| Association of Foreign Wives of Japanese (AFWJ) |
Línguas
| Mainly English (Deutsch, Francais groups) |
| Tipo (por exemplo, grupos de famílias; etc.) | Friendship and Support Group for non-Japanese woman who have Japanese partners |
| Reunião/horas/telefone/atenção especial | AFWJ has a variety pf local and national meetings: conferences, lunches, coffee mornings, craft days, ladies night out, family events, etc. |
| Lucrativa/Não-lucrativa | not-for-profit |
| Nome de contacto | Membership Secretary |
| membershipsecretary@afwj.org | |
| Website | http://www.afwj.org/ |
| É destinado para quem? | Friendship and Support Group for non-Japanese woman who have Japanese partners |
Quantos são? (por exemplo: número das crianças ou das famílias)
| Curently 430 women |
| Sócios do Grupo/Programa? | AFWJ Chapter Groups |
| Quem criou o grupo ou o programa? | A group of foreign wives who decided to get proactive about finding more women like themselves. |
| Quando foi criado? | It was established in 1969. |
| Como começou? (por exemplo: que desafios tiveram? Quem os ajudou?) | The above group of women put an ad in the Japan Times announcing a luncheon at the Tokyo American Club. They expected around 20, and to their delight about 50 women turned up. |
| Como funciona? (por exemplo: O que vocês fazem? Quem o faz?) |
The current fee is 7,000 yen a year. Members receive an information package, newsletters, bi-monthly journals (approx. 130 pages), as well as online access to privately published books on legal matters and crises.
They are free to participate in a range of face-to-face and online groups: Chapter Meetings National Conventions Online national group Online local chapter groups Parenting group Health group Without children group Japanese reading group Fifties and over group Living alone group Marriage and Intimacy Group Slimming group Overseas group German group French group If interested, you can serve on the board too. |
| Como vocês mantem o grupo/programa funcionando? |
There is a huge need for AFWJ. Most people are in Japan for the long haul, so we don't have the financial perks that many expats have.
Women join it because they want friends, and many of the women in AFJW will be around for a long time. Being a woman's org, we are very resilient. We understand that we need each other. We are more successful when we have girlfriends who know what we are going through. |
| De que forma beneficiam às famílias bilíngues ou internacionais? |
"I couldn't imagine my life in Japan without it. It has been a lifeline. You never have to explain yourself to anyone."
"People who just get me. No explanations. No translations. No awkward silences." "Friendship, support, and laughter." "Friends of our own, away from home." "A place to share good times and bad." "Regardless of the situation, there is always someone who has experience that is willing to share." |
| Que conselhos dariam para outros que querem estabelecer um grupo similar? |
I think you have to identify the cultural and language needs that are not being met. Think about the needs of your prospective members, and what they might be looking for in a group.
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