Preventing the Spread of HIV/AIDS

Japan AIDS & Society Association (JASA), Tokyo

Grant Amount: ¥1 million

To translate into Japanese and disseminate various selected materials on HIV/AIDS issued by international organizations with possible impact on the Japanese policy towards HIV/AIDS. This year's project continues on the work started last year, making available relevant information in Japanese on the JASA website and expanding the site to form a link with other organizations and serve as a clearing-house on HIV/AIDS issues.

JANP+ (Japanese Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS), Tokyo

Grant Amount: ¥1 million

To develop and implement a training program to foster leaders who can form and manage peer groups of PWHA throughout Japan. Such peer groups can contribute to putting a brake on further spread of the epidemic, promoting participation of PWHA in society, and ameliorating their quality of life. They can promote prevention and raise awareness in the general public as well as prevent secondary expansion of the epidemic occurring as a result of isolation from society.

CHARM (Center for Health and Rights of Migrants), Osaka

Grant Amount: ¥1.3 million

To offer assistance to non-Japanese speaking female PWHA and their children and improve the environment of peer support by offering study sessions on HIV/AIDS and the epidemic's impact on childbirth. An example of a new project created on a successful application of the previous Advised Fund, support activities are being stepped up, especially targeted at pregnant and post-childbirth female PWHA of foreign nationality as they go through the process of pregnancy, delivery and child-rearing.

SWASH (Sex Work and Sexual Health), Tokyo

Grant Amount: ¥1.5 million

To promote prevention and awareness-raising on HIV and STD among sex workers and open a drop-in center to provide information on HIV/STD and more direct and sustained support as well as offer telephone hotline services. SWASH, comprised of researchers and activists, including some former sex workers, is the only organization currently operating in Japan that promotes prevention and awareness-raising for HIV/AIDS among sex workers.

CAI (Campus AIDS Interface), Tokyo

Grant Amount: ¥700,000

To maintain a van serving as a mobile shop of accessories popular to young people, especially girls, and attract their attention to promote understanding and prevention of HIV/AIDS through distribution of condoms and educational pamphlets. A program run by and for the young, it aims to promote prevention and awareness-raising on HIV/AIDS and safer sex at events organized for youth and also to offer counseling services through emails.

Achieving Economic Independence

Tokyo Alien Eyes (TAE), Tokyo

Grant Amount: ¥1 million

To offer support to foreign students in finding apartments and part-time jobs. Looking for apartments on their own entails the problem of having to find a guarantor with Japanese citizenship. Lining up part-time jobs is also essential to many in need of income to support their studies. This innovative and pioneering venture to solve these problems can offer a model case for setting a friendly environment and helpful policies to accommodate for foreign students in Japan.

NGO Network for Foreigner's Assistance KOBE, Hyogo

Grant Amount: ¥1 million

To offer training to non-Japanese residents to become interpreters with specialized knowledge on legal and administrative matters and negotiation skills and pair them with other foreign residents requiring linguistic assistance and moral support. By compiling and submitting a record of interpretation activities to the local government, policy advocacy can be made for a system to offer linguistic help with specialized knowledge to non-Japanese speakers and also provide job opportunities for non-Japanese residents.

Homeless Support Net Niigata, Niigata

Grant Amount: ¥1.5 million

To offer a shelter and job counseling for the homeless. The project is unique in offering support to the homeless that takes into account the different needs of each and individual person in their effort to achieve economic independence. It is also a pioneering endeavor that coordinates efforts with the municipal government, local businesses, and the local communities in creating job opportunities. Vocational and social training is to be offered in conjunction with the job offers.

Youth Support Center, Tokyo

Grant Amount: ¥1.5 million

To continue holding seminars expanding on the "Community Uncle Project (CUP)" and create a network among organizations working with school drop-outs and students who refuse to go to school or unable to leave their house. CUP has succeeded in providing vocational and on-the-job training by matching the aforesaid youth with local employers. A survey and analysis of the needs of the various organizations will be undertaken to form a network for launching programs similar to CUP in various communities.

Capacity Building

Chiiki Seikatsu Shien (Regional Support) Network/Women's Net, "Saya-Saya" Tokyo

Grant Amount: ¥1.7 million

To strengthen the administrative and accounting capacity to meet the ever increasing needs of the expanding scope of activities. A previous grantee under the category of "Achieving Economic Independence," the network actively pursues pioneering efforts in helping female victims of DV obtain jobs and become independent. It provides job training at its self-operating restaurant and supports other diversified vocational training programs in aroma therapy, handcrafts and counseling of DV victims.