Announcement: 5th Community Relief Program

📢ANNOUNCEMENT📣

5th Community Relief Program of the Vietnamese Association in Japan (VAJ) - May 2021 onward

🔴Dear fellow Vietnamese, after the recent Golden Week, COVID-19 case counts in Japan remain high. The Japanese government has declared a state of emergency in Tokyo, Osaka, Hyogo, Kyoto, Aichi, and Fukuoka through the end of May 2021, with extensions under consideration. Many restaurants and companies have had to cut business hours or shift to remote work, taking a heavy toll on the economy and on daily life. The Vietnamese community in Japan has also suffered greatly under this pandemic.

🔴Based on information from fellow Vietnamese across Japan and our community survey (https://www.facebook.com/hiephoiVN/posts/2918408855104409), the Vietnamese Association in Japan (VAJ) is aware that many people are still stranded here, unable to return home. While the Japanese government has extended their residence status and provided some employment support, finding a stable job under the repeated states of emergency remains very difficult. Some have had to seek refuge at Catholic community centers or Vietnam-Japan temples.

🔴In the spirit of solidarity and mutual support, VAJ carried out 4 rounds of emergency relief in 2020. This year, to support our community in overcoming the hardships of the pandemic, three weeks ago we began calling on fellow Vietnamese to share information about how the pandemic has affected them and their families. So far we have received nearly 400 registrations for relief through our survey and through VAJ members across Japan.

🔴Given this number of applicants, VAJ has called on the support of the Foundation for the Welfare and Education of the Asian People (FWEAP / 公益財団 アジア福祉教育財団) to launch the 5th Community Relief Program from May 27, 2021. The program will deliver emergency relief packages to fellow Vietnamese, helping them get through this difficult period. However, even with FWEAP’s support, the funding is still not sufficient to reach all the registrants above, and the number is expected to grow further. Through this notice, VAJ would like to call on the community to contribute to this 5th relief round. We are confident that your generous and meaningful contributions will help our Community Welfare Committee carry out the “Community Relief, Fighting COVID-19” program successfully. As with the four previous rounds last year, we commit to publishing transparent income and expense reports for this 5th round.

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

🔴The pandemic still shows no sign of easing, and danger lingers everywhere. All of us at VAJ sincerely wish you good health and safety. When this pandemic passes and brighter days return — when those who received our relief have restored their strength and normal rhythm of life — the story of your generous hearts today will be remembered, reminding us all to live more meaningfully and to give more to society.

💓With deepest gratitude💓

Vietnamese Association in Japan (VAJ)

President Nguyen Phuong Khanh