TAAA is an NGO located in Saitama to assist education in South Africa.
Background
Chikako Noda, Chairperson of TAAA, will never forget her responsibility as a Japanese citizen for Japan becoming the biggest trade partner of South Africa in 1987 when the United Nation decided to put economic sanction on South Africa to end apartheid. In 1992 she met a community leader, Mrs.Eunis Komane at the Tokyo ANC office where she worked as a volunteer to backup the rebirth of South Africa as a new democratic nation. She soon started to collect second-hand English textbooks across Japan to send South Africa to meet Mrs.Komane's strong request and that was the start of TAAA's long lasting support to improve educational environment in South Africa. During the past 18 years. TAAA has sent to South Africa 360,000 English books including school text books, novels, picture books, dictionaries and Zulu-translated Japanese children’s books as well as other educational and sports materials such as soccer balls.
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| Mobile library bus donated by TAAA to Western Cape 1997 |
Sending Books and Mobile libraries
The post-apartheid South Africa started its struggle to improve long-neglected education in disadvantaged areas. The problem of book shortage in schools was, however, too devastating to be solved soon. "Books are food for learners. It is so depressing to have no books in schools in the new South Africa" complained a recipient teacher when TAAA members visited South Africa. We kept sending English books trying to make the situation better. TAAA’s books have been sent to Gauteng, Free States, Western Capes, Northern Capes, Eastern Capes and KZN. For more efficient use of the limited number of books, TAAA started to send mobile library buses. We have so far sent 28 mobile library buses to 4 South African states; Western Cape, Free States, Gauteng and KZN. We receive annual project reports from the recipients to assess the projects and bus condition. We also assist their projects by sending needy books and covering repair costs on demand.
Activities in KZN
KZN is TAAA’s core recipient area. The TAAA South Africa Office was opened at Durban in 2000, run by a Japanese project manager. She lives there and works with South African staff to support education in the extensive recipient area. Our major activities include the followings.
[Library Service]
From 2008 up to date
The TAAA project manager has been running a mobile library project in Ndwedwe, KZN to provide library service to 30 schools
From 2008 up to date
Helping schools setting-up their own school libraries or book corners in Ndwedwe and the southern part of Ugu, and also run workshops in the same areas for teachers to improve their teaching skills for reading. More than 100 schools have received the service since 2008.
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| Mobile library bus operated by TAAA in KZN since 2009 | TAAA donated the bus to Gauteng in 1998 |
[JICA Grass Roots Project]
July 2010 to 2012
School gardening project has just started with 23 recipient schools including secondary schools in Ugu to improve school lunch for primary schools, teach gardening/agricultural skills for secondary students And community members.
2005-2008
The school gardening project for 23 recipient schools in Ndwedwe achieved a great success providing fresh vegetables to school lunch.
2004 - 2006
TAAA, cooperating with a South African educational NGO, managed a HIV peer project in Ndwedwe.
[Other activities]
◇ Sending soccer balls, sewing sets, jumping ropes and stationeries.
◇ Planting trees.
Fund /Supporters
TAAA has more than 300 supporters including individuals, schools and companies who assist our basic activities by donating books and money. Bigger projects are funded by JICA, Postal Savings and some private fund foundations.
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| School gardening project in Ndwedwe, KZN | Packing English books collected in Japan to send to South Africa |