Japanese Ambassador to Laos, Mr Hiroyuki Kishino organized an award ceremony for the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation to the Asian Development with Disabled Persons (ADDP) in Vientiane on 25 September.
The award was presented by the Japanese Ambassador Hiroyuki Kishino to President of ADDP, Ms Tomiko Maejima in recognition of the organization’s valuable contribution to promoting and deeping mutual understanding between Japanese and Lao people by supporting disabled people in the Lao PDR.
During the ceremony, Ambassador Kishino congratulated ADDP on its commendation and praised its activities in this country over the past 20 years.
ADDP was established in 1992 and has implemented various projects to help disabled people in the Lao PDR since 1995. Its activities have been mainly focused on two areas.
“The first is promoting sports for disabled people through holding seminars, providing a bus for the transport of disabled athletes, and offering training in both Japan and in the Lao PDR,” said Ambassador Kishino.
ADDP also supported the first disabled national games held in Oudomxay Province in December last year.
The second is supporting the disabled to become self-reliant through training for the manufacture and repair of wheel-chairs, hairdressing and bakery, as well as designing business cards and leaflets. Many of the trained disabled people have started their own businesses by utilizing skills they acquired through this training.
In addition, ADDP has participated in various activities such as the Japan Festival for grassroots exchanges and mutual understanding between our two peoples. This year is the 60th anniversary of Japan-Laos diplomatic relations, and in recognition of this milestone in relations, young sakura (cherry) trees are being planted in Huaphan Province.
ADDP has played a proactive role in procuring and shipping young sakura trees from Japan, dispatching gardeners, planting those trees in Huaphan Province and building the capacity of local partners who care for the sakura trees.