New School in Upland Thailand

An old Asian proverb says -- teach a man to fish and he will be able to feed himself forever. The Asian Education and Friendship Association (AEFA), a non-profit organization (NPO) based in Tokyo, takes that approach in its developmental aid to villages throughout Southeast Asia.

When AEFA founder Hiroshi Tanikawa, began in 2004 to help villagers in Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam to build new local schools and renovate old ones, the results were dramatic. Children who attended these schools became more lively and motivated. They also learned such things as basic hygiene, which has contributed to their health and even saved lives.

Health surveys in these villages with new or renovated schools show that there is a decrease in mortality rates of younger children.
Other key benefits are: a) the schools grow their own vegetables, raise chickens, plant rice, or catch fish in nearby ponds and lakes to sell these products to pay for teachers' salaries, or b) use these self generated funds to make needed improvements in the school or village.

Pigs raised by the school for income generation

The schools, therefore, create ripple effects that stimulate the whole community to become economically independent in order to maintain the new school facilities. Since 2004, AEFA has worked with almost 30 primary schools in Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand.

Tanikawa additionally established about 20 cultural exchange programs between children at these schools and Japanese students of the same age. The kids now regularly send each other messages, photos, DVDs, and hand drawn artwork.

"These exchanges probably benefit the Japanese children most of all," says Tanikawa. They learn how lucky they are that Japanese society provides everything they need for their education and upbringing.

Inside the School

Tanikawa's efforts encourage many other educational and health care volunteers and organizations to get involved in AEFA's self help programs in S.E. Asia. The Nippon Foundation decided to support AEFA's village schools project particularly because it acts as a catalyst for encouraging self-reliance and village based economic development.

In sharp contrast are children in villages without schools. Tanikawa recalls visiting one such village in Laos where the children sat around listlessly in the shade of trees doing nothing, and were embarrassed to say their names to visitors.

In the next village with a new school, the students were gathered around their teacher drawing pictures, singing, and dancing. The children's eyes were bright and appeared to have confidence in their future, says Tanikawa.

A Japanese volunteer, Takuichiro Ishihara, who helped to build a village school in Laos, said: "I'm happy to think that the school will one day produce its own teachers, and perhaps some of the children will become businessmen and visit Japan."