AAR activitiesVisiting a refugee camp

AAR dispatched a survey team to Thailand and Malaysia. They visited refugee camps on the Thai/Cambodian border and other sites.

AAR activitiesAAR began to assist refugees.

AAR began assisting refugees in refugee camps on the Thai/Cambodian border. We provided clothing, blankets, glasses (if you wore them, you were considered an intellectual and were massacred), water purifiers, and other supplies. We have also sent youth volunteers and nurses to several refugee camps.

AAR activitiesSupport for refugees in Japan begins.

The Refugee Relief Scholarship Program was established to support refugee students in Japan.

AAR activitiesAAR began its support in Africa.

The "Water and Milk for Africa's Children" campaign was launched. In cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and others, AAR established the "Blanket Drive for Africa," which raised 1.72 million blankets and more than 1.3 billion yen in donations.

AAR activitiesAAR began supporting Angolan refugees in Zambia.

AAR assists Angolan refugees in the areas of medical care, education, and agriculture. The support continued for 20 years until 2004 when many of the refugees returned to their home countries.

AAR activitiesDelivering Wheelchairs to Cambodia

180 wheelchairs donated from all over Japan were distributed to Cambodian refugee camps on the Thai/Cambodian border.

AAR activitiesBegan assisting in the former Yugoslavia

Began providing assistance to Croatian refugees who fled to Hungary. We distributed emergency supplies and medical supplies, supported the disabled, and provided mine countermeasures until 2003.

AAR activitiesOpening of the Support Center for the Disabled

The Cambodian Disabled Persons Support Center (KKC) was established. Through vocational training, the center helped landmine victims and other people with disabilities become self-reliant.

AAR activitiesDistribution of "Pochettes of Love

AAR distributed "Pochettes of Love" filled with stationery and other items in Cambodia.

AAR activitiesOperation of a wheelchair workshop

Cambodian employees, including those with disabilities, manufacture wheelchairs and walkers and distribute them free of charge to people with disabilities.

AAR activitiesPublished "Please Give Me Flowers, Not Landmines."

Many of the Indochinese refugees who returned home were victims of landmines buried in their homeland. To promote the removal of landmines, we published a picture book campaigning for the elimination of anti-personnel landmines. Using this net income and others, we have secured the safety of 29.78 million square meters of land so far.

AAR activitiesThe International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) is jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), of which AAR is a member, lobbies the governments of various countries to pass the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty (Ottawa Treaty), which bans the manufacture and use of landmines. In recognition of this activity, the ICBL was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

AAR activitiesLandmine Activist Becomes Torchbearer

At the urging of AAR, landmine ban activist Chris Moon was selected as the final torchbearer for the Nagano Olympics.

AAR activitiesBuilding an elementary school in Laos

AAR activitiesLandmine Removal in Afghanistan

AAR began mine clearance activities in Afghanistan in cooperation with the Halo Trust, a UK-based demining NGO, with net proceeds from the book "Please Give Me Flowers, Not Landmines.

AAR activitiesOpening a Vocational Training School for the Disabled in Myanmar

AAR activitiesHIV/AIDS support in Zambia

AAR activitiesLand Mine Zero Campaign

The "Zero Landmine Campaign Committee" was established with TBS and others. At the call of Ryuichi Sakamoto, prominent artists collaborated to produce "ZERO LANDMINE.

AAR activitiesEmergency Assistance for Afghan Refugees Begins

AAR opened offices in Pakistan and Tajikistan to support Afghan refugees forced to flee their homes due to fears of military action by U.S. and British forces in response to the attacks. Refugee assistance such as food distribution was provided.

AAR activitiesAssistance in Sudan was launched.

A comprehensive peace agreement is signed, ending 21 years of civil war between north and south*. AAR began mine avoidance education in the north and water and sanitation support in the south.

*In 2011, the southern part of the country gained independence as the Republic of South Sudan.

AAR activitiesSupport for Syrian refugees in Turkey

AAR began distributing food and daily necessities to Syrian refugees who have taken refuge in Turkey. We also provided support for the disabled and education support for children who had lost their educational opportunities. Later, we opened a community center for Syrian refugees who had been displaced for a long time.

AAR activitiesBegan supporting South Sudanese refugees in Kenya

In response to the influx of refugees due to the worsening situation in neighboring South Sudan, AAR began providing emergency support at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in northwestern Kenya.

AAR activitiesAAR started to support internally displaced people in Syria.

AAR began distributing food through local partner organizations and so far has reached over 110,000 people living in Syria.

AAR activitiesThe visit of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress

Their Majesties, the Emperor and Empress (at that time, the Emperor and Empress), visited the charity concert organized by AAR.

AAR activitiesSupporting South Sudanese Refugees in Uganda

In response to the massive influx of South Sudanese refugees in Uganda, AAR began providing educational support to refugees living in northern Uganda and children in the host communities.

AAR activitiesBegan emergency support for people displaced from Myanmar

Due to clashes between armed forces and the military in northern Myanmar, more than 600,000 people have fled to neighboring Bangladesh. In cooperation with local NGOs, AAR distributed relief supplies for wintering.

AAR activitiesStart of support for new coronavirus countermeasures

In countries with weak medical systems, AAR conducted hygiene awareness campaigns to prevent infection, distributed hygiene products, and distributed food to refugees and disabled people in economically distressed situations. In Japan, we distributed masks to the disabled and welfare workers.

AAR activitiesEmergency Assistance in Myanmar

On February 1, a state of emergency was declared in Myanmar, resulting in political and social turmoil. AAR has been providing humanitarian assistance such as food distribution to vulnerable people including people with disabilities and also continuing support for children with disabilities, while paying close attention to the security situation.

AAR activitiesEmergency Assistance in Afghanistan

The Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, and it has brought a serious humanitarian crisis that millions of people has become internally displaced. AAR has been conducting emergency assistance including food and hygiene items distribution and also warm blankets for winterization.

AAR activitiesEmergency Assistance to Ukraine

In February, Russia launched a military invasion of Ukraine, causing a serious humanitarian crisis said to be the worst since World War II. AAR provide emergency assistance to internally displaced persons in Ukraine and refugees in Moldova.