IVY is an international cooperation NGO based in Yamagata. It began in 1991 as "JVC Yamagata", started by ten participants of a study tour to a refugee camp on the Thai–Cambodian border. For more than 30 years it has worked in Tohoku and in nine countries around the world.
Its mission is "leave no one behind." IVY places particular importance on dangerous areas that many aid groups find hard to enter and on long-running conflict zones that receive little attention. It currently supports people in Iraq, Syria, Ukraine/Slovakia and Bangladesh, and publishes activity reports on former project areas as well.
In Japan, IVY supports foreign residents in Tohoku, runs interpreter training courses, works with its student group IVYyouth, and provides global education. Its motto is "Think globally, act from where you stand."
Key points
- A Yamagata-born NGO that grew out of a study tour to a refugee camp
- Focuses on places that aid struggles to reach, such as danger zones and protracted conflict areas
- Works both overseas and close to home, with support for foreign residents and global education in Tohoku
Why this organization's work stands out
It is striking that an NGO born from local citizens visiting a refugee camp has kept looking both overseas and at its own community. Its watchword, "from our own backyard to the corners of the world," sums up the breadth of its work.
There are several ways to take part, including donations, membership, corporate support, legacy gifts and volunteering. Annual reports and financial statements are also published, which is helpful for anyone considering support.
Editor's comment
The founding idea, that the troubles of neighbors at home and of refugees far away are connected, still seems to be at the heart of IVY's work more than 30 years later.
The latest activity reports and ways to get involved are on the official website. Please take a look.