Japanese NGO working in Myanmar and Vietnam｜アジアと共に発展を続けていく国際協力NGO

About BAJ

Founded in 1993, Bridge Asia Japan (BAJ) is an authorized non-profit organization in Japan. We carry out developmental assistance activities together with people and communities in Myanmar and Vietnam.
BAJ is an independent NGO, with no religious, political, or governmental affiliations.

BAJ’s Four Missions

We are facing borderless and global difficulties such as poverty, displacement of refugees, environmental destruction, and terrorism nowadays. BAJ is exploring solutions by initiating region-oriented thoughts and actions for these problems considered to be impossible to settle.
In order to live together (coexist) with other Asian people, who have a deep relationship with Japan, we have formulated four missions, and promote our activities in our hope to create a bridge of mutual understanding beyond whatever differences in politics, ethnicity, religion, language, or culture there may be.

1. Providing opportunities for skill acquisition and ability improvement

We provide skill acquisition and ability improvement opportunities to underprivileged people such as repatriates, domestic refugees, the disabled, youth without educational opportunities, and women with limited job opportunities. To this end, we utilize conventional technology relevant to the local area while also acquiring the latest technologies.
1-1. Implementing technical training for underprivileged local youth (in electronics, auto, welding, and sewing)
1-2. Assisting in school attendance for children who are impoverished or have disability.

2. Assisting in income improvement

We help individuals become independent by providing the knowledge and tangible opportunities needed to link their acquired skills with an income.
2-1. Assisting in the employment of youth who have acquired (these) skills
2-2. Restoring traditional crops and cultivating channels for sales

3. Setting environmental foundations for local development

We promote construction of schools, bridges, and wells to vitalize the local economy with the local residents’ participation. We train and support residents through OJT (On-the-Job-Training) on-site to support them in taking responsibility for the maintenance and management thereof by themselves.
3-1. Constructing schools based on the local residents’ participation
3-2. Installing Biogas Digesters for low income farmers
3-3. Constructing and maintaining wells in order to secure safe water for daily use

4. Preserving the environment and raising awareness

We promote environmentally friendly agricultural technologies and safe foods. In addition, we also carry out activities for children by providing environmental education.
4-1. Health and hygiene training for local residents where we have constructed wells and schools
4-2. Investigation of river water quality with children
4-3. Implementing disaster risk prevention training

Activities in Myanmar

We provide assistance for people facing difficulties such as poverty and discrimination in Myanmar. Our goal is to think and act together with the communities in need in order to build bridges of mutual understanding and trust, and to aid these communities in becoming self-sufficient.

For NGOs, there are two approaches to carry out activities in Myanmar: to solve specific issues for people in need from within the country, and to seek change from outside the country. BAJ takes the former approach. Even in difficult times, BAJ sends Japanese staff to Myanmar as frequently as possible and provides assistance that directly reaches villagers while working alongside local Myanmar staff. Currently at BAJ, there are more than 180 trusted local staff members who are our most valuable assets in creating a positive future for Myanmar.

What we do in Myanmar

Rakhine State Program

- New School Building Construction Project
- Mechanical Workshop (Maintenance of Machineries such as vehicles)
- Peaceful Co-existence Project (Tailoring Training, Computer Training and Mechanical Training) *All trainings have been suspended since 25th Aug 2017.

Hpa-an Technical Training School Operation Project

- Technical Training
- Investigation on Job Seekers and Employment Status
- School Operation

Daily life water supply project in the Central Dry Zone

- New Deep Tube Well Drilling Projects
- Existing Tube Well Repair Projects
- Long-term Tube Well Operation and Maintenance

Yangon Office

- Irrawaddy Delta Disaster Risk Prevention Project
- Book & Toy Project

Activities in Vietnam

Before the establishment of BAJ offices, we had been providing donations to orphanages and facilities for children with disabilities in Vietnam. In recent years, Vietnam has become well known for the rapid growth of its economy, but a large number of people still face difficulties in their everyday lives.

In urban low-income areas where we now implement our activities, it is difficult for children to grow up with dreams and hopes for the future, due to complicated problems such as poverty, discrimination, violence and drugs.
BAJ's aim is to assist children through its activities to grow confident by overcoming challenges they face everyday.
We want children to acquire deeper understandings of their community and grow up into adults who can contribute to the society.

What we do in Vietnam

Agriculture Livestock Industry Management Strengthening Support Project

- Expansion of Biogas Digester (BD) installations
- Direct Sales “Hue Farmers’ Store” Operation Project
- Training for Farmers and Government Officials in Japan

Environmental education for children

We provided opportunities to think about environmental issues through classes and activities for children at each school and district.

Education Support for children

The fund launched in 2004 has been supported by 35 monthly donors as at the end of 2017.
BAJ has utilized it as scholarships for children in Vietnam.

Annual Report

Organization Overview

Bridge Asia Japan (BAJ) is an authorized non-profit organization in Japan.
We carry out developmental assistance activities together with people and communities in Myanmar and Vietnam.

Organization Name	Authorized Non-profit Organization Bridge Asia Japan
Founding Date	Founded in November, 1993
Address (Tokyo HQ)	Shintoshin Mansion 303, 3-48-21 Honmachi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 151-0071 Phone: + 81-(0)3-3372-9777 Fax: + 81-(0)3-5351-2395 *By telephone, please call us between 10:00 and 18:00 on weekdays.