February 2010

Rissho Kosei-kai Donate-a-Meal Fund for Peace Announces Grants for Fiscal 2010

In February the executive committee of Rissho Kosei-kai's Donate-a-Meal Fund for Peace announced the grants for fiscal 2010. A total of 340,081,000 Japanese yen, collected through the organization's annual Donate-a-Meal Movement, will be appropriated for various peace projects and programs in Japan and other countries. The committee administers the fund in the spirit of the movement, which is based on the Buddhist teachings of compassion, prayer, and donation. Grants are allocated for the following nine categories: (1) poverty reduction, (2) refugee assistance, (3) education, (4) emergencies, (5) environmental protection, (6) social welfare, (7) administrative expenses, (8) miscellaneous expenditures, and (9) the reserve fund.

In this fiscal year, under the theme "Respect for Life," the fund gave priority to poverty reduction, refugee assistance, and environmental protection.

For poverty reduction, 145,416,000 yen is to be allocated for five projects and programs, including the South Asia Program conducted by the Niwano Peace Foundation, which is entrusted by the committee to promote self-reliance among the needy in Asia; the World Food Programme, which provides food for the world's poorest people; and the Campaign for Sharing Blankets with People in Africa.

For assistance to refugees, including internally displaced persons, 75,860,000 yen is to be allocated for five projects and programs, including Rissho Kosei-kai's Little Bags of Dreams Campaign and JEN programs, which include humanitarian emergency aid for local reconstruction in cooperation with Rissho Kosei-kai.

For environmental protection, 10,010,000 yen is to be allocated for two programs, including Rissho Kosei-kai's afforestation project in Ethiopia in cooperation with the Relief Society of Tigray, a nongovernmental organization in that country.

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