Call for Donations: Community Relief - Fighting COVID-19

Dear fellow Vietnamese,

The most recent community survey conducted by the Vietnamese Association in Japan (VAJ) in May 2021, using random sampling, found that 86% of respondents are struggling with job loss and reduced income. Nearly 10% reported being stranded in Japan, unable to return to Vietnam. On top of this, newly emerging coronavirus variants will almost certainly delay the return home for those struggling far from family. Meanwhile, the pandemic in Japan shows no signs of being controlled, and many prefectures have had to declare states of emergency, putting the world’s third-largest economy under strain — shops sit empty and unemployment continues to climb. We Vietnamese have suffered no less. According to the same survey, 38% of respondents said they would like financial support, and 47% want food relief. These are sobering numbers that ought to alarm us all.

In 2020, although we carried out 4 consecutive rounds of community relief to help those in difficulty due to COVID-19, given the current situation, the Vietnamese Association in Japan believes that there are still many people who urgently need help — first and foremost, food to get through this difficult time. This is the reason the 5th round of community COVID-19 relief has been launched.

As of now, the number of people registered to receive relief packages through our front-line members across Japan has already exceeded the funding limit from the Foundation for the Welfare and Education of the Asian People (FWEAP) and VAJ’s reserve fund. Even so, with the determination not to leave anyone behind, all of us at VAJ are doing everything we can to deliver relief packages directly into the hands of every recipient. This is why we are writing to ask for your generous financial contributions, so that each package can be a little fuller and so that everyone in need can be reached.

If a disaster always leaves harsh marks in our memory, then so too will the golden hearts that opened up to share difficulties and help those in vulnerable circumstances overcome it.

Dear fellow Vietnamese, a sustainable community is one that knows how to share both the sweet and the bitter through every rise and fall.

In that spirit, before closing, we again thank you and sincerely look forward to every precious contribution from kind-hearted people across the country, so that the Vietnamese Association in Japan has the opportunity to deliver packages full of care and solidarity to all of our fellow Vietnamese in hardship.

All financial contributions can be transferred to:

Yucho Bank (ゆうちょ銀行)

Account name: ﾄｸﾋ)ﾆﾎﾝｻﾞｲｼﾞｭｳﾍﾞﾄﾅﾑｼﾞﾝｷｮｳｶｲ

1. From a bank account: Branch number 138, Ordinary deposit, Account number 0271203

2. From a Yucho post office account: Symbol 11340, Number 02712031

All income and expenses for the relief program will be publicly reported across all VAJ communication channels after being audited by a tax consultant.

You can also review the financial reports of previous relief rounds at the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/1736769446601695/posts/2792148834397079

We would also like to share the donations received last week (June 7 to June 13):

1. Mr. Nguyen Phuong - 10,000 yen

2. Anonymous donor - 1,000 yen

With deepest gratitude,

Vietnamese Association in Japan (VAJ)

President NGUYEN PHUONG KHANH