About SVA

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Our Belief

One Book Can Inspire Thousands.

To realize a peaceful society that allows people to “live together and learn together”, each of us needs to have peace of mind first.

And to have peace of mind, we need to know how to read and write, gain knowledge, and stand on our own feet.

We need to be ourselves even in a society filled with complex intertwining problems. We need to accept different values and ideas and find a way to coexist with others through conversation.

SVA believes that learning through books nurtures the power to live and, as a result, peace of mind and the strength to open up the future.

Potential from Reading

The are 773 million illiterate people around the world. Because of conflict, natural disasters, and poverty, children cannot go to school resulting in a loss of opportunities to learn. SVA provides educational opportunities allowing children to learn in any circumstance. Books have the power to make children think for themselves and encourage them to dream.
*UNESCO Institute of Statistics

01
Broadening Horizons
Books expand the view and cultivate a sense of curiosity. Through books, children explore new worlds, choose a new way of life, and acquire the ability to think critically.
02
Establish an identity
When children live without their family due to conflict or poverty, books inform them of their roots, cultures, and traditions.
03
Knowledge through words
Whether being sick or selling vegetables at the market, being illiterate is life-threatening. Books provide knowledge including letters and numbers.

Setting a framework that fosters continuous learning.

SVA’s goals are to create a culture of reading and to enhance the quality of education.

Books/People/Place/Activity
01
Required books and teaching materials
There is a lack of books in local languages in conflict zones where ethnic minorities live. So we publish books and teaching materials for them.
02
People who can teach
SVA puts value on establishing a lifelong learning system, collaborating with local government and community.
Books/People/Place/Activity
03
Learning in peace
The local community monitors the construction and maintains the building.
With the local community, we build places where children learn safely.
04
Access to learning activities
Still, many people have never been to school nor seen picture books.

History and Achievement

1980
SVA’s predecessor was established and launched its activities at Cambodian refugee camps.

The Japan Sotoshu Relief Committee (JSRC), SVA’s predecessor, was established in order to help people living in Cambodian refugee camps in Thailand through educational and cultural activities. Opened its first office in Thailand and launched activities. Started mobile library services in June, the same year, and then built permanent libraries in refugee camps in August. (operated until the camps were closed)

1981
Volunteers of the JSRC established the Sotoshu Volunteer Association (SVA).

As the emergency relief activities at the Cambodian refugee camps ended, interested members of JSRC held a general meeting on December 10th to establish the Sotoshu Volunteer Association (SVA, currently called Shanti Volunteer Association) in order to take over JSRC’s efforts.

1989
The SVA opened a vocational training center in the Klong Toey slums in Bangkok, Thailand.

Opened a Vocational Training Center in Klong Toey Slum in Bangkok. We began selling Mon embroidery and hand-woven fabric goods made at the Vocational Training Center and this activity led to our current Fairtrade project, Craft Aid.

1991
The Cambodia Office established in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and the Sikkha Asia Foundation (SAF), a local subsidiary of the SVA in Thailand, also established.

Cambodia’s two-decade civil war damaged its educational systems and culture. With the aim of helping to restore and revitalize them, we opened an office in the country to build and operate a vocational training school, work with residents to build schools, implement library projects, and reprint Buddhist sutras and books. In the same year, we registered our Thailand office as a legal entity in Thailand in order to establish the Sikkha Asia Foundation (SAF). (SAF became an independent organization in March 2015, and is now one of SVA’s partner organizations)

1992
The Laos Office established in Vientiane, Laos.

We provided library activities and engaged in printing and publishing projects in the Ban Vinai Laos refugee camp in Thailand. Then, as the camp was closed and the refugees returned to their country, we opened an office in Laos in 1992. At that time, the only library in Laos was the national library in the capital, Vientiane, and few elementary schools had their own libraries, and there were no public libraries. We made and spread mimeographs, created teaching material, trained people, and distributed 1,974 library boxes to 1,207 schools that did not have libraries.

1995
SVA undertook relief activities for the victims of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.

Following the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in January 17, 1995, we launched a humanitarian response. We distributed relief items, conducted an initial assessment, built temporary classrooms, separate sections for children and shelters for women, and provided mental care by, for example, reading picture books to children. After the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, we set up an emergency relief section to conduct emergency relief activities in and outside Japan.

1999
The SVA initiated its “Campaign to Deliver Picture Books”.
The association rename the “Shanti Volunteer Association (SVA)”.

We launched the Campaign to Deliver Picture Books in 1999 to provide children in our target areas who have never read picture books with opportunities to experience the pleasure of learning about the world they live in, being absorbed in reading, and learning new words and ideas. As a home-based international support activity, about 750 people helped make translated versions of picture books and we delivered 1,941 to Cambodia and 1,532 to Laos in the first year. In addition, we became an incorporated association, the first step in becoming an organization that could better serve public interest.

2000
Myanmar (Burma) refugee project office established.

Since 1984, 140,000 refugees have arrived in Thailand, escaping the conflicts between Myanmar’s military regime and ethnic minorities’ anti-government forces. We opened the Myanmar (Burma) Refugee Program Office to create a place for children to learn about their country, as well as the world outside their camps. Working with UN organs, NGOs, and refugee committees, we launched library activities, such as building libraries, publishing picture books in Karen and Burmese languages, and training librarians, in seven Karen refugee camps.

2003
The Afghanistan Office established.

After airstrikes in Afghanistan, which followed the 9-11 attacks in 2001, we distributed food to Afghan refugees in Pakistan. After that, we opened an office in Afghanistan in order to help the refugees on a continuous basis. Half of the roughly 16,500 schools do not have any or enough school buildings and need to improve the quality of their education. In addition to building school buildings, we set up corner libraries, train teachers, and carry out mobile library services.

2011
Began helping survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Changed corporate status to “public interest incorporated association.”

In April 2011, following the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11th, we opened an office in Kesennuma, Miyagi, to launch our relief response. We also opened offices in Tono, Iwate, and Minamisoma, Fukushima and dispatched staff members who had experience in helping affected areas in/outside Japan. We engaged in relief operations in cooperation with many volunteers who hastily arrived in the areas to help. (The project ended at the end of 2018 and the three offices in Tohoku were also closed)
Following the reform of the nation’s public interest corporation system, we obtained a new corporate status and became a public interest incorporated association.

2014
The Myanmar Office established.

In 2011, with the transition from military rule to civilian democracy, a new administration was inaugurated, promoting democratization through political, economic, and administrative reforms. However, reforming social services, including education, was not easy and half of children were unable to reach the final grade of elementary school. To help solve educational problems, we opened offices in Yangon and Pyay and launched the Improving Monastic School Project, Improving Public Library Project, project to help children who cannot go to school, and picture and children’s book publication project.

2016
The Nepal Office established.

2015 Following the Nepal Earthquake in 2015, we provided a humanitarian response. Compared to the extent of damage caused by the earthquake, the reconstruction of the affected areas was slow even after the emergency relief phase. Even before the earthquake, Nepal had many educational problems. To provide children in the country with safe learning environments as soon as possible, we opened an office in the capital, Kathmandu, as part of our earthquake recovery support program.

2019
Myanmar Border Project office established.

As refugees in the camps on the Thailand border began returning to Kayin, Myanmar, we opened the Myanmar Border Project Office (MBP) in Hpa-an, the capital city of the state, to launch our projects. In the villages they were returning to, however, there weren’t any libraries, school libraries, or places for us to share information and interact with the local people who had always lived there. For this reason, we also built the Community Resource Center and launched our library activities.

2020
Began helping children in Japan with foreign roots

In Japan, in June, 2020, we began helping children who have non-Japanese parents or ancestors. Children grapple with a wide variety of issues, such as family poverty and feelings of isolation. As we believe that it is important for children to be able to spend time with those with different backgrounds, share their feelings, and develop a sense of self-affirmation, we work to develop places where such children can feel at home. As the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing, we provide children with opportunities to interact with other children with the same backgrounds freely over the internet.

Activities So Far

Since its establishment, SVA has continuously worked in the hope that everyone facing difficulty will find hope through reading and create their own bright futures.

Schools constructed
456
schools
Libraries / Library rooms opened
1,063
libraries / rooms
Publication of Picture Book
678
titles
975,463books
Campaign to Deliver Picture Books
(配布した絵本)
400,720
books
Users of Libraries
16,810,000
Training participants
59,962
(Training for teachers and librarians)
Humanitarian Response
108
(Overseas: 75, In Japan 33)

Encouragement Messages

Author
Mr. Eric Carle
Manga artist and illustrator
Fumiyo Kono
Former Public Affairs Officer of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Jason Pratt
Photojournalist
Natsuki Yasuda
Photojournalist
Atsushi Shibuya
Picture book artist and visiting associate professor, Literary Arts Department of Osaka University of Arts
Michiko Tachimoto
Stage director and representative of NPO OBUSERHYTHM
Yuichiro Hanai
Children and reading coordinator and storyteller
Ryoko Sato
Photojournalist
Yoshifumi Kawabata
Film director
Kenji Kanetaka
Picture book artist
Satoshi Kako
Picture book artist
Michi Imaki
Manga artist
Atsushi Kamijo
Writer
Toshiyuki Aoki
Professional football player
Naoya Shibamura
Picture book artist
Masanao Futami

To learn more about SVA

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Author
Mr. Eric Carle

It means so much to me that my books are enjoyed by readers in different countries around the world.
I am very grateful to the Shanti Volunteer Association for all that they do to make books available in different languages.
I hope readers of all ages will find comfort in my books and in any picture book they read together with their families and friends.
I hope the closeness of sharing books together, as well as the hopeful message of my stories will bring peace and beauty to all.

Manga artist and illustrator
Fumiyo Kono

Every day, different emotions and thoughts arise in our minds. Even though our families and friends may not always understand exactly how we feel, we can find understanding in the characters in the books we read. Even when we are hurt, we can learn from books that there are people who have overcome the same pain. That’s why reading makes us feel less alone. Children in Asia grow up surrounded by their families and abundant nature. However, there are things they can’t understand just by experience. For example, a youngest child treated unfairly by their siblings may not have anyone to share their problems with because nobody else in their family is in the same situation. They can, however, find someone who is feeling the same way in a book. Books allow you to see images in your mind and recall them any time you want. When you are having a hard time or when you need to make an important decision, these images guide you like lights from a distant town.

My favorite book: Night on the Galactic Railroad, Kenji Miyazawa (Kadokawa Bunko)
It’s the oldest book I have with me. I was attracted by the way Miyazawa lived; he was coherent, always trying to do the right thing as a person. When I read the book for the first time, I was shocked. I was confronted with the depth of nasty feelings humans can have, portrayed in the subtle changes of the characters’ minds, such as the feelings Campanella has for poor Giovanni, as well as Giovanni’s jealousy. On top of that, Miyazawa’s stories are much more carefully calculated than people think. I realized that after I started drawing manga. I occasionally read his books aloud to recall how amazing his expressions are. Every time I read his books, I discover new things, such as storylines and his techniques to express dialects in writing.

Former Public Affairs Officer of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Jason Pratt

Reading skills are very important to us. By gaining lots of information, we can improve our lives. In addition, we can understand each other better and promote peace. I’d like to spread reading skills across Afghanistan. SVA’s book projects are really wonderful. If my dog appears in one of SVA’s books, it will be a great contribution to my country.

Photojournalist
Natsuki Yasuda

Through a wide range of books I read as a kid, I learned the pleasure of encountering unknown worlds.
I hope that children around the world can have that precious moment, no matter where they live.

Photojournalist
Atsushi Shibuya

Picture book artist and visiting associate professor, Literary Arts Department of Osaka University of Arts
Michiko Tachimoto

Looking at the beautiful spines of the books randomly placed on a bookshelf stirs up your curiosity and provokes various thoughts. And before you know it, you set out on an imaginary journey.
Even a book you pick up without really thinking about it can take you to a wonderful journey to discover new things, anytime, anywhere.

Stage director and representative of NPO OBUSERHYTHM
Yuichiro Hanai

I believe that reading books and getting correct information is the way to acquire education and bring about peace. To provide people who are still unable to do so with opportunities to do so will promote peace and thus enable us to continue to exist in this world. Sharing books, instead of consuming them— I endorse the idea and act in the hope that interactions that occur through book and information sharing will spread around the world.

Children and reading coordinator and storyteller
Ryoko Sato

I hope imagination and understanding nurtured through reading will lead to happiness, peace, and democracy.

Photojournalist
Yoshifumi Kawabata

Reading is the first step to adventure. We satisfy our intellectual curiosity and expand our world view by reading. There are children who can’t go to school due to poverty. There are children who are forced to flee their homes due to war. When given opportunities to read, even children in such difficult situations can discover new worlds in books. The children who were immersed in reading at SVA’s libraries in Asian countries were truly impressive. I really hope that those children will realize their full potential and succeed in society in the future.

Film director
Kenji Kanetaka

I have worked in the film industry for a long time. Images convey emotions, anger, and joy to audiences directly, compared to words and text. However, to confirm my ideas and communicate them to my staff and sponsors, I need to convert them into text. Reading references and relevant books is the most effective way to create a story. Picture books are like images. They enable children to unlock and go beyond their tremendous potential in the blink of an eye, inspiring their imagination strongly. I believe that books are a precious treasure for humans.

Picture book artist
Satoshi Kako

Books are wonderful!
Books are great friends to feel thrilled, laugh, and have fun with. Books are caring mothers, who console you when you feel alone and comfort you when you are hurt. Books are cooks, who make delicious and nutritious food for you. Books are excellent teachers, who teach you what happened in the past and what you can find outside your country. Books are responsible fathers, who encourage you to do the right thing and show you the right way of life.

Picture book artist
Michi Imaki

It’s been over 30 years since I started living in Fujino, a town located on the rim of Kanagawa.
When I moved here, there weren’t any book stores or libraries, and children had access to only a handful of children’s books and picture books in their school libraries. When I opened a private library at home for them, however, they knew how to play with their friends, creating stories together, without drawing on printed text. I am sure children in the supported countries also play in their own imaginary story worlds. When I think of what books can do, I hope that the power of their text and pictures will add some zest to children’s lives. Note: Fujino is now part of Midori Ward, Sagamihara, following a municipal merger.

Manga artist
Atsushi Kamijo

You can live without books. For those who don’t read, they are mere substances. You can’t fill your stomach with them. However, they give you knowledge, if you just look for it. They satisfy your curiosity. They guide you to answers. They encourage you. They will be there for you when you need them. Please read books to bring them to life.

Writer
Toshiyuki Aoki

Books are made of words. Words reflect the workings of our consciousness and thoughts, like a mirror. They capture the many aspects of our existence, our daily lives and the real world. Literature produces aesthetically amazing images and academic research unveils mysteries and origins of nature, history, and the world. Books are like a treasure box filled with those things, which you can draw on whenever you need. On top of that, books teach you about society, helping you to become a person with an independent critical spirit and intelligence. That’s just one of the tremendous powers books have.

Professional football player
Naoya Shibamura

Since I was little, I have imagined and thought of many things through reading. Even today, books teach me many things. I have lived in many countries, including Afghanistan’s neighboring country, Uzbekistan, and I see that there are many children around the world who don’t have access to books. I hope that easy access to books will be provided to as many children as possible.

Picture book artist
Masanao Futami

Let’s create a wonderful future together! With the power to envisage the future you want, you can cope with difficulties in your life. And you can increase this power through reading. I hope that children will envisage their own bright, wonderful futures.