Brief History of AWEP

1994
June	One of the AWEP founding members Meets a Philippine woman who came to Japan in search of the Japanese man who fathered her child.
August	The Asian Women’s Empowerment Project is founded to help women find jobs back in their own countries.
October	AWEP practices a fair trade income improvement program with a Philippine NGO staff.
1995
January	The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake occurs. AWEP starts support activities for foreigners living in and around Kobe.
June	AWEP starts selling the fair trade products by the Philippine income improvement Program.
1997
February	AWEP opens our office at the Takatori Rescue Base set up at the Takatori Catholic Church.
March	The first study tour is conducted (to the Philippines).
September	AWEP launches its cooperation with the Baan Tho Fan Project （Thailand）.
1998
March	An event, “Nepalese Women Now” is held to learn about Nepal.
July	The second study tour is conducted (to Thailand). An international symposium, “Asian Migrant Workers Now,” is held with guests from the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia.
1999
March	The third study tour is conducted (to Indonesia).
June	An event, “Indonesia Now” is held to learn about Asia. AWEP starts its regular living guidance/counseling services for foreigner earthquake survivors. An accessory recycling business is launched as a job-creating project for foreign resident women in Japan. AWEP turns fair trade product sales into a community business.
August	The fourth study tour is conducted (to the Philippines and Thailand.)
2000
March	The Philippine’s new product show at the Fureai Kobo (Kobe) is held.
April	Takatori Community Center (TCC) is founded. AWEP becomes a member. A series of 6 lectures, “Do you know any foreign women living in your local communities?” is held.
December	The fifth study tour is conducted (to Nepal).
2001
	AWEP co-hosts a seminar, “Protect Women’s Human Rights by Learning Laws” with Women’s Net Kobe.
2002
March	A training session, “Recycle your Accessory” is held.
May	AWEP publishes a booklet, “As a Local Community Member.”
July	The sixth study tour is conducted (to Indonesia).
October	An event “Want to Learn Overseas Child-Rearing Circumstances” Is held to learn about Asia. AWEP launches a small loan system, “Asian Women’s Empowerment Small Bank”.
2003
June	A seminar, “Traditional Textile and Women’s Lives in Asia” is held.
September	An exhibition, “Asian Cloth and Women’s Handwork” is held. The “Batic Tryout and Seminar” is held (in Indonesia and in the Philippines) . AWEP holds a series of 5 seminars, “Seminar for Women’s Survival.”
2004
August	AWEP holds a series of 5 seminars for community activity promotion, “Tryout International Cooperation.”
2005
March	AWEP holds the 10th Anniversary commemoration lecture, “Asia, Women and Earthquake Disaster” and publishes the commemorating book.
May	AWEP office is moved to a temporary location in Shin-Nagata with Takatori Community Center for the reconstruction of Takatori Catholic Church.
October	AWEP holds a series of 6 seminars, “Getting Employment or Starting Business: Seminar for Foreign Women.” An event, “Multi-Cultural Field Trip for Children” is held. An exhibition, “Asian Cloth” is held at the Dawn Center, Osaka.
October	AWEP opens its own sales base, Fair Trade Shop Yu, in the Dawn Center, Osaka.
December	The Usha Titikshu Nepal photography exhibition is held at the Gallery Yu.
2006
June	AWEP sends relief money to Indonesia to help Java Earthquake Victims.
June	A series of 5 lectures on multi-cultural society, “Painting Workshop for Parents and Children” is held.
August	AWEP holds an “IT Class for Resident Foreigners.”
October	AWEP launches an e-mail communication service, “Anshin Tsushin” to help foreign women residents get practical Information on daily living in Japan.
2007
January	AWEP commissions its fair trade business to Liaison, a fair trade Organization.
May	AWEP office moves back to TCC with the reconstruction of the Takatori Catholic Church completed.
2008
January	AWEP restarts its fair trade business as its own business.
2009
March	The Fair Trade Shop Yu is closed.
April	AWEP publishes a booklet, “Fair Trade That AWEP Aims… Women’s Handcraft.”
2010
February	A seminar, “The Indonesian Fair Trade from the Producers’ Viewpoints” is held.
November	A booklet, “Manual for Living in Japan for Foreign Women Residents” is published.
2011
November	AWEP starts discussion meetings, “Positive Discussion on the Future of AWEP” for handing leadership over to new generation. A fair trade seminar, “Japan and the Philippines Connected by Fair Trade” is held.
2012
February	AWEP publishes a catalog of fair trade goods.
March	AWEP co-hosts “DV Survivor Supporter Training Course” with “NGO Network for Foreigners’ Assistance KOBE.”
July	AWEP participates in Hyogo Alternative Study Group meetings.
November	A Saori hand-weaving trainee is accepted from Shakti Samuha, a women’s empowerment organization in Nepal.
December	AWEP holds a fair trade festival, “Let’s Learn about, Enjoy and Try Fair Trade.”
2013
January	AWEP receives the Kamenori Award.
November	AWEP wins a subsidy from Yamanaka Eiko Memorial Fund. AWEP holds an opinion-exchange party with the women recipients of “Tips and Info from AWEP.”
2014
January	AWEP holds An exhibition, “Warm Knitwear and Asian Cloth: Fair Trade for Creating Women’s Jobs .”
September	AWEP acquires the Non-Profit Organization status. AWEP renews its logo. The 20th anniversary booklet, “Hand-in Hand with Asian Women” is published. AWEP celebrates its 20th anniversary with the event, “Hand- in-Hand with Asian Women: 20 years of AWEP and Fair Trade.”

2016-04-12