JEN is an international NGO that supports people in harsh conditions caused by conflict or natural disaster, under the motto "supporting the power to live." Since its founding in 1994 it has consistently worked with the strengths of local people, providing support suited to each situation from the emergency phase to the stage of self-reliance.
According to its website, as of April 2022 it was active in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syrian refugee support (Türkiye) and Japan (Tohoku). Its operating policies include identifying local needs, entrusting project implementation largely to local staff, paying attention to people and areas that tend to be overlooked, and achieving results at minimum cost. Recent activity reports include restoring irrigation canals in Afghanistan and training residents in water service management in Pakistan.
In Niigata, after the 2004 Chuetsu earthquake, it supported revitalization of the Ikeya-Iriyama community in Tokamachi City by sending volunteers and other means, and the community completed its recovery in November 2010. It is reported that more than 1,100 people in total took part as volunteers over those six years. In Japan, JEN also offers various ways to give, such as the book donation program BOOK MAGIC.
Key points
- Since its founding in 1994, it has provided support from the emergency phase to self-reliance, drawing on local strengths
- Activities related to water, agriculture and education are reported from Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere
- Recipient of the Minister for Foreign Affairs' Commendation (fiscal 2011) and the 22nd Yomiuri International Cooperation Prize
Why this organization deserves attention
Its approach is consistent: support does not end with giving, but backs people as they stand up again using their own knowledge and experience. Its structure is also distinctive, with international staff focusing on fundraising and management while local staff lead the projects.
It has also been involved for a long time in recovery after disasters in Japan, as in its support for the Ikeya-Iriyama community in Niigata. It is encouraging that there are ways to take part with familiar items, such as donating books, stamps or gift vouchers.
Editor's comment
The line "support is ineffective if there is too much or too little" seems to show well how JEN stays close to the field. Even without flashy gestures, the steady effort to deliver needed help to the people who need it supports their self-reliance.
There are ways to get involved from everyday life, such as turning books you have finished reading into donations. Why not start by looking at the activity reports on the official website?