We had planned to ship 90 wheelchairs for Thailand at the end of March 2021 as the third project in fiscal 2020(April 2020 through March 2021). So, after shipping 180 for Myanmar in October we’ve had mini-meetings for refurbishing wheelchairs for Thailand. Due to the emergency declaration by the government on January 7, however, we’ve decided to cancel even mini-meetings and our activities are suspended now.

  We wipe the slate clean with the original project for Thailand and will start off with a new plan when we can do refurbishing work again and expect to finish 90 wheelchairs. Then we’re going to announce clearly when we will ship wheelchairs, judging the situation of corona crisis in Thailand.

  I hope everyone giving support to our NGO will be in good shape and overcome this crisis.

January 19, 2021 Hirokazu Morita

  On December 20, we had the last mini-meeting of 2020. The participants were five members from Sagami Women’s University group and a few voluntary members. To read more,

  We keep having a mini-meeting at our new activity base under the corona-influenced situation, and we’ve got used to working in a small group. On December 6, Mr. Takano, ex-teacher of Tama Technical High School, and five members from Sagami Women’s University group joined this meeting. It was a warm, pleasant day for December. To read more,

  Instead of holding a big monthly meeting, we’ve been doing a mini-meeting several times. On November 22, it was held mainly with Sagami Women’s University group, and on November 29, it was with Vietnamese group.
To read more,

  Since October 2020, our working base has moved to a new warehouse in Fussa. We’ve had a mini-meeting twice there mainly with Sagami Women’s University group and Tama Technical High School group, but we couldn’t cover these activities so there’s no report on them. To read more,

  On November 5, I paid a courtesy visit to the mayor of Fussa, Mr. Ikuo Kato. During the visit, I told him that our activities have been supported by many volunteers, companies, private funds, and the government, adding that we have been donating 8,500 wheelchairs to children in 24 countries for 16 years. I also told him that the Council of Social Welfare of Fussa has been of a great help to us and various kinds of assistance from Fussa city has enabled us to donate such large number of wheelchairs to overseas children. Then I promised him that we would continue our activities even harder after we move our working base from Hamura to Fussa city with the great help of ISHIKAWA BREWERY Co.,Ltd.

  The mayor said, “I have known about your NGO since the very beginning and I think your activities considering overseas children are great. I am proud of your having worked for 16 years. Good for you and good luck with your NGO! I am the one supporting you.”

We talked only for a short while but it was a meaningful visit for me.

 The mayor, Mr. Kato(right) and me(Morita).

  The ship loaded with 180 wheelchairs for Myanmar left Tokyo port on October 8, expecting to reach Yangon Port via Port Klang in Malaysia around October 28. The number of wheelchairs donated to Myanmar is going to be 495 in total. 180 wheelchairs are to be provided for four hospitals in affiliation with Myanmar Department of Health; National Rehabilitation Hospital, Yangon Children Hospital, Yankin Children Hospital, and Mandalay children Hospital. The Donation record graph is from here.

  We had difficulty in refurbishing wheelchairs for Myanmar this time due to the spread of New Coronavirus. We had planned 90 wheelchair donation at first, but we were asked to donate more as there are four hospitals which need wheelchairs for their patients. In order to meet their request, we held a mini-meeting several times with many volunteers’ support and finally we made it.

  It was Vietnamese group who played an important part in both cleaning and refurbishing work in those mini-meetings. There were also Sagami Women’s University group, Ethiopian group, and dedicated voluntary members joining the activity. Plus, the members of NGO Youth Support Center, who have been a great support for us, helped to clean, refurbish, and pack so many wheelchairs. All this help made it possible for us to send 180 wheelchairs to Myanmar despite the new coronavirus. We’d like to express our gratitude to everyone who supported us.

  Before the ship’s departure, we did loading 180 wheelchairs into a container on September 29. As we wanted to avoid a big meeting, only a few people, employees of Tama Packing Company and our staff, did the loading work.

Putting wheelchairs stored in the warehouse on a pallet and loading them into the container.

Checking the number of each wheelchair and circling the number on the sheet, making it clear that 180 wheelchairs are surely loaded.

(Left) Putting boards in so that loads will not drop when the door is opened, and loading more wheelchairs.
(Right) Putting the red seal lock after finishing loading, sign of completion.

(Left) Today’s staff.
(Right) The container leaving for Tokyo port.

  September 13, a cool Sunday for a mini-meeting. The participants were Vietnamese group, Sagami Women’s University group, and voluntary members. We all took our temperature, sterilized our hands with alcohol, and started working with a mask on to prevent the new coronavirus infection.
To read more,