Plan Announced to Assist Persons with Disabilities Still in Ukraine and Dispatch 105 Japanese Student Volunteers to Neighboring Countries2nd phase of The Nippon Foundation’s Support for Ukraine

As part of its humanitarian assistance, The Nippon Foundation on April 26 announced that it would provide assistance to persons with disabilities who are still in Ukrainian war zones, and dispatch Japanese university student volunteers to assist persons with disabilities who have evacuated to neighboring countries.

Details

1. Support through cooperation with Access Israel* for persons with disabilities evacuating from Ukraine to neighboring countries (approximately 290 million yen)

  • Making arrangements for 10 vehicles to be used for evacuation, and providing assistance and daily necessities to persons with disabilities who wish to evacuate from Ukraine
  • Providing temporary shelter and support for daily living for persons with disabilities who have evacuated to neighboring countries including Poland, Romania, Austria, Moldova, and Slovakia
  • * Access Israel was established in 1999 in Israel, a country that has experienced many years of conflict, as an NGO working to provide accessibility and independence to persons with disabilities.

2. Plan to dispatch 105 Japanese university student volunteers to countries neighboring Ukraine

Activities Distribution of medical supplies, food, and other items to evacuees, management of relief supplies, dissemination of information, etc.
Locations Krakow (Poland), Vienna (Austria) and other locations with large numbers of evacuees
No. of volunteers being solicited Up to 105
(Seven groups of 15 volunteers, for two weeks each)
Dates 1 group: May 30 – June 16 (tentative)
  • *Plan is to dispatch 105 volunteers in seven groups by October
Eligible candidates
  • Students aged 18 and above who are enrolled in a college or university when applying
  • Japanese passport holders or persons who have applied for a Japanese passport
  • Residents of Japan
  • Persons able to communicate sufficiently in English
Selection method
  • Document screening (approximately 400-character essay on reasons for applying)
  • Online test of English ability (speaking and writing ability, listening comprehension)
Cost None
Coordinating organization The Nippon Foundation Volunteer Center

For more information (in Japanese only)

Comment

Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman, The Nippon Foundation

We are focusing on Krakow as a specific evacuation site for people with disabilities, but will consider expanding to Vienna, Austria, if warranted. The situation is fluid, so we want to be flexible. Our support to date has focused on women and children without disabilities, and we want to offer the same level of support to persons with disabilities.
We are dispatching students because we want Japanese students to experience first-hand working with a collection of NGOs from the international community. We believe having young people learn about the current situation in the international community through relief work is very important for Japan’s future.

Photo of Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of The Nippon Foundation.

Reference: 1st phase of The Nippon Foundation’s Support for Ukraine (announced March 28)

  1. Assistance to Ukrainian evacuees to Japan for travel expenses, daily living expenses, and home furnishing expenses: Approximately 3.55 billion yen
  2. Assistance to local NGOs and other nonprofit organizations providing support to Ukrainian evacuees in Japan: Approximately 1.5 billion yen

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Contact

Public Relations Team
The Nippon Foundation

  • Email: cc@ps.nippon-foundation.or.jp