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Nozomi Project Blog

Kumamoto Collections & Connections

One of the great joys of the Nozomi Project is the opportunities we've been given to model generosity and give hope to places where it is desperately needed.  Today we had a special opportunity to do just that!

A group of leaders from Kumamoto, Kyushu came to Ishinomaki and made a special visit to the Nozomi Project. This team has been leading a concerted effort in coordinating volunteers, funding, and projects for the people in the greater Kumamoto who were adversely affected by the double earthquakes this past spring.

Our staff had a chance to explain about the work of Nozomi:  we are hiring 15 local staff to make jewelry from broken pottery as a place to provide employment, community, and hope in this region that was devastated by the 2011 tsunami.  They took a tour, and we loved seeing how impressed they were by the beautiful products being made from what had been so broken!

 

A great highlight was the chance for our staff to present the Kumamoto representatives with a cash gift of $1500!  This was thanks to the purchases from our Kumamoto Collection (blue bracelet, pictured top) and the generous donations of many of you.  Thank you!  It is always a privilege to give;  it is always a special opportunity to see partnerships from around the world making a difference in places of special need.  

Nozomi Project is committed to continuing to give hope;  purchases from our 2016 Anniversary Necklaces are continuing to give hope as part of the purchase goes to disaster relief. We remain amazed at the many different way that hope springs up when we make beauty from brokenness.  

Giving Back

As we approach our four-year anniversary, we are so thankful for the many friends of Nozomi who have encouraged and helped us get this far.  Thank you!  Part of our organization's guiding principle is that of modeling generosity.***

Our Nozomi team has wanted to do what we can to help those in other parts of Japan who are suffering from national disasters.  We have created a Nozomi Disaster Relief Fund for this purpose. Thank you to the many who have purchased from our Kumamoto Collection, of which 50% of the proceeds are going to bring much-needed financial assistance to the earthquake victims in southern Japan.  We are excited to announce that so far we have $1500 to donate to Kumamoto Disaster relief.  Thank you!

 

We are also providing some financial assistance to those who recently suffered tremendous damage from a typhoon in Iwate Prefecture (just north of us).  

 

We will be giving $15 from the purchase of each of our special 2016 Anniversary Necklaces to the Disaster Relief Fund as another way of joining with you in practicing generosity.  

In addition, some of the organizations we have contributed to the past four years include:

Local/Tohoku Projects:

 

  • the Rock (a sports center in Ishinomaki being administered by Be One)
  • Fukushima Hope Project (camp in Fukushima for children affected by nuclear disaster)
  • CRASH/Japan
  • SumiShou Mama San’s (a local group of moms who visited elementary schools and produced plays, read stories, etc. to help local children dealing with trauma)
  • Providing blossoming trees for a local elementary school.

National & Overseas Projects: 

 

  • Zoe International: organization based in Thailand that rescues children and orphans from human trafficking, 

 

  • Starfish Project: a social enterprise in China in which women rescued from human trafficking are making jewelry. 
  • Partners in Hope/Malawi: (a hospital working with AIDS patients)
  • H2H Philippines (organization helping with reconstruction after typhoon)
  • ELWA Hospital (Liberia, Africa, helping with Ebola patients and other needs)

 

  • Nepal Family Rebuilding Packages/Asian Access 
  • Nakajima Hospice (Tokyo, Japan)
  • Juntendo Cancer Clinics (Tokyo, Japan) 

THANK YOU for helping us to give hope around the world these past four years!

 

***This is a portion of our Nozomi Project guiding principles:  

All of the profits that are made through Nozomi will go to support the Nozomi women staff, local people and projects of Tohoku and/or reinvested back into the organization. We also give some of our profits to organizations and/or individuals who are making a difference in bringing about hope and transformation to their communities. The Be One North American staff does not receive any money from the profits of the Nozomi Project.