The 9th HRDP (Human Resources Development Programme) 2nd Session in Tokyo closed

(June 15,2007)

Installation of the 3rd stage of the inter-clinics radio communication system starts off. (Laos Ｊａｎｕａｒｙ, 2007 )

Since 1998 BHN Association has installed 205 units of radio communication systems connecting isolated clinics located in remote mountainous marginal Laos.

Such communication infrastructure had been long awaited by the local people. Under maintenance and operation by local technicians trained by BHN, the systems are fully utilized and highly appreciated by the beneficiaries.

　On November 6, 2006, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, having appreciated the benefit and at the request of the local people there, approved the funding for the expansion of the project. Upon the ministerial approval BHN started ofｆ the expansion works in early January, 2007.

In the 3rd stage 27 additional radio communication units shall be installed in the clinics still isolated throughout the country.

Kakuma BHN association has sent survey mission twice to Kakuma regugee camp in Kenya on northern border with Sudan for the feasibility study of the following two projects to be implemented in the camp for the benefit of the commu

Sudanese children protected in the Kakuma refugee camp

(Community radio station　/ Kakuma)

BHN is proposing to set up a community radio station in the Kakuma Refugee Camp and to distribute radio receiver units to the listeners in its service area.

Objectives: Dissemination of impartial information free from rumor by word of mouth to enhance human security of the local people.

Bangladesh

Emergency response team was sent to Bangladesh to survey Khulna City and its surroundings affected by the Cyclone Sidr with a view to finding post disaster relief project. (November, 2007)

Survey Mission to Somali Refugee Camps in Kenya,

April 7-13,2007

Dadaab: A staff of BHN Association visited the Somali refugees camps in Dadaab ,Kenya from April 7 thru 13, 2007 as a member of the Survey Mission sent to the camps by the Refugee Assistance Headquarters, and offered the following two proposals for the benefit of the community in the camps. Subject to a successful funding, BHN Association is pleased to implement the following two projects in the camp if they are welcomed by the community and supported by UNHCR. Those eligible NGOs or other groups who are working in the camp and interested in the projects are invited to co-work with the Association as implementing partners.

Video Conference /Africa & Tokyo

BHN Association organized a video conference between Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya and the event site at UN House in Tokyo in commemoration of World Refugee Day (WRD) of June 20, 2007.

The conference started at 15:30 Tokyo time and 9:30 Kakuma time. Crowd estimates for WRD at the UN House in Tokyo numbered about 3000 people, of whom approximately 500 saw at least part of the conference. About 50 persons stayed throughout the conference.

The conference was planned in order that people in Tokyo might gain a glimpse into the daily life of refugees in the Kakuma camp.

We interviewed the eleven refugees:(4 Sudanese, 4 Congolese, 1 Ethiopian, 1 Somali & 1 Ugandan). Two of them recited for us their poems from a book called Mama Kakuma., followed by the recitations of their Japanese translation by the translator Ms. Hisako Ishitani. The two refugees who recited poetry were Stephen Keny and Kanyinda Louis.

Technical assistance for the production on the Tokyo side came from BHN Assocoation and there was a large video screen box and video conference set-up to assist the call. On the Kakuma side, UNHCR Kakuma provided the satellite link up and other technical assistance to help make this event a success.

Everyone's impression post-conference was that the conference was very successful." in terms of our stated goal of “spreading the word” about the plight of refugees. It was really a heart-warming dialogue.

Another Video Conference (July 24,2007)

Following the video conference held on the World Refugee Day as described bellow, BHN Association assisted UNHCR in realizing another video conference with Kakuma Refugee Camp. The conference took place at Swedish Embassy in Tokyo on July 24 as an event of Refugee Film Festival. After films produced by refugees having been screed, the audience had a direct dialog with the author, the director and the actors of the films projected on the large screen of the lecture theater of the embassy.