly/3cYXm8j

Iraq-Syria Humanitarian Response: Aiding the safety of children

5th September 2019 19:30

• A Syrian child studies in her tent where she is taking shelter from the conflict ©WVJ
• Children forced to leave their homes due to the conflict ©WVJ

World Vision Japan (WVJ), a JPF member NGO, has started a program to aid the protection of children in southwest Syria, which suffered damages from the conflict.
WVJ will repair educational facilities where children learn and provide psychosocial aid to help children who are suffering from psychological distress as a result of the conflict. We hope that their program will help children recover psychologically and find hope in the future.
▼See here for WVJ’s activity report
https://www.worldvision.jp/news/works/cee/20190828.html

Iraq-Syria Humanitarian Response: Bringing back safety to people’s lives

8th August 2019 19:30

• A typical apartment building in Syria ©PWJ
• A house with a traditional black-and-white-patterned arch ©PWJ

Peace Winds Japan (PWJ), a JPF member NGO, is delivering aid to people in Syria who have been forced to leave their homes.
There are many cases where even if they return to where they had lived before, their homes have been destroyed by the conflict and are not safe to live in. PWJ is working with local partner organizations in Syria to help repair houses that have been damaged. We strongly hope that the people of Syria can return to living safely in their homes.
▼See here for PWJ’s activity report
https://peace-winds.org/activity/syria/16313

A Syrian refugee boy is the protagonist in the film Capernaum, now opening in theaters across Japan

27th July 2019 22:00
The protagonist--a 12-year old boy--is born in the slums of the Middle East, but he doesn’t know his exact date of birth because his parents didn’t receive an official birth certificate. Therefore, he does not exist in a legal sense and is forced to live under harsh conditions, as he cannot go to school and has to live selling goods on the streets. He sues his parents for the fact that they gave birth to him.
The actor playing the boy was born in Syria in 2004 and due to the deterioration in safety in his home country, fled to Lebanon with his family in 2012. Being poor, he couldn’t go to school and began working in supermarkets from the age of ten to help his family. They were granted third country resettlement in 2018 and have moved to Norway.
▼See here for information on the movie
http://sonzai-movie.jp/

24th June 22:00- On NHK BS1 Channel “Kokusai Hodo (International Reporting) 2019”: JPFxART Project “Yoshitomo Nara Experiences Life of a Syrian Refugee”

24th June 2019 15:36

• ©JPF

On Monday, 24th June, JPF’s JPFxART Project was featured on NHK BS1 channel’s “Kokusai Hodo (International Reporting) 2019” (22:00-22:40). An interview with Yoshitomo Nara, who visited a refugee camp in Jordan, aired on the program!

Visit this page for more on Kokusai Hodo 2019 (International Reporting 2019): http://www.nhk.or.jp/kokusaihoudou/bs22/index.html

24th June 22:00- NHK BS1 Kokusai Hodo (International Reporting) 2019: JPFxART “Yoshitomo Nara Experiences Life of a Syrian Refugee”

22nd June 2019 19:30

On Monday 24th June, during the latter half of NHK BS1 channel’s Kokusai Hodo (International Reporting) 2019 (22:00-22:40), Yoshitomo Nara’s visit to Jordan and his interview will be aired. Don’t miss it!

Listen on radiko for a Week! 19th June J-Wave JAM The World: JPFxART Project “Yoshitomo Nara Experiences Life of a Syrian Refugee”

19th June 2019 17:03

On jwave jamtheworld (19:00-21:00), a dialogue between the JAM The World’s navigator Ms. Natsuki Yasuda and artist Yoshitomo Nara will air today! It is expected to air between 20:20 and 20:40.

20th June is World Refugee Day. You can catch Ms. Yasuda engaging in intriguing conversations with Yoshitomo Nara about his encounters with the Syrian people in Jordan and what we can do for them from Japan.

KYODO NEWS ”Contemporary Japanese artist Nara wants to raise awareness of refugees”：JPF×ART "A Conversation with Yoshitomo Nara: Experiencing the Life of Syrian Refugees"

18th June 2019 14:07
Please find the news article here.

NHK WEB News “Syrian Refugees Today: Contemporary Artist Yoshitomo Nara Speaks” - JPFxART “A Conversation with Yoshitomo Nara: Experiencing the Life of Syrian Refugees”

18th June 2019 14:06

NHK WEB news picked up on the JPFxART event called “Yoshitomo Nara Talk Event: Experiencing Life of a Syrian Refugee” that was held this past weekend on 15th June. Mr. Nara spoke about how “it is important to think about the issue in terms of what all of us can individually do, and to empathize with those put in this situation.”
https://www.japanplatform.org/contents/narayoshitomo_syria/

Media Coverage: JPFxART “A Conversation with Yoshitomo Nara: Experiencing the Life of Syrian Refugees”

17th June 2019 15:30

• ©JPF

JPFxART event “A Conversation with Yoshitomo Nara: Experiencing the Life of Syrian Refugees” on 15th June (during the week of World Refugee Day) was a huge success, packing the house with more than 150 people in attendance. We thank all of you who came to the event despite the rain outside.

Listed below are the scheduled media coverage for this event. Please note that they are subject to change according to various circumstances.
- Monday 17th June, 16:54-17:20, TV Tokyo “Yugata Satellite (Early Evening Satellite)”
- Tuesday 18th June, 22:00-22:40, NHK BS1 (TV) “Kokusai Hodo 2019 (International Reporting 2019)”
- Wednesday 19th June, 19:00-21:00, J-Wave (Radio) “JAM The World” (to be aired around 20:20-20:40), Mr. Yoshitomo Nara’s dialogue with Ms. Natsuki Yasuda

We will update the website regularly and would be grateful if you could visit to check on future media coverage.

Last but not least, we apologize once again to those of you who were waitlisted but could not attend the event; we are deeply thankful for your interest in our event. We will be posting the video that was shown at the event and other updates from Saturday on the JPF website here: https://www.japanplatform.org/contents/narayoshitomo_syria/

Tomorrow: JPF Event “A Conversation with Yoshitomo Nara: Experiencing the Life of Syrian Refugees”

14th June 2019 19:30

• ©JPF

Tomorrow, on Saturday 15th June, JPF is hosting an event called JPFxART “A Conversation with Yoshitomo Nara: Experiencing the Life of Syrian Refugees.”

*We are grateful for the many people who have registered to attend this event. We are now at full capacity and are no longer accepting registrations, including those wishing to be on the waiting list. Thank you so much for your understanding.

Tomorrow, we will premiere scenes from Mr. Nara’s visits to the refugee camp and the host community in Jordan. During Mr. Nara’s talk, he will share with the audience the photographs he has taken as well as his thoughts and feelings on meeting with refugees. We will also have an open panel session where JPF member NGO staff, who work with the refugees there, will join us and accept questions from the floor. This will be an interactive time where the audience can speak with Mr. Nara, too. Please visit here for more on this event: https://www.japanplatform.org/info/2019/05/162349.html

For those who are unable to make it to the event, we will be sharing how the event goes and also regularly post updates on JPFxART activities here at this website, so please check it out: https://www.japanplatform.org/contents/narayoshitomo_syria/

Registration Now Full - Thank You! JPF Event “A Conversation with Yoshitomo Nara: Experiencing the Life of Syrian Refugees”

12th June 2019 22:00

• ©JPF

We have three days until the JPF hosted event JPFxART “A Conversation with Yoshitomo Nara: Experiencing the Life of Syrian Refugees” will be held on Saturday 15th June.

*We are grateful for the many people who have registered to attend this event. We are now at full capacity and are no longer accepting registrations, including those wishing to be on the waiting list. Thank you so much for your understanding.

On Saturday, we will premiere scenes from Mr. Nara’s visits to the refugee camp and the host community in Jordan. During Mr. Nara’s talk, he will share with the audience the photographs he has taken as well as his thoughts and feelings on meeting with refugees. We will also have an open panel session where JPF member NGO staff, who work with the refugees there, will join us and accept questions from the floor. This will be an interactive time where the audience can speak with Mr. Nara, too. Please visit here for more on this event: https://www.japanplatform.org/info/2019/05/162349.html

For those who are unable to make it to the event, we will be sharing how the event goes and also regularly post updates on JPFxART activities here at this website, so please check it out: https://www.japanplatform.org/contents/narayoshitomo_syria/

Depicting the Struggles of Syrian Refugees: Documentary Film “Taste of Cement”

3rd May 2019 19:30

After the many years of civil conflict ended, Lebanese capital city of Beirut is currently experiencing the overdevelopment of high-rise buildings. At these construction sites, you find many Syrian refugees who have lost their homes in the Syrian conflict. “Taste of Cement” is a documentary film that depicts the realities in which that these Syrian workers live, having fled Syria only to find themselves in harsh working conditions. The film incorporates recollections of a particular worker as he looks back on his memories of his father who returned from working in Lebanon, his house being destroyed in the civil war, and the people being rescued from the rubble.

Find more information on the film here: https://www.sunny-film.com/cementkioku

Response to Syria and Iraq Humanitarian Crisis: Bringing Smiles Back to Syrian Families with Food Kits

12th April 2019 19:30

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) is distributing food kits to Syrian families in cooperation with a local implementation partner in Syria.

The food kit includes rice, beans, flour, cheese, and canned foods. Flour is especially vital for Syrian families as it is necessary to make khubz, which is the staple food in Syria and in other parts of the Middle East. (Khubz is a flatbread that is similar to what is known as pita bread in Japan.) The kit also includes tea, which is essential to family time for the Syrians.

Upon receiving this kit, a Syrian man, who works at a grocery store to support his parents and ten siblings on his own, noted, “The food kit is of great help to us, because we can buy other items with the money we can save and the food kit makes everyone in the family smile.”

Response to Syria and Iraq Humanitarian Crisis: People Continue to Flee Due to Fear of Brutality - UN Raises Alarm

2nd March 2019 23:30

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that during the past week, 13,000 people have arrived in a protection camp from Deir-ez-Zor governorate in eastern Syria. Jens Laerke, the OCHA spokesperson, told the press that about 90% of those who have arrived are women and children, and they are struggling with exhaustion, hunger, and illnesses. Since December of last year, around 45,000 people have fled the Hajin and Al-Baghouz areas of Deir-ez-Zor governorate due to brutal violence. The UN report raises alarm, stating, “People continue to be exposed to brutality every day, and women, children, the elderly, and others face distinct protection risks and have specific needs.”

Read the UN news here: https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/03/1033882

Response to Syria and Iraq Humanitarian Crisis: Terrorist Blocking Aid - UN Raises Alarm

8th February 2019 19:00

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) spokesperson Andrej Mahecic spoke to the press in Geneva about the more than 10,000 people who have fled Hajin in eastern Syria due to conflict.

Since December of last year, over 23,000 people have arrived in Al Hol Refugee Camp, and this number is expected to increase. Those who are trying to flee the heavy fighting in Hajin are blocked from leaving by ISIL, or Da’esh extremists, who have controlled wide regions over northern Iraq and Syria. There are possibilities that aid is not reaching the women and children in need experiencing hunger and the cold, and around 30 children including newborns have been reported dead since the beginning of December. Christian Lindmeier, the spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO), have also spoken about the threat to the lives of many families if these conditions persist.

Read the UN news here: https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/02/1031782

Response to Syria and Iraq Humanitarian Crisis: JPF Member NGO PWJ Distributing Food - Keeping Our Eyes on People Living in the Conflict Zone -

10th January 2019 19:00

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) is distributing food to people who are living in conflict zones.

In Syria, people who have once fled are starting to return to where they used to live. However, the places to which they have returned have had buildings and infrastructure damaged by heavy armed conflict and it has become increasingly difficult to access water and food. A family who received food from PWJ noted, “You can’t imagine how meaningful this food is to us. We are so happy, especially because there would have been no way for us to purchase this much food on our own.”

In partnership and cooperation with our member NGOs with unique characteristics and various expertise, JPF continues to provide hands-on assistance that meet local needs.

For an article by PWJ, please visit here:
https://peace-winds.org/country/syria