JAPAN UPDATE, April 2004

Announcement from Habitat for Humanity Japan

Habitat for Humanity continues to build decent, affordable housing with
volunteers to eliminate poverty housing from the earth. Now Habitat
works towards solutions in 92 countries and more than 3000 communities
around the world. Although HFHI has built more than 150 thousand houses
since 1976, 25% of global population, 1.5 billion people, is forced to
live in poverty housing or to be homeless.
HFH Japan starts in full swing in order to attain stronger support for
HFH activity and become more sustainable to solve such housing issues.
The movement of Habitat as a human rights activity has not yet become
well-known throughout Japan.
We hope that more people in Japan will join the action to eliminate
poverty housing through HabitatÅfs activities.

HFH JapanÅfs New Membership Program!

HFH Japan has set up Habitat activity in Japan while receiving financial
support from HFHI; however, HFH Japan must become financially
independent of HFHI within.
Here, it is more difficult than in the U.S.A to get grants from private
companies and the government. We have to develop a new program to get
grants from the Japanese government in Japan. Moreover, we are in a
tough situation to get donation from Christian organizations, since less
than 1 % of the Japanese population is Christian.
We have had much discussion on how HFH Japan can become independent
organization through support from people in Japan. Now we will determine
HFH JapanÅfs financial plan based on an annual membership fee and the GV
Administration Fee that starts in July, the beginning of HFHIÅfs fiscal
year. We hope that we can enhance and develop our program through the
support and understanding of all of you who love Habitat.
By all means, please become a member and support HFH Japan!

More about the Membership Program

We will have two types of member. One is full member that has the right
to vote at annual general meeting, supporting member that doesnÅft have
such a right. In all cases, the vote of one person or one organization
will be counted only as a single vote.
Full member*: Individual 12,000yen/year, Campus Chapter 30,000yen/year
Supporting member*: Individual 10,000/year, Student 6,000yen/year,
Organization 30,000yen /year
*Any individual or group wishing to give and additional donation to HFH
Japan is invited to do so by paying in increments of the set rate.

Please introduce your friends to us!

From now until June we will be holding our membership campaign. Please
introduce your friends or anyone you think would have an interest in HFH
Japan. We will send our brochure with your name to your friends. Please
inform us of your friendsÅf names and mailing addresses if you they
would like to become involved.

Announcing the last UPDATE e-newsletter: June

Up to this point, we have been delivered the HFHJ Update to everyone
but, starting in July, the Update will become a membership privilege.
Please become a member soon, and then you can keep reading the Update
with joy.

The New Policies Regarding GV Participation

The rapid growth in the number of Global Village participants from Japan
was one of the main reasons that HFHI established the Japan Support
Office in Tokyo. Fortunately, even without major active promotion of GV
in Japan, today program has spread by word of mouth throughout Japan.
At this time, we are sending out more than 40 teams, or over 600 people,
overseas for GV projects per year.
Now that our office has been officially registered with the Japanese
government as an NPO, we need to become financially sustainable and
independent from HFHI. In this aim, we would like to implement the
following new policies.

The New Policies Regarding GV Participation

1: GV Participation Fee
ADULT : 52,000 yen
YOUTH : 35,000 yen
This per person Participation Fee includes donation and an
administration fee to Habitat for Humanity. To simplify the process, we
will ask GV participants to remit the funds in Japanese yen to HFH
JapanÅfs domestic bank account.

2: Payment Procedure
Those wishing to participate in GV should first remit the non-refundable
Registration Fee, as specified below, to secure a place in the team.
Please note that the Registration Fee is part of the above-mentioned GV
Participation Fee. Upon receipt of the Registration Fee, HFH Japan will
mail the Orientation Handbook.
@Registration Fee (per person):
ADULT: 10,000 yen
YOUTH: 5,000 yen

The remaining balance of the Participation Fee must be remitted to HFH
Japan at least 30 days prior to departure. If participants are able to
raise funds exceeding the Participation Fee amount, they are invited to
submit the funds to Habitat for Humanity as additional donation, to be
utilized effectively.

3: Cancellation Policy
@ Registration Fee (ADULT: 10,000 yen, YOUTH: 5,000 yen) is
non-refundable unless the GV trip is cancelled by Habitat for Humanity.

A In the case that Habitat for Humanity cancels the GV trip for
any reason, the entire GV Participation Fee will be refunded. The bank
charge for its transfer, however, will be subtracted from the refund of
the GV Participation Fee.

B In the case that Habitat for Humanity and/or a GV participant
cancels the GV trip for any reason, the entire GV Insurance payment will
be refunded. The bank charge for its transfer, however, will be
subtracted from the refund of the GV Insurance Fee.

4: GV Insurance
To make the payment process easier for volunteers, we have set the GV
insurance rate in Japanese Yen. The amount is 350 yen per person per
day. The insurance payment should be remitted to HFH Japan at least 30
days prior to departure.

These new policies will apply to all GV teams departing Japan after July
1st, 2004. However, as GV team recruitment and scheduling for the next
fiscal year has already begun, these new policies will not apply to the
following teams;

* Teams departing before December 31st, 2004 AND that have
submitted the GV Team Inquiry Form by 5:00pm on May 14th, 2004.
* Note: Should such a team wish to receive the new Orientation Handbook,
this team may opt to follow the new policies.

By implementing these new policies and procedures, we are confident that
we will be able to provide more opportunities for our volunteers, and
allow them to be involved with Habitat in further stages. Furthermore,
it should make HFH Japan both structurally and financially sustainable
to be able to better serve our partners around the world. We greatly
appreciate your cooperation and understanding.

Seek editing volunteer for Newsletter

HFHJ will deliver a Newsletter 3 times per year to our members. We are
seeking editing volunteers to create the content of this newsletter,
edit, and assist with the printing.
Our condition for this volunteer is that you be able to attend a meeting
one Saturday each month and that you have an interest in Habitat
activity. If you are interested in these tasks, please send us the
following information; history of your volunteer activities, your
experience of journalism or editing, your Japanese and English
proficiency level, and the reason for your interest in this newsletter.

Now Recruiting: HFHJ Volunteers to assist with Membership Campaign

Please lend a hand help this membership campaign be a success! Volunteer
tasks include organizing address data and preparation to send 5000
brochures.
Every Thursday or Friday: organizing address data. Please come between
the hours of 10:30am to 6pm if possible.
May 15th, Saturday: sending the brochures. Please come between 10:30am
to 4pm if possible.
Please contact us in advance if you can come volunteer in HFHJ office at
these times. info@habitatjp.org