Annual Meeting of Aloha Eigo NPO 2020

Today’s schedule:

Thank you all for attending today. By law, we are required to have 10 members to be present, but because of COVID-19, this year allowances are made for Zoom. Just by being present at our annual meetings, you are helping the NPO. In America, being on the board of an NPO is a great honor, usually only given to large donors. In Japan, this is not yet the culture.

I am just a volunteer like you. I receive no salary from NPO cash donations. My contribution is to match donors and volunteers with those who need help. I also did all the documentation for our work, until Akiko took over most of this work last year. NPO members’ only responsibility is what you want it to be. There are no obligations. Contribute whatever skill you feel can help, and makes you happy.

This past year, we made two Philippines trips, with a third canceled due to COVID. We sponsored tuition fees and tutored almost 200 junior high, high school, and university students. We also distributed thousands of kilograms of rice to mothers in Manila slums. Akiko and Takao volunteered with me in the Philippines, with Kimie also having planned to join us in May, before our flights were canceled in May. Akiko, Takao, Kimie, and Mizue also joined our fundraising event last summer in Neyagawa.

This coming year, we are attempting to recruit additional skilled members to help make our work more effective. Our NPO activities have grown a lot since 2016. Volunteers and donations have increased each year. We are helping students in the Philippines become doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers, IT experts, and other professionals. New serious long-term members with impactful skills can help them achieve their goals. If you have friends with common mindsets, let them know about our organization.

I am not sure when our next trip to the Philippines will be. Much of the country is still in lockdown, hurting the economy considerably. If we are not allowed to return by the end of the year, I am considering a trip to Hanoi, Vietnam．In the mountains surrounding the city there is a large population that lives on less than 200 yen per day. Airfare costs and flight time are similar to Philippines, with no visa required for Japanese. The climate is nice in winter, with temperatures in the low 20s and little rain. It feels like there is positive potential.

In the Philippines, there is a quarantine for students under 21. So, schools are going to online teaching. Unfortunately, most students do not have computers or tablets. Corazon has requested help with this, so I propose we use 100,000yen of NPO funds towards this, if a majority agrees.

In conclusion, I would like to welcome our newest members, Marina Nakajima, Chieko Fujiwara, and Michihiro Okano. Marina is helping the NPO with accounting and taxes. Chieko is a board member with Earth Day Kobe NPO, and Michihiro has his own NPO in Shiga.