April 1987

In 1987, Terumasa Akio, the founder and current president of the Minsai Center, visited the north-east region of Thailand for the first time, with a Thai student during his home leave. With this experience as momentum, Mr. Akio began to provide junior high school scholarship support to children in the village he visited. The Minsai Center was founded in Japan, and at the same time, its first branch office, the Education for Development Foundation (EDF), was opened in Thailand. The EDF officially became an incorporated foundation in July 1991. Another office was established in Laos in December 1995.

We aim to invite a wide range of donors to provide scholarship funds that allow children in the poorest areas of the world to receive basic education, one of their human rights. We also aim to contribute to global peace and development through cooperation for the development of local communities.

Overseas Activities

Our overseas activities focus on support for basic education (Education For All - EFA) and on the promotion of self-reliance and empowerment for people in developing countries.

North-east Thailand

• Provide Darunee Scholarship funds to junior high school children in the 19 provinces of north-east Thailand.
• Provide Japanese abacus lessons to improve calculation skills.
• Support the development of rural communities.
• Help disabled people to enter school.
• Other activities related to educational support.

　 Laos

• Provide Darunee Scholarship funds to elementary school children.
• Build elementary school buildings.
• Provide training for teachers.
• Help organize a health and hygiene system.

• Encourage people to participate in international cooperation activities through the promotion of scholarship funds and other programs.
• Send study tour groups to take part in program activities, including a scholarship-awarding ceremony.
• Promote the involvement of local governments in development cooperation.
• Support liaison committees organized by donors.
• Promote international understanding education.
• Publish the "Darunee Tsushin" newsletter.

North-east Thailand

• Provided about 15,000 scholarships to junior high school students from 2,350 schools in the 19 provinces of north-east Thailand. (15,929 scholarships in 2001, 15,736 in 2002 and 14,822 in 2003, partly including scholarships for high school students.)
• Conducted a scholarship-awarding ceremony (in May) and a study tour for scholarship donors (in November).
• Promoted "Miswritten Postcard Campaign" to junior high schools and arranged student communications between Japan and Thailand.
• Promoted planning of participation by local governments in development cooperation.
• Supported weaving as an income-generating project for a group of women in rural communities.
• Organized an international cooperation conference for Japanese and Thai local governments, in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Council of Local Authorities for International Relations and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Thailand.
• Promoted a vocational training and income improvement program.
• Organized an international abacus conference.

Four Provinces in the Central and South Region in Laos

• Provided scholarships to elementary school students from about 140 elementary schools. (3,390 scholarships in 2001, 4,383 in 2002 and 5,458 in 2003, partly including scholarships for junior high school students.)
• Built 13 elementary school buildings.
• Provided teacher training courses.
• Conducted a study tour for scholarship donors (in October) and a scholarship-awarding ceremony.

Exhibition panels, video tapes, DVD, slides and photo panels.

Collection boxes for financial donations, collection boxes for miswritten post cards and unused telephone cards

Study tours for scholarship donors to Thailand in May and November, to Laos in October, and to other places.

Paid full-time staff: 6 people in Japan and 27 overseas (including 27 local staff)
Paid part-time staff: one person in Japan