ASSOCIATION OF
MEDICAL
DOCTORS OF
ASIA

2021
ANNUALREPORT

MESSAGE FROM AMDA PRESIDENT
The fiscal year 2021 was another busy year for all of us
at the Association of Medical Doctors of Asia, especiallygiven the fact that the world has been facing one of themost complex situations in the last hundred years or so.
Some might have described it as “apocalyptic” since themagnitude of the problems is grave and extensive, somuch so that they felt powerless in rectifying the given
state of affairs.
On one hand, by looking at the lives of ordinary people
around the planet, I wonder how many of them are
actually responsible for all of this. Whether it is a viral infection, natural calamity
or man-made disaster, the ones that suffer most are always innocent civilians
who are striving each day to live a good life.
Having been in the humanitarian sector for over three decades, I strongly feel
what the world is lacking today is solidarity. Solidarity comes from compassion. It
is all about caring for others. However, without being in someone else’s shoes,
perhaps we would never be able to imagine the hardship, pain and agony of those
who were forced to put into unwanted circumstances.
The world leaders are sure to have been doing their part. But let us not forget that
it is the power of us ordinary people that can bring about positive change if wecome together. The time is now to reiterate the strength of civil society whendivisions are so apparent.
In closing, I must confess that all of our projects have been made possible notbecause of us, but because of the contribution of each of our compassionate
supporters and partners who can be in someone else’s shoes.
I thank you for mustering up your courage to lend a helping hand.

Sincerely,

Shigeru Suganami M.D., Ph.D.
President, AMDA

AMDA’s GPSP Concept

Livelihood
Assistance

In 2014, AMDA established a concept ofglobal network named, “Global Partnershipfor Sustainable Peace” (GPSP). The aim of
this network is the coexistence of diversity,
which is virtually indispensable for world
peace. Under this concept, programs havebeen developed beyond borders with thephilosophy of Open Sogo-Fujo (mutual
assistance), which, AMDA believes, is theuniversal value of the 21st century. The
framework consists of four activity fields,
namely, 1) peace building, 2) healthdevelopment, 3) educational support, and4) livelihood assistance.

AMDA defines peace as “today’s family life
with hope for a better tomorrow.” “Today’s family life” symbolizes a healthy family condition
where one has sufficient food to maintain a decent living. The phrase, “hope for a better
tomorrow” points to providing education to children. The said four fields of GPSP activities
have been set to abate conflict, disaster, and poverty, all of which are considered hindrances
to realizing peace.
By involving governments, local public authorities, public interest groups, corporate
enterprises, and academia, AMDA hopes to enlighten the world with the concept of Open
Sogo-Fujo to realize the coexistence of diversity. This is the end goal of the Global
Partnership for Sustainable Peace.

GPSP’s three core values
1. Partnership: the natural feeling of mutual trust and respectattained through working together to overcome difficulties
2. Open Sogo-Fujo: expanding the concept of Sogo-Fujo (mutual
assistance) into a universal value. It promotes mutual
assistance across and beyond one’s own community,
regardless of race, religion or culture
3. Local Initiative: maintaining the utmost respect for each andevery community’s values and culture
Sogo-Fujo is a cycle of giving and receiving, a traditional value deeply rooted in the closeknit Japanese communal life.

TABLE OF CONTENTSMESSAGE FROM AMDA PRESIDENT
AMDA’s GPSP Concept
1. Peace Building
Emergency Relief (01)
COVID-19 Response (08)Post-disaster Reconstruction Assistance (10)Noteworthy Events (13)Disaster Response Platform (14)
2. Health Development
Primary Health (15)Projects Expected to Resume after COVID-19 (17)
AMDA GPSP Hospitals (19)
3. Educational Support (21)
4. Livelihood Assistance (26)

1. Peace Building
Emergency Relief
Be it a natural calamity or humanitarian crisis, AMDA prides itself on deploying relief
personnel in the most prompt manner. Even at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, it did its
utmost in responding to the needs on the ground by tapping into the vast network of aid
workers around the globe.
Floods in Henan, China (July)In response to the floods triggered by torrential rains inHenan Province, China, AMDA and its partners jointly
organized emergency relief to support the victims in thenation’s inland province.
A series of flooding was caused by excessive rainfallthat affected the entire region since 16 July 2021, withsome areas receiving up to 400 milliliters of rain in 24
hours (19-20 July). As a result, 56 people were killed
and five people were reported missing as of the 23rd.
On the morning of the 21st, a relief effort wascoordinated through AMDA’s registered doctor who had a connection with Chinese officials.
As a result, it was decided that AMDA would send funds through two China-relatedorganizations in Japan that requested assistance in supporting disaster victims in Zhengzhou
City.
The donation was sent to the province’s overseas aid department through the said twoorganizations, namely, Henan Chamber of Commerce in Japan and the Henan Associationof Japan, to be used for the procurement and distribution of relief supplies on the ground.
Earthquake in Haiti (August)In response to the earthquake that struck Haiti on the morningof 14 August 2021, AMDA Haiti launched emergency relief on
the 17th.
The devastating mag. 7.2 quake which hit the western part of
the Central American nation killed 304 people, leaving at least
1,800 people injured. Over 1,000 buildings, including houses,
schools and medical facilities, were toppled, media said.
AMDA Headquarters received a call for assistance from AMDA Haiti Chairperson Dr. Mac
Keven Frederic immediately after the quake hit. As a result, emergency relief activities wereconducted in two phases on the outskirts of Jeremie in the Grand’Anse Department.
◆ Beaumont (19 August):
The team worked in Beaumont, located an hour’s drive from
Jeremie, which suffered the heaviest damage in the peripheral
areas. Many of the buildings were either fully destroyed ordamaged, leaving several casualties. The team secured a spacein a town square to organize medical relief. As there was nodoctor or nurse in the town in the first place, the treatment andmedication seemed to have been a lot of help for the residents.

11. Peace Building

The team also distributed 150 sets of relief supplies, which consisted of foodstuffs and daily
necessities.
◆ Latiboliere (20 August):

On the following day, the team visited the town of Latiboliere in Jeremie City, where a numberof buildings were severely affected. Besides conducting medical relief (which saw 93 patientsas a whole), the team also donated 150 sets of relief supplies (foodstuffs and daily goods)
as the day before. Just as in Beaumont, AMDA Haiti’s medical services were well appreciatedas there was no doctor present in the town.
◆ Plain Matin/Coreil (26-28 August):
On 26 August, AMDA Haiti’s second medical teamconducted medical relief and item donation in Plain Matin,
a district in which the preceding team dropped by on theway back from the first mission. This time, the second teamreturned to provide aid as the first team had earlier reported
that the town needed much assistance. A local resident said
AMDA Haiti was the first aid organization to reach the
district.
On the 28th, the team visited the Boukan Noel district in Coreil, one of the severely affected
communities, to organize medical relief and supply distribution.
Meanwhile in Japan, prior to joining the aid work in Haiti, AMDA
coordinator Ms. Kanako Morita paid a visit to the Embassy of
Haiti in Tokyo. She met Haitian ambassador His Excellency Mr.
Helph Monod Honorat to seek advice regarding the relief
activities. Besides her work with AMDA, Ms. Morita also heads
her own organization, World Child House Project, which extends
support to three orphanages in Port-au-Prince.

Ms. Morita (left) prior to her
departture

Floods in South Sulawesi, Indonesia (October)In response to the floods that affected Luwu Regency in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, on 3
October 2021, AMDA Indonesia conducted a three-party joint relief effort with the medical
department of Universitas Muslim Indonesia (UMI) as well AMSA-UMI, the school’s Asian
Medical Students’ Association chapter.
According to the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB) as of the
6th, four people were killed, 169 people were evacuated, and 3,084 people from 771
households were affected by flash floods and landslides in several areas.

2

1. Peace Building
The joint team conducted relief work on the 6th and 7th in which it distributed medicine,
foodstuffs and daily goods, while offering free medical services in two locations in the North
Walenrang district. During the medical relief, the team saw 49 patients whose symptoms
were mainly skin problems, acute respiratory disorders, diarrhea and hypertension.

On the 8th, the team returned to North Walenrang once again to provide medical assistancein two locations where no help had reached. At one of the sites, the team conducted mobile
clinic activities in front of a village mosque. Additionally, the team visited the Bone district ina medical vehicle to deliver aid. As a whole, 133 patients benefited from AMDA’s medical
relief. On the 9th, after reporting the completion of activities to the deputy regent, the teamreturned to Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi.
Tropical Strom “Maring”, Philippines (October)In response to Maring, a severe tropical storm whichappeared in the east of the Philippines on 8 October
2021, AMDA Philippines carried out emergency relief with
its local partners.
The tropical storm made landfall on the island of Fuga
located to the north of Luzon on the 12th after it moved
northwestward with increasing strength. Although it did notstay, and moved off to the northwest, the damage it left
was tremendous, causing flooding and mudslides in extensive areas. According to the
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) as of the 13th, 6,111
households (21,511 people) were affected.
◆ LunaUnder the slogan "ALL-IN-ONE BAYANIHAN" (Let us unite andhelp each other), AMDA Philippines carried out emergency relief
in the town of Luna, La Union Province, in northern Luzon where
5,000 families had been displaced by the earlier storm.
On 17 October, the AMDA team (seven members including
AMDA Philippines vice-chairperson) conducted a joint relief
effort with Philippine Army Reserve Command and otherorganizations in Luna's Santo Domingo Norte district. The teamprovided free medical consultations and relief supplies.
The number of patients totaled 1,213, with the most common
symptoms being musculoskeletal pain, followed by3

1. Peace Building

hypertension, allergic cough and colds as well as acute gastroenteritis. Medicine wasprescribed as needed.
As for the item distribution, foodstuffs including rice, noodles and canned food were given to
350 households.
◆ San Juan
Following the initial emergency relief activities held
in Luna, AMDA Philippines provided post-disasterassistance in San Juan with other aid organizations.
In addition to free medical consultation andprescription services, AMDA Philippines provided
relief items such as bread, biscuits, children's
school supplies and toys. While serving hot meals,a dance competition was also organized for thisoccasion. As a whole, 608 people from 110
households benefitted from this post-disasterassistance. 39 volunteers (including doctors, nurses and medical students) took part inrunning the activities.
Coupled with lockdown measures and other restrictions due to COVID-19, the extent of thetyphoon put an extra burden on people’s livelihoods. However, many started rebuilding theirhouses and gradually began regaining their normal lives thanks to the support from theirrelatives and the municipal government.
Floods in Malaysia (December)
AMDA rendered assistance to relief activities organized by MERCY Malaysia, a leading
Malaysian NGO, in response to the flooding that struck the central part of the Malay
Peninsula in December 2021. According to media reports, incessant rainfall, which continued
from 17 December and onward, affected eight Malaysian states, causing extensive flooding.
As of the 25th, 46 people were killed and five people were missing.
When the disaster occurred, AMDA had been in touch with MERCY Malaysia which had
worked with AMDA on a number of occasions. As there were evident needs for disaster relief,
AMDA decided to back up MERCY Malaysia’s aid work.
AMDA’s relationship with the NGO goes back to the 2011 East Japan Great Earthquake andTsunami in which the organization supported AMDA’s relief work. Ever since, bothorganizations have kept collaborating on humanitarian efforts. In the most recent case,
AMDA assisted MERCY Malaysia’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign in the remote areas ofSabah, Malaysia.
Super Typhoon “Odette” (Rai), Philippines (December)
In response to the super typhoon “Odette” (Rai) which struck the Philippines on the afternoonof 16 December 2021, AMDA supported emergency relief coordinated and conducted by
AMDA Philippines, local partners and other affiliated organizations.

41. Peace Building
A massive tropical storm made landfall on theisland of Siargao in the central part of the nation
on 17 December 2021, affecting Bohol and Cebu
in succession.
That day, after discussing matters with AMDA
Philippines and Undersecretary Dr. Gloria
Jumamil-Mercado of the Office of the Presidentof the Philippines, it was decided that AMDA
would launch local-driven emergency relief in
hard-hit Bohol. (Due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
AMDA Headquarters decided to forego thedispatch of relief personnel from Japan.)
According to the figures released on 21 February 2022 by the National Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), it was confirmed that 405 people died,
1,371 people were injured, 1,371 went missing, and over 2.99 million households (10.61
million people) had been affected.
◆ Bohol
AMDA, the Philippine Navy, Mr. Leoncio Evasco Jr. (Secretary at the Office of the President),and WiNDS jointly carried out food distribution assistance. 20 bags of rice (five kilos each)and tinned food were delivered to the town mayors of Maribojoc and Loboc on the 23rd and24th of December 2021 respectively. 1,000 families received the aid in total.
At the same time, relief activities in the city of Ubay
were put on hold until procurement of relief goods
and recovery of road conditions were completed.
On the 27th, members of the Philippine Navy
Reserve and local volunteers began packing relief
items for the planned distribution. On the 29th, theteam delivered the goods to 500 households in thecity’s coastal areas. The relief items were 20 bagsof rice (five kilos per bag) and 1,000 cans of tinnedfood.
◆ Siargao
After receiving a request for assistance from Municipal Vice Mayor Coro of Del Carmen in
Siargao, AMDA Philippines started preparing for aid work in two locations, namely, San
Fernando and Domoyog, where no help had reached. On the morning of 24 December,
AMDA Philippines’ medical relief team departed Manila,
and entered San Fernando by boat that afternoon. Upon
arrival, the team started sorting out relief supplies withlocal medical workers.
On the early morning of the 25th, the team beganproviding aid in San Fernando. The activities included
free medical consultation and prescription services(attended by two doctors), relief item distribution (mainly
foodstuffs and sanitary goods) as well as mental healthcare for the affected children.
51. Peace Building

Especially for small children and teenagers, various activities such as story telling, picturecoloring contest, and dance competition were organized. In addition, while men’s basketballgames were held, a cheerleading contest was organized by women in allowing everyone tocelebrate Christmas together.
After that, the team moved to Domoyog and conducted similar activities (including a gamecompetition for children).
The team was forced to extend their stay until the 28th as their original flight was canceled on
the 26th due to bad weather conditions. Accordingly, the team visited the local Tuburan andQuezon districts to provide free medical consultations and mental health care for children
instead. On the 27th and 28th, the team also supported local clinics to conduct COVID-19
vaccination. The team returned to Manila on the 28th safely.
◆ Southern Leyte
Other than the above, additional assistance wasprovided in response to the request made by theformer governor of Southern Leyte on 23
December 2021, where around 100,000
households were affected. On 16 January 2022,
relief supplies such as water, rice, canned food,hygiene products and blue sheets left Manila withthe cooperation of the Philippine Navy. The goods
were prepared by several local partnerorganizations.
On 29 January 2022, relief efforts were carried out inthree towns in the locality, to mainly support children
who are often prone to long-term emotional andpsychological trauma. As is the case, aid workers
organized magic shows and other recreational
activities alongside item distribution efforts. In total,
1,250 participants, including 58 children and 168
elderly people benefitted from the relief in threelocations. On 13 March, the second round of relief
was held in two towns in the province. More than 700 children were present, receiving toys
and stationery sets, while getting meals and snacks.
Humanitarian Crisis in Ukraine (February 2022)
In response to the humanitarian crisis that occurred in
Ukraine in late February 2022, AMDA started carryingout emergency relief in Hungary for Ukrainianevacuees that had fled the war zones. As of 31 March,
it was reported around 4.04 million people had
evacuated to neighbouring countries for their safety.
To begin with, on 7 March, AMDA sent one doctor andone medical student (Semmelweis University) for aneeds assessment in Hungary where 370,000
6

1. Peace Building
Ukrainians were taking refuge. After two days, a joint team of medical personnel (one doctor,
one nurse and two coordinators) from AMDA and its partner organization, TICO, left Japanto join the preceding team. The party relocated themselves to areas on the border with
Ukraine to conduct aid work with local medical workers. On the 19th, two doctors and one
nurse were additionally sent to Hungary from Japan as the third batch of relief personnel.
◆ Beregsurany
AMDA’s relief team worked at a help center for evacuees
in Beregsurany, a village located on the Hungarian borderwith Ukraine. At its makeshift clinic, the team worked
around the clock to cater to medical needs, seeing
around 15 to 20 patients per day. The staff also did theirrounds within the facility to see if anyone needed
assistance. Likewise, they took care of the facility
volunteers in the same manner as fatigue had been
taking its toll on them because of their strenuous work. It
is also worth mentioning that the team was offering foot-spa treatment and massage services
to anyone that needed them.
The AMDA-TICO relief team started providing assistance inZahony, another border town where medical services were
offered to the evacuees at a local train station. The activities
were realized in response to Zahony mayor’s request. The
medical activities were carried out for three hours from 5PM
daily in accordance with the schedule of the trains arrivingfrom Ukraine. One doctor, two nurses and one coordinatorfrom the team, as well as one Ukrainian doctor from its local
counterpart, offered free medical consultation services. To secure precise prescription,
medicines were labeled in multiple languages (Hungarian, English and Japanese) to makethem recognizable for the multi-national relief team. They were placed on the shelf provided
by the said mayor himself.
◆ Assistance within Ukrainian territories
After being informed by AMDA’s local counterpart,
Kárpátalja Ház, based in the border town ofKisvarda, AMDA decided to donate medicine to
medical facilities within Ukrainian territories where
goods were in short supply. As Japanese nationals
were not permitted to enter Ukraine at the time, thepartner organization handled logistics on AMDA’s
behalf. Also, a portable electrocardiogram machine
was donated to an affiliated Ukrainian doctor for
further use in Ukraine.
Moreover, after learning that more people were seeking shelter at physical rehabilitation
facilities in Ukraine, AMDA, in collaboration with TICO, donated home appliances such as
refrigerators and microwaves. Also, through Várda Hagyományőrző, Kulturális Egyesület (aKárpátalja Ház affiliate), foodstuffs were distributed to those who were unable to obtain fooditems due to logistical and financial problems. The organization also signed a partnershipagreement with AMDA later on.
7

1. Peace Building◆ List of AMDA Emergency Relief (April 2021 - March 2022)
Month
July
AugustOctober
October
December
DecemberFebruary (2022)

Project
Floods in Henan
Earthquake in Haiti
Floods in South Sulawesi
Tropical Storm “Maring”
Floods in Malaysia
Super Typhoon “Odette” (Rai)
Humanitarian Crisis in Ukraine

Country
China
Haiti
Indonesia
Philippines
Malaysia
Philippines
Hungary

COVID-19 Response
Japan
Since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, AMDA
has sent medical personnel to the southern-island
prefecture of Okinawa several times, supporting
local nursing facilities and a publicly-run call center
that provided COVID-related hotline services.
In Japan, AMDA Headquarters has carried out anarray of COVID-19 response nationwide from thecountry’s northernmost Hokkaido Prefecture to
Okinawa, providing aid workers and relief supplies
since early 2020.

Nepal
After the first COVID-19 case was identified in Nepal in
January 2020, the nation had seen a total of 621,056 infectedcases and 8,726 deaths by 20 June 2021, its health ministry
reported. To contain the viral infection, the government
repeatedly imposed lockdown measures nationwide.
When the second wave of the outbreak hit Nepal in late April
2021, both public and private hospitals had to prioritize thecoronavirus response. However, due to the lack of beds andoxygen devices, lives were lost one after the other. As thecountry’s medical system was pushed to the brink of collapse, the health ministry requested
AMDA Nepal to mobilize all of its hospitals and staff to concentrate on treating coronavirus
patients. Accordingly, AMDA Headquarters in Japan was asked to support AMDA Nepal inearly May 2021.
Of all AMDA Nepal hospitals, AMDA Damak Hospital and Siddhartha Women and Children
Hospital immediately prepared themselves to accept severely-ill COVID patients. AMDA
Headquarters’ backing enabled them to purchase medical supplies needed to run intensive
care units. At the same time, AMDA Nepal also provided masks, disinfectant sprays, pulse
oximeters and medical thermometers to its staff members who were under self-isolation due
to mild, symptomatic COVID-19 infections.
8

1. Peace Building

BhutanAMDA was urgently requested by the Government of
Bhutan to donate relief supplies in accordance with thesurging coronavirus cases which forced the nation’s stockof PPE to get scarce. On 30 July 2021, AMDA sent 1,500
pairs of medical gowns and 220 pairs of isolation gowns todesignated destinations through arrangements made by
the Bhutanese embassy in Japan. The nation, despite anumber of contingency measures, had been seeing thesoaring number of infected cases in June 2021, which hadrisen to 2,380 by mid-July that year (according to WHO). At
the time, its neighbouring countries such as India andChina were experiencing the same. The first infected casein Bhutan was identified in March 2020. The nation, with a
total population of 750,000, remained vigilant byimplementing various precautionary measures, which included the active inoculation of its
citizens since the beginning of 2021. Later on, AMDA received a letter of appreciation from
Professor Pema Gyalpo, Special Representative of the Kingdom of Bhutan in Japan.
Malaysia
Between October and November 2021, AMDA renderedfinancial support to Malaysia’s leading humanitarianNGO, MERCY Malaysia, in carrying out a COVID-19
inoculation drive in the country’s remote region of Sabah
on the Borneo island. Sabah Province is said to berelatively poor compared to other municipalities. Its limitedmeans of transportation are hampering the residents in
far-flung farming villages to access medical facilities incities, let alone their chance of getting vaccinated.
MERCY Malaysia supported local health authorities in getting their inoculation campaign
across, by sending a team of aid workers (one nurse and five volunteers) to the Nabawan
district for around one month. The team inoculated local residents with 367 doses of vaccine
shots in 20 locations. After meeting the initial goal of vaccinating 80% of the local population,
the project came to completion on 2 November.
CambodiaWith a number of initiatives having been taken at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in
2020, the year 2021 saw more activities focusing on the outskirts of Phnom Penn inaccordance with the spread of vaccination campaigns outside the capital. In the previous
year, AMDA Cambodia helped supply PPE and other precautionary items to Chenla
91. Peace Building

University and organized a COVID-themed conference with nursing students and medical
experts in attendance.
This year, the chapter distributed necessary supplies to vaccination teams, such as a teamcomprising the military and volunteers, as well as a volunteer medical team established by
His Excellency Hun Many, a son of Prime Minister Hun Sen. Basically keeping this line ofactivities, AMDA Cambodia’s pinnacle effort was its support to Punleu They COVID-19
Treatment Center in Kampong Speu Province. AMDA Cambodia donated PPE, oxygenmasks, disinfectant sprays and other necessities to the facility being run by Dr. Long Viseth,
who took part in AMDA’s multi-national medical missions in Indonesia in 2005 and 2006.

Post-disaster Reconstruction Assistance
Supporting post-quake Haiti
Although the so-called emergency phase was over, the scarsof devastation were visible in the regions heavily destroyed by
the August quake. In Beaumont, while medical relief was
taking place, AMDA Haiti chairperson Dr. Frederic started
discussing post-disaster reconstruction assistance with thecity mayor, with mid-to-long-term project duration in sight.
Due to Haiti’s social instability in recent years, it is not easy tolaunch a long-term project, especially when it involves a third party, which often requires acertain amount of preparation. However, together with AMDA Haiti, AMDA Headquarters isconstantly seeking feasible forms of assistance to help disaster victims who are often forced
to bear the lasting effects of natural calamities.
◆ Street fundraising in Japan
AMDA’s activities cannot be madepossible without the generosity ofkind-hearted supporters. The
photos show a glimpse of street
fundraising for the Haiti quake
relief.

2020 Hurricanes Eta/Iota in Honduras
In response to two hurricanes, Eta and Iota, which
wreaked havoc across Honduras in early November
2020, AMDA (Japan) and AMDA Honduras launchedjoint emergency relief activities to help the afflicted. The
authorities said Eta alone affected more than 1.64
million people, of which around 10,000 people wereforced to flee their homes due to mudslides andflooding that devastated the nation (as of 6 November2020). With successive Iota combined, the affected
population topped 4.66 million as a whole (cumulative
total).
The request for assistance was made directly by H.E. Mr. Hector Alejandro Palma Cerna,
the Ambassador of the Republic of Honduras to Japan, upon his visit to AMDA-MINDS in
10

1. Peace Building
Okayama. (AMDA-MINDS is AMDA’s affiliated organization in liaison with AMDA Honduras.)
The emergency relief activities took place in two locations, namely, Tegucigalpa (the capital)
and Teupasenti (El Paraiso), both of which were heavily affected by the calamity.
After the emergency phase was over, AMDA shifted its focus on an array of disasterrehabilitation assistance.
◆ Repairing a school roof
AMDA helped repair a damaged roof of a local schoolin Teupasenti, El Paraiso. The school had trouble
securing a proper studying environment after
hurricanes destroyed the roof. Because of this, theclassrooms often got flooded whenever there were
downpours. After AMDA discussed the matter with the
district health committee, a local health center andcarpenters, the repair work began in late March 2021.
The roof repair finished after three months. Althoughstudents could only come to school under limited
circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the teachers were thankful that their 40
students could study without having to worry about the rain.
◆ Rebuilding agriculture
As a post-disaster reconstruction effort, AMDA and AMDA Honduras jointly provided
agricultural technical assistance to the Agua Caliente village in the city of Texigua, El Paraiso,
which was devastated by the hurricanes. The program was aimed at allowing local farmers
to learn how to grow disaster-resilient crops.
The project was attended by 65 farming families. Under the guidance of agricultural experts,
they succeeded at making beans, potatoes and other vegetables, all of which resulted in anabundant harvest.
"I would like to thank AMDA and GGUIA (Grupo
Güinopeño Ambientalista: AMDA’s local partnerorganization) for the support and knowledge they havebrought to us. We used to do slash-and-burn farming
combined with the use of chemical fertilizers, but little did
we know that it was killing the soil. After we learned how
to make good use of the ecosystem and nature, we
stopped using artificial fertilizers. Ever since, the crops
seem to be surprisingly healthier,” one of the farmers
said.
“After consuming what we planted for ourselves, we were able to share the produce with ourfriends. We even sold the surplus for our income. Amid the crises caused by the hurricanes
and COVID-19, being able to grow crops at home and harvest them for ourselves means alot for the whole family. It is indeed a blessing. I honestly wish AMDA to continue the projectin the long run, so that we can keep learning new techniques.”
The project was completed at the end of August 2021.

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1. Peace Building
The Great East Japan Earthquake (2011～)
Over the past decade,
AMDA has supported
thedisaster-hit
communities
ofnorthern Japan, Iwate
and Miyagi Prefecturesin particular, whichwere devastated by the2011 Great East Japan
Earthquake.
The
deadliest tremors of an unprecedented scale (mag.9.0) coupled with a horrendous tsunami
killed 15,800 people in the region, leaving more than 2,500 people missing. AMDA was quick
to respond to the catastrophe by sending a relief team to Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture a day
after the quake struck. The emergency phase of the relief activities lasted close to two months(in which 149 aid workers were dispatched in total), followed by the secondary phase with afocus on disaster reconstruction. Ever since, AMDA has worked with local partners inproviding assistance to every nook and corner of the communities where people havedifferent needs for support.
1. AMDA Health Support Center in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture

The town of Otsuchi in Iwate Prefecture has been facing a gradual population decline inwhich the number has dwindled to around 11,400 in 2021 from what used to be 15,000 before
the quake hit in 2011. Still, AMDA Health Support Center in the town has been continuously
serving the local community for the last 10 years by providing acupuncture therapy andhealth-related guidance to its users. The center also holds handicraft and cooking workshops
from time to time. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the center has held online exchange
events with CO-OP Okayama, its biggest supporter, to give an update on its activities. The
events provided donors the opportunities to learn about the long-term effects of the 2011
disaster.
2. “Gourmet F-1”- A foodie event for regional revitalization
Gourmet F-1, a foodie event that features local foodproduce, was originally started with the aim of revitalizing a
local shopping street in Kesennuma, an island city in Miyagi
Prefecture that was heavily affected by the 2011 quake andtsunami. Although it has been temporarily suspended since2020 due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the event
organizer held a memorial gathering to mourn the victims ofthe 2011 disaster in March 2021. In an effort to remind theparticipants how vital it is to stock food items for
emergencies, the organizer gave out a set of emergency food packets to be kept at home.
121. Peace Building

For the last one and half years, the shopping street has also been providing free food supplies
to those who have been facing financial difficulties stemming from the pandemic. A long-lineof people queuing up to get the food revealed there would still be tough times ahead.
3. Support for the homeless in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture
AMDA has been supporting the Sendai Yomawari Group, a
local NGO based in the city of Sendai in Miyagi Prefecturethat offers meals to homeless people. Most of them are those
who have been forced to live on the streets after the 2011
earthquake disaster. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic
since 2020, the number has increased due to job losses. The
NGO has been periodically extending a helping hand in thecity’s four locations, providing packed meals and newunderwear while offering mobile shower services.
Furthermore, it supports the users to become self-reliant by helping them to apply for social
welfare benefits, which include public housing, vocational training and employment-related
assistance.

Noteworthy Events
Presenting freshly harvested rice to embassies and consulates in JapanAs a token of appreciation, AMDA has beenpresenting freshly harvested rice to embassies,
consulates and other relevant bodies that worked
with AMDA in one way or another at the end of eachyear. The rice was grown organically and harvested
in the northern village of Shinjo in Okayama, Japan,
at which AMDA has run an agricultural program since2012. Until the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it
had usually been the case that AMDA staff members
would visit the embassies and present the rice inperson. However, the pandemic forced them to suspend the direct visit. Thus, the rice wassent by post along with yearly activity reports, and letters from AMDA chapter chairpersons.
(The photograph was taken at the time when Mr. Voltaire Mauricio, Consul General of thePhilippines, paid a visit to AMDA Headquarters with Mrs. Mauricio in November 2021. It wasa rare occasion in the past two years to present the rice vis-à-vis.)
AMDA to coordinate the dispatch of an expert as a WHO GOARN focal point
Serving as a GOARN focal point, AMDA coordinated Dr.
Hideharu Hagiya’s dispatch to Papua New Guinea for
the work related to WHO Western Pacific Regional
Office (WPRO) in December 2021.
Dr. Hagiya is an infection prevention and control (IPC)
expert at Okayama University Hospital in Okayama,
Japan. He applied for a position offered by the said

13

1. Peace Building
office concerning COVID-19-related management in Papua New Guinea.
GOARN, which stands for Global Outbreak Alert Response Network, is a WHO network ofover 250 technical institutions that responds to acute public health events with the
deployment of staff and resources to affected countries. Having been a GOARN partner forover a decade, AMDA has closely worked with the network by participating in its technicalmeetings or by inviting its experts to AMDA’s workshops.

Disaster Response Platform

What is the Great Nankai Trough Crisis?
The Japanese government predicts that an
earthquake of an immeasurable scale will strike
Japan along the Nankai Trough within the next 30
years. It is predicted that the quake will cause amassive tsunami that could devastate the extensive
coastline along the Pacific Ocean from Shizuoka to
Miyazaki Prefectures (throughout central to west
Japan). The death toll is estimated to top 300,000
with 2 million buildings being destroyed. AMDA
established a comprehensive counter-disasterscheme, “AMDA Platform for the Nankai TroughEarthquake Disaster Strategy” to prepare for thisforeseen crisis. With the ultimate aim of being fully
prepared for this calamity, the platform enables local
governments,
medicalinstitutions,privatecorporations and NGOs to collaborate in a swift
manner upon the occurrence of the disaster.

14

AMDA Platform for the Nankai TroughEarthquake Disaster Strategy
AMDA is focusing on the Shikoku region(Kochi and Tokushima in particular) given
that, 1) access to these areas will bedifficult once the disaster strikes, and 2)
emergency assistance is expected toconcentrate in major cities such as Osakaand Nagoya. By enhancing interactions
betweenaid
organizations,
local
governments and medical institutions,
AMDA Platform for Nankai TroughEarthquake Disaster Strategy enables
timely and coherent disaster response inremote areas.

2. Health Development
Primary Health
AMDA Peace Clinic in Bodhgaya, India

Established in 2009, AMDA Peace Clinic (APC) in Bodhgaya, Bihar, has contributed to thehealth development of local communities. The clinic has especially been focusing onmaternal and infant health care since 2014.
In accordance with the resurgence of COVID-19 in India in 2021, APC was forced to close
temporarily from late April to early July. For this reason, APC suspended its food distribution
drives that required face-to-face interaction.
All this while, APC did what it could to continue offering maternal health care services topregnant women in the locality. Instead of its regular in-person consultations, APC’s local
staff responded to their inquiries by phone, and recommended them to seek treatment at
nearby clinics as needed.
In July, APC resumed its monthly food distribution and twice-monthly maternal health checkups. In particular, the food assistance was much expected as many women and their families
were facing financial difficulties. Usually the food package included items such as potatoes,
dal beans, chickpeas, salt, and cooking oil, all of which were essential for Indian homecooking. Additionally, five kilos of wheat was given to households that were not entitled to the
support by the government.
From food distribution to clothing donation, theassistance AMDA has provided to Bodhgaya’s
local community during the pandemic has been acomprehensive one. The helping hand was
extended to the students of a school run by Ecoles
De La Terre as well. Ecoles De La Terre is an
AMDA counterpart that supports children from
impoverished communities in pursuing education.
For this assistance, AMDA’s affiliated organization,
Japan India Friendship Medical Center Trust(JIFMC), donated textbooks and stationery to let
the students continue learning amid the financial
difficulties each household had faced.

15

2. Health Development
Throughout the year 2021, a cumulative total of 683 women received the maternal healthcare services, and around 1,000 families received the food aid.
■Participating organizations: AMDA Headquarters, AMDA Peace Clinic, Japan India
Friendship Medical Center Trust (JIFMC)
School health initiative in Rwanda
Since 2016, AMDA has been sending a group of Japanese
doctors to Rwanda to pass on their expertise in pediatrics andtransfer Japan’s school medical-checkup system. (The project
was part of the Okayama Prefectural Government’s
International Contribution Project for Local-to-Local TechnicalTransfer initiative.) Up until now, doctors have been dispatched
to Kigali, and to the nation’s western regions. At Umuco Mwiza
School, Japanese doctors have conducted medical check-ups
on students, and discussed with local medical practitioners,
teachers, as well as children and their parents how pediatrics
can be improved nationwide. A Fukushima-based NGO, Think
About Education in Rwanda, has been partnering with AMDA
on the project.
The aforementioned school was temporarily forced to close
during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the staff worked hard to put
precautionary measures in place against the infection, andplanned to provide mental care for children prior to the resumption of normal schooling.
For this reason, AMDA commissioned the said Fukushima NGO to hire one school nurse
locally to take charge of relevant work. This ranged from health monitoring of students andteachers, health check-ups, referral of patients to hospitals, to nutrition improvement efforts
for children under the age of five in local villages. The nurse also made sure to keep close
contact with students’ families and local medical authorities. One of the school teachers
expressed her gratitude for the nurse’s work as there were quite a lot of children who alreadyhad different types of health problems: “Having a school nurse allows us to respond to
emergency cases promptly as kids often get a high fever or simply fall ill.”■Participating organizations: AMDA Headquarters, Think About Education in Rwanda,
Okayama University, Nagasaki University
Food donation to the entire AMDA Nepal team
AMDA Headquarters and Japan’s AMDA
Hyogo chapter supplied food items to
AMDA Nepal’s medical workers and staff
members in September 2021. The donation
was made in acknowledgment of their hard
work when the country’s medical system
was pushed to the brink of collapse due tothe recurring coronavirus pandemic in April.
It was then that the Nepalese healthministry requested AMDA Nepal to mobilize

162. Health Development
all of its hospitals and staff to concentrate on COVID-19 response.
The foodstuffs were presented in time for the Dashain celebration, one of Nepal’s major
Hinduist festivals in October. A total of 516 staff each received 3,000 JPY worth of aid
packages containing rice, beans, cooking oil, salt, sugar, and other items.
■Participating organizations: AMDA Headquarters, AMDA Hyogo
AMDA Haiti’s free dental services
On 12 February 2022, AMDA Haiti offered free dental
services in Fond Des Negres located in central Haiti. The
yearly program, which began in 2010, has been acollaborative effort between AMDA Haiti and Bethel Clinic,
a local hospital run by the Salvation Army. With financial
support from AMDA Headquarters, the project has been
serving the local community for over a decade.
That day, a team of four staff headed by AMDA Haiti chapter
chairperson Dr. Mac Keven Frederic (dentist) saw 56
patients in total. The number was more than that of last year
in which 46 people came to receive treatment for dental
carries, tooth extraction and dental cleaning amid the
COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, it is fair to say that there is aconstant need for dental care services in the region where
both dental and medical specialists are generally scarce.
■Participating organizations: AMDA Haiti, Bethel Clinic (Salvation Army), AMDA
Headquarters

Projects Expected to Resume after COVID-19
AMDA Cambodia’s health initiatives for the youths
Over the years, AMDA Cambodia has organized a numberof health-related projects for the country’s young people.
They include workshops on reproductive health, forums on
HIV/AIDS and STDs, as well as youth sports programs tohelp distance youngsters from falling victim to drugs,
violence and criminal activities. The projects were often
held in cooperation with local health authorities and medical
schools, however, all of the activities were suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19
pandemic. For now, AMDA Cambodia has shifted gears into providing support to medical
facilities tackling the coronavirus pandemic. (See “COVID-19 Response” for details.)■Participating organizations: AMDA Cambodia, Yamaichi Kanko (Japan), AMDA
Headquarters, Chenla University et al.

17

2. Health Development
Endoscopy training in Nepal
AMDA's technical transfer program on endoscopy in Nepal dates back to 2016 when an
endoscopist from AMDA Damak Hospital received three-month training at Okayama
Saiseikai General Hospital in Japan. It was held as part of Okayama Prefectural
Government’s International Contribution Project for Local-to-Local Technical Transfer
initiative. This has led to frequent exchanges between Japan and Nepal.

Dr. Sato (left) giving guidance

Online meeting and lecture (2021)

In 2018 and 2019, AMDA's endoscopy expert Dr. Takushi Sato was sent to AMDA Damak
Hospital to provide technical guidance on upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and diagnosis oflesions. Although workshop plans for 2020 and 2021 were put off due to the COVID-19
pandemic, an online lecture-meeting was held with concerned parties on 14 February 2021.
■Participating organizations: AMDA Nepal, AMDA Headquarters
Medical technology transfer to Mongolia
Since 2016, AMDA has annually organized, 1) endoscopy technology transfer to the
Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences (MNUMS), and 2) training in the realm of
emergency medicine at Ulaanbaatar Emergency Service 103. The programs have been
postponed until the coronavirus pandemic is contained, however, the relationship andcollaboration between AMDA and Mongolia have been gaining traction each year, so muchso that the early resumption of the projects have already been discussed between bothparties.

Endoscopy guidance (MNUMS, 2019)

ER training in Ulaanbaatar (2019)■Participating organizations: AMDA Headquarters, AMDA Mongolia, MNUMS, Mongolian
Ministry of Health, Ulaanbaatar Emergency Service 103

18

2. Health Development
AMDA GPSP Hospitals
Japan Afghanistan Friendship Hospital (Afghanistan)
Headed by its chairperson and six other board members, AMDA
Afghanistan has been running Japan Afghanistan Friendship
Hospital in Kabul since 2011. The facility has contributed toproviding quality medical services to the impoverishedcommunities in the locality, while sending its doctors to Japanfor professional training.

Japan Bangladesh Friendship Hospital (Bangladesh)
Located in central Dhaka, Japan Bangladesh Friendship
Hospital (JBFH) is currently one of the leading hospitals in
Bangladesh with a capacity of 100 beds. With AMDA
president Dr. Suganami’s support, JBFH was founded in 1993
by laparoscopic surgeon Dr. Sarder A. Nayeem (who later
established AMDA Bangladesh) and pain specialist Dr. Jonaid
Shafiq. Ever since, the hospital has been catering to a wide
range of medical needs.
Japan Mongolia Friendship Hospital (Mongolia)
Established in August 2012, Japan Mongolia Friendship
Hospital (JMFH) is the latest addition to the list of AMDA
hospitals around the globe. While general medicine makes up
90% of medical needs at JMFH, it also runs a children’snursery in the same building. In the near future, the hospital is
expected to function as a medical hub for local residents
where, for instance, pregnant mothers can drop in for prenatal
health check-ups or for children’s vaccinations. There is alsoa plan to have young doctors from the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences(MNUMS) stationed at the hospital for their practical training.
AMDA Damak Hospital (Nepal)
AMDA Damak Hospital is a 75-bedded general hospitalestablished in 1992 with the help of AMDA International
and the Damak Municipality. In 1995, it became an
implementing partner of UNHCR, and has served as a
primary referral hospital for both local people andBhutanese refugees in Nepal. AMDA Damak Hospital is
now a popular hospital in the country’s eastern region. The
hospital provides services pertaining to anaesthesiology, general medicine, surgery,obstetrics/gynaecology, radiology, paediatrics, ENT, dentistry, orthopaedics and others. It
also accepts medical students from different countries to offer learning opportunities.

192. Health Development
Siddhartha Children and Women’s Hospital (Nepal)
Siddhartha Children and Women’s Hospital is a 100-bedded
specialty hospital for women and children. It is closely
located to Lumbini, the birth place of Lord Buddha. (Thename “Siddhartha” is his childhood name.) AMDA Nepal set
up this hospital after signing a partnership agreement with
the Lumbini Municipal Government and the local chamber ofcommerce. The hospital also offers non-profit-based healthcare services. The main hospital building was constructedwith Japan’s financial assistance.
AMDA Mechi Hospital (Nepal)
Located in southeast Nepal, AMDA Mechi Hospital was built on aproperty donated by a noble family that wished for better medical
infrastructure in the region. The Embassy of Japan in Nepal anda few other donors also provided support. Now, AMDA Nepal isrunning the facility as a general hospital with a 15-bed capacity.
The hospital is currently offering academic training for medical
practitioners as well.

“AMDA hospitals
are always
committed toproviding quality
medical services
to localcommunities.”20

3. Educational Support
Educational Support
AMDA Middle and High School Students ClubFounded in 1995 at AMDA Headquarters in Japan, AMDA Middle and High School Students
Club is a student group that carries out a range of activities which include street fundraisingand peace building programs both at home and abroad. The group holds a monthly meeting
to discuss topics such as international cooperation and disaster prevention. Its members
consist of secondary school students from Okayama and its neighbouring areas.
For 2021, the club had to withhold itself from actively organizing in-person events andactivities due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. However, all 39 members tried to maintainthe monthly meeting online, making their time worthwhile by discussing further plans orreflecting on their past experiences. Here are some of the major activities in which they
engaged themselves in 2021:
1. Annual exchange meeting with students in Kochi, Japan
Since 2017, the club has held an annual
exchange meeting with junior high school andhigh school students from Kuroshio Town in
Kochi, Japan. Just as the year before, themeeting had to be held online because of the
COVID-19 pandemic. For this year, the club
invited a guest speaker from Miyagi Prefecture
to hear his experience as a survivor of theGreat East Japan Earthquake and Tsunamithat devastated northeastern Japan in 2021.
On the other hand, students from three local
secondary schools in Kuroshio gave
presentations on disaster prevention and other relevant topics. While some students
expressed their concerns over fading stories of disaster experiences, some said they weremore than willing to make use of them for a better emergency response.

213. Educational Support
2. Donating stationery to Guinea-Bissau
In January 2022, Soja City Government inJapan’s Okayama Prefecture sent a batch ofstationery to Guinea-Bissau. The aid wasaimed at supporting children in the West
African nation who would often find it difficult
to obtain school materials. For this donation
drive, AMDA Middle and High School Students
Club supported Soja City in collecting unused
items through street campaigns and otheractivities.
What prompted this donation drive goes backto the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in which Soja City acted as a “host town” to accept Ms.
Taciana Lima Cezar, a judo athlete from Guinea-Bissau. In September 2021, AMDA’s student
club members immediately started acting in response to Ms. Cezar’s call, which stated thatchildren in her country were in short supply of school items.
After the donation campaign was over, Soja city mayor Mr. Soichi Kataoka credited andthanked the students for their hard work.
3. Online exchange event with Bangladeshi students
In February 2022, an online exchange
event was held between AMDA Middle
and High School Club and students
from Bangladesh for the second time,
following the previous gathering thattook place a year earlier. The event washeld to make up for the suspended field
trip to Bangladesh by the Japanese
students which was initially planned
before the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
Because the annual exchange has set “peace-building” as its pillar concept, participants fromboth sides shed light on social issues such as gender equality, eradication of poverty anddisaster prevention through presentations and discussions. The event succeeded in inspiring
students from both countries by allowing them to work on shared objectives irrespective of
language, cultural and social differences. The students also introduced their own countries
by showing traditional paper-craft, singing songs, and giving a talk on cultural-heritage sites.
Kodomo Shokudo Support Platform
Literally translated as “children’s cafeteria”, kodomo shokudo is a voluntary-run canteen thatoffers nutritional meals at a reasonable cost for economically-challenged children in Japan.
While similar facilities have been set up around the nation to tackle poverty, AMDA has been
donating funds and foodstuffs to a few canteens in the suburbs of Okayama, Japan, since
December 2017, under the name of AMDA Kodomo Shokudo Support Platform.

223. Educational Support
For the last couple of years, the canteens have been forced to steer themselves throughdifficult circumstances inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic. However, thanks to the keen
support of the donors who are willing to contribute to a good cause, the AMDA platform has
managed to supply food items to several facilities in the locality, keeping the whole effort
sustainable.

2021 WWL Well-being Forum – Establishing a school consortium for the promotion ofwell-being in Okayama, JapanIn February 2022, AMDA
board member Dr. Takushi
Sato gave a talk on theconcept of well-being at the
2021
WWL
Well-being
Forum, a conference mainlyorganized by the Okayama
Board of Education in
Okayama, Japan.
What prompted this forum was the education board’s intention to implement a student
program for fostering global talents. To kick-start the actual initiative, the forum wasconvened to establish a school consortium comprising nine local secondary schools and one
school overseas. Dr. Sato was invited to the event as a guest speaker to share his experienceon the given topic. He emphasized the importance of imagination and contemplation at every
moment in life, both of which are essential in making life’s important decisions.
Likewise, in the follow-up online session which took place inthe following month, AMDA president Dr. Shigeru Suganamidelivered a talk on what it means to work on the global stage.
After explicating what he gained through his decades of workin the humanitarian sector at home and abroad, he stressedthat “when turning knowledge into wisdom, it requires a lot ofhands-on experience.”23

3. Educational Support

Online seminar on disaster preparedness for students in Nepal
Targeting both school children and adults in Nepal,
AMDA staff Dr. Archana Shrestha Joshi was asked tohold an online seminar on disaster preparedness, taking
into account the 2015 earthquake that devastated Nepal.
In 2015, the country suffered tremendous damage fromthe horrendous quake. Because of this, many school
facilities were either completely or partially destroyed.
Reflecting on the lack of awareness of disaster
preparedness, Nepal’s academic institutions strongly recognized the need for disasterprevention education. This led the schools to launch evacuation drills.
Although COVID-19 had put many school activities to a halt, Ms. Sujeeta, principal of theAdrasha Vidya Mandir school, was always aware of the fact that natural calamities could
happen at any time. Her passion moved Dr. Joshi to conduct an online seminar after receiving
Ms. Sujeeta’s fervent request.
The seminar, which garnered 220 people in total,
was well received as the tips on disaster
preparedness Dr. Joshi shared were on-point andconcrete. They came from her real-life experienceduring the 2015 quake where she herself served asa disaster relief coordinator on the frontline.

Students in Bodhgaya, India, to receive AMDA Awards
On 25 December 2021, 10 graduates of
Jeanamitabh Free Boarding School in Bihar, India,
received AMDA Awards for their outstanding
academic achievements. After they graduated fromthe school, the students went on to pursue higher
education in the locality.
The 10 students were chosen through a screening
process in which the award commission
comprising five members (mainly the school
officials) assessed prospective candidates.
In addition to receiving a trophy, each awardee was also given a 500-rupee bursary, which
could be used to cover the expenses for buying stationery and reference books, as well as
for other academic purposes.
Mr. Anand Vikram, general secretary of the school, said: “Much like last year, we chose 10
students who could become role models for the younger generation of students. All of theawardees attended classes so well and excelled academically. I am in no doubt that this has

24

3. Educational Support
been so much encouragement for them as
they seemed very happy about what they
have accomplished. Because of the
COVID-19 pandemic, many families havebeen struggling to make ends meet. I do
hope every award recipient can pursue
one’s dream by continuing to work hard.”
In the letters of appreciation they sent to
AMDA Headquarters, each of the award
winners said how much the bursary had helped them in their daily schooling. Expressing their
gratitude, they vowed to work harder to achieve their goals.
Students usually study at the Jeanamitabh school until they finish 10th grade, and go on to
pursue higher education elsewhere under the school’s support. As of now, the award
recipients have been furthering their studies in a variety of fields such as mathematics,
biology and arts. Some of them attend one of the top schools in the city, and professions theywant to pursue can be so diverse which include everything from police officer to the world’s
top badminton player.
In 2018, Jeanamitabh Free Boarding School collaborated with AMDA in providing clothes toimpoverished people in Bodhgaya, Bihar. The school and its governing body have beenworking earnestly for less-privileged people in the region where poverty remains the biggest
social problem.
【Comments from AMDA Award winners】“I feel very thankful for the award. I am currently studying biology in university. My dream isto become a doctor and save the lives of many people. I wish to use the bursary to purchaseeducational materials. Again, thank you so much for your support.” (Sonny Kumari)“I am a college student pursuing graphic design which I think is a very creative field. It allows
me to convey messages through different ideas. I am also into yoga and doing illustrations.
I do have a little bit of income myself, but thanks to the bursary, I can reduce my working
hours and concentrate more on studying. Thank you very much.” (Shei Shaw Kumari)“I have been studying at Gaya College which is one of the most famous schools in Gaya City.
I feel very happy to be accepted at my school. Thanks to AMDA, Jeanamitabh Free Boarding
School and others who supported us, I have been able to study so many things. My dreamis to become an artist. Your continued assistance would be very much appreciated.” (Prithvi
Kumari)“I feel very honoured to have been chosen as an AMDA Award winner. I have been studying
arts in university and wish to join the police force in the future. Thank you very much foralways supporting us.” (Samta Kumari)25

4. Livelihood AssistanceLivelihood Assistance
Organic farming: AMDA Malino Farm (Indonesia)

The year 2022 will mark the eighth anniversary of AMDA Malino Farm in Indonesia’s South
Sulawesi Province: an organic farm jointly run by AMDA, AMDA Indonesia and local farmers.
It was launched in 2014 with the aim of allowing organic agriculture to take root in the greater
Southeast Asia region. “Food is the source of life” as AMDA president Dr. Suganami put it,
the farm has been promoting the importance of healthy food and environment-friendly crop
cultivation. In fact, there seems to have been a gradual transition taking place at the Malino
farm in which more farmers are going organic as years roll on.
While the last two years have been a tough time for every business due to the extent of the
COVID-19 crisis, the agricultural sector has been one of the few fields that has been thriving
amid the pandemic. Even at this difficult time, the farmers at the Malino farm are constantly
adding new crops to their conventional produce. Along with popular ones such as shallots,mustard greens, lettuce, bok choy and eggplants, they have started planting Japanesecucumbers that are slightly different from those of Indonesia. Besides, one of the Malinoclients is said to have developed a “rice face mask” using the farm’s rice powder.
Assisting an elderly care home (India)
Ms. Vedha, a former staff member of AMDA Peace Clinic
in Bodhgaya, India, has been running an elderly carehome in the Shripur village, located on the outskirts of thecity.
For the last few years, AMDA has constantly assisted thefacility by constructing a bored well or donating foodstuffs.
In January 2022, AMDA also started providing
comprehensive financial assistance which covers everything from foodpurchases to funeral fees.
Currently, the nursing home houses about 15 people who are either old or
disabled without families. Whenever she receives a call from the police,
hospitals or villagers about an elderly person who has no one to turn to, Ms.
Vedha hurries to the place in an auto-rickshaw to save the individual. She
stays by the side of her residents and takes care of them until the end of
their burial.

26

4. Livelihood Assistance

The meals provided here are simple, and the home is not well-furnished, to say the least.
However, its level of hospitality is incomparable.
Campaign to support informal workers in the Philippines
On 13 September 2021, AMDA Philippines, incollaboration with the Philippine College ofOccupational Medicine (PCOM) Makati Chapter,held a campaign entitled "Be the PCOM Hero" tothank Manila’s informal workers that were proving
key services in the city during the COVID-19
outbreak.
The informal workers are mainly motorbike riders byprofession who are requested by the Makati city
authorities to deliver medication, food supplies andother necessities to patients with the COVID-19
infection. They also include taxi and tricycle drivers, food stall owners, fast-food delivery staff,
and street cleaners.
What prompted this campaign was the health risks and harsh economic conditions faced bythose workers and their families due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Many of them workand live in crowded places with poor sanitation and no access to medical care.
Expressing gratitude for their roles as essential service providers, AMDA Philippines and
PCOM Makati decided to treat them as heroes by letting them know that they deserve careand will never be forgotten.
For the aid distribution part of the campaign, AMDA Philippines and PCOM Makati provided
a kit containing a hand sanitizer, a face shield, 10 masks, and a bottle of sports drink, alongwith a flyer to promote infection prevention. Around 100 sets were distributed in total. A
motorbike rider who received the aid commented: "The self-protection kit is very useful andhelpful. Thank you." A man who ran a fruit stall also said, "As an essential business owner, I
am confident that the work we are doing is important. We really feel appreciated, having beentreated like this."

Informal workers are essential service providers in central Manila

27International network of 32 chapters and over 100 collaboratingorganizations around the world

AMDA International Chapters
Afghanistan

Indonesia

SerbiaAlbania

Kazakhstan

Singapore

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Korea

Sri Lanka

Bangladesh

KosovoSudan

Bolivia

Malaysia

TaiwanCambodia

Mongolia

UgandaCanadaNepal

Vietnam

Colombia

New ZealandZambiaGuyanaPakistan

AMDA Group (Japan)

Haiti

Peru

HondurasPhilippines

India

Sakha Republic

Association of Medical Doctors of Asia (AMDA)
3-31-1 Ifukuchou, Kitaku, Okayama City, Okayama
700-0013 Japan
Tel: +81-86-252-6051/ Fax: +81-86-252-7717
https://en.amda.or.jp/
amda_info1984@amdainternational.com