Cash for Work

International Volunteer Center of Yamagata (IVY)’s Cash for Work program has provided unemployed disaster victims with work and income while also contributing to the recovery efforts by cleaning debris from houses of those who cannot do it themselves. Workers in IVY’s program, some of whom have participated in the cleaning of over 70 homes during the six months following the earthquake and tsunami, are all disaster victims themselves and many lost jobs in fishing or other industries because of the disaster. After three months of employment allowance from the Japanese government, those who lost their jobs did not have a source of income. IVY has built hope, purpose, and self-sufficiency by providing work opportunity.

We have been attending many Charity events and many cases the event organizer decide where to send the donation, but sometimes we have free choice of our donation.

We decided from now on to support IVY's Cash-for-Work program, if we have free choice of the donation.

The following is a letter from IVY's Cash-for-Work program leader to us, please read through their message.

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We are grateful to be chosen as the organization which CH Box would like to support. It seems to be a nice project.

Although IVY is planning to finish “Cash for Work” project at the end of March 2012, the project members are currently working on various jobs or qualifications in order to be re-employed in the future. However the employment situation in the disaster-stricken area is still severe and we are prospectively taking the possibility of starting a business into our consideration as well.

Even if a new business is started, of course, it does not mean that the business produces profit from the beginning. It might take some time till there is enough profit to pay salaries. It is also discussed that a new business may be initiated by some of the members who are now working for Cash for Work.

We would be happy if you could continue your support after the members start their businesses. Although IVY will close its project in March 2012, we have already worked together for many months and we would like to continue our activity in some way.

Regarding the prospect of our project, our responsible director will put up the information on our website within this month. Could you please take a look at it and consider your support? We appreciate your understanding and contribution.

Sincerely yours,

Mariko Abe