Jambo International

“Promoting cultural and conservation cooperation between Japan and Africa”

“Save the natural environment”
自然を守ってください

“Help people in need”
人たちを救ってください

“Do cultural exchange”
文化交流をしてください

Jambo is a Tokyo based NGO which organizes inland and coastal hiking trips around Japan and a monthly networking event to raise donations for African development and preservation projects.

Jambo supporters, led by founder David Howenstein, regularly assist other grassroots groups — Japan Environmental Network, for example — with environmental cleanup projects. “Nagahana on Miura-hanto has no garbage cans. The idea is for visitors take their garbage home, but instead, they too often just leave it on the beach.” Arakawa Clean Aid also benefits: “The river is filthy with solid waste — plastics, cans, bikes, fridges, air cons, even old motorbikes.”

Some of the money raised goes to help support Abalimi Bezekhaya, which seeks to develop but improve the environment of an area near Cape Town reduced to desert by enforced resettlement under apartheid. Another slice of the action goes to northeast South Africa, where local people run a safari park in the Mpumalanga area. “Proceeds go directly to them, providing jobs and giving them good reason to protect the local environment.”

Regarding continued support for the Campfire Association in Zimbabwe, David pulls a face. “The place is too much of a mess right now.” But he is enthusiastic about the prospects of a tree nursery in Malawi. “We only send 25,000 yen a month but it makes a difference.”

Please visit Jambo’s home page for upcoming hikes and event information.