HOPE International Development Agency -
Making Waves for the Future humanitarian spirit no.8
Dive beneath the surface of projects within the scope of HOPE International Development Agency, and on closer look, one realises that poverty is only the beginning and not the end of the lives they have supported for almost four decades. Consciously working hand in hand with global donors, HOPE provides the necessary developmental assistance to destitute families in developing nations through initiatives comprising of self-help and self-development, education and entrepreneurship. True to its name, the organisation’s work strives beyond the rudimentary provision of basic human necessities – hope is delivered by enabling lasting transformations to the lives of these families and their future generations. Based in Nagoya, Japan for the last 14 years, HOPE Asia has devoted most of its efforts in the region to providing and promoting access to clean water for those who need it most, reviving barren lands fit enough to bear the fruit of the future.
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For those fortunate enough to access clean drinking water by just the turn of a faucet, the notion of living without it is nothing short of inconceivable reality. Yet, there are currently 783 million people who do not have access to this basic essential, and up to 2.5 billion lack adequate sanitation. These are numbers that HOPE is bringing increasing widespread attention to in myriad forms, from the excavation of wells and providing clean water access, contributing school tuition fees and providing vocational training to set underprivileged families on the road to self-reliance.
Watershed Achievements One Drop at A Time
Toek Ouen, a Cambodian woman, recently benefited from a HOPE subsidy creating direct access to water. Not only did this save Ouen the daily trek to the village well, she could spend the time on more meaningful work that enhances her family’s wellbeing with flourishing positive results. Encouragingly, stories like Ouen’s are getting more common across Asia, a region that HOPE is dedicated to
★ HOPE International Development Agency ★
is an international non-profit organisation founded 39 years ago in order to “help the world’ s poorest families” across Africa, Asia and the Americas in countries such as Ethiopia, Cambodia, India, Afghanistan and the Philippines. In Asia, HOPE has presence in Japan and Myanmar with head offices in Hong Kong that can be reached at hongkong@hope-international.com.
raising the profile of. “A donation of a month of water to these communities is equivalent to three cups of coffee or a glass or two of beer on this side of the world,” advocates Lowell Sheppard, HOPE’s Asia-Pacific region director. “You can greatly improve the lives of those in need of assistance by regular contributions, helping to make a home away from poverty, and towards stable living.” Text = Nicole Chan
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