Louise Rouse

The classic gift is chocolate, and Tokyo certainly doesn’t lack for options there. From high-end chocolatiers to your corner conbini, you’ll be seeing pink and red gift boxes stacked to the ceiling. Before you grab the nearest tasty treat though, take a moment to find out where the cocoa came from. Much of the cacao beans used in chocolate manufacturing are produced in countries where labor and environmental regulations are shaky at best. The Ivory Coast, which supplies 30-40 percent of the world’s cocoa annually, has been called out for using child labor and participating in trafficking.

The easiest way to make sure your chocolate doesn’t have a bitter history is to buy certified fair-trade. Some of our favorites available around town are Zotter, an Austrian company that makes fair-trade organic chocolates and realizes in-house the whole production process, bean to bar; and People Tree, which might be more famous for its fair-trade garments, but also has delicious chocolates whose sweetly illustrated wrappers we love.

If your sweetie doesn’t have a sweet tooth, you may be thinking about some roses. Not so fast, Romeo. Likely those blooms came from countries on the other side of the planet, like Kenya or Ecuador. The transportation alone has a substantial environmental impact, but as the industry is very capital intensive, the flowers are increasingly grown by large, foreign-owned producers, providing only jobs at the lowest wage levels, and using unsustainable farming practices. If you must have roses, consider domestic varieties rather than the traditional long-stems, and a potted bush rather than cut ones, which will not only last longer, but will also brighten your beloved’s abode. If you are a little more flexible, there are some flower shops in Tokyo specializing in locally-sourced, organic flowers. We like Wanabiya in Nishi-sugamo, which even makes edible arrangements of flowers and herbs.

If things are getting very serious, you may be thinking about jewelry, but we run into problems here too. Despite the popularity of the movie Blood Diamond a few years back, there is still very little awareness in Japan about conflict gemstones. Precious metals are just as troublesome, since mining practices often have a huge negative environmental impact, labor issues abound, and soaring demand and prices allow them to fuel ongoing conflicts.

If you go to a brick-and-mortar shop in Tokyo, you are likely to get confused looks if you ask about sourcing. Even the stores which are prepared to talk about it can generally provide only a Kimberley Certification, which is problematic due to its very limited definition of what constitutes a conflict stone. Still, even asking the questions can have a positive impact by demonstrating a customer interest, and there are also online shops that specialize in low-impact, conflict-free jewelry, like Brilliant Earth, which ships to Japan and has a huge selection.

So there it is—some more ethical twists on your traditional Valentine’s Day gifts. Now you have no excuse not to get out there and feel the love!

For more information on the companies and shops mentioned, see http://zotter.jp, www.peopletree.co.jp, www.wanabiya.com, and www.brilliantearth.com

Photos courtesy of Ronald McDonald House Charities Japan

So it was with a pleasant sense of nostalgia that I recently noticed posters and collection boxes in McDonald’s for a Ronald McDonald House in Tokyo. I picked up a brochure to peruse over breakfast, thinking the organization must be newly arrived in Japan, only to find that they’ve been here over a decade, operating seven houses across the country and with an eighth just recently opened.

The Ronald McDonald Houses, or Donald McDonald Houses as they are called in Japan, provide low-cost accommodation near medical facilities for families of severely- and terminally-ill children while they are receiving hospital care. The organization is a separate entity from the McDonald’s company, but the restaurant chain is one of their major donors.

“In Japan, the best medical facilities are in major cities, so children living in rural areas have to be away from home while they receive treatment,” says organization representative Mikako Yamamoto. “Aside from the medical bills, this forces families to divide their time and resources, creating a mental and financial burden. Our organization was created to help those children and their families.”

Rather than sleeping on hospital sofas and eating convenience store bento three meals a day—or bankrupting themselves with hotel and restaurant bills—families can get a place to stay, usually in walking distance to the hospital, for just ¥1,000 per person, per day.

The RMH philosophy is to create an atmosphere that is more comfortable and home-like than a hotel.

“We endeavor to equip the houses with the same comforts people have at home,” says Yamamoto. Guests have access to a large kitchen, bathing and laundry facilities, playrooms and living rooms.

The houses are decorated with donated handmade quilts and drawings, and volunteers greet and interact with families, not with stiff formality as hotel staff would, but more warmly and casually. The families also have a chance to interact with other guests in the common areas, allowing for a ready-made support system and playmates for the kids.

The first RMH in Japan was in Tokyo’s Setagaya ward, and the latest house, opened on December 8 last year and located on the grounds of the Tokyo University Hospital, is the second to open in the capital. It has 12 rooms and the same amenities as the other houses, with the advantage of being literally next door to the medical facilities, which alleviates the financial and logistical burden of staying in the heart of Tokyo. The RMH is also collaborating with the medical personnel in the operation of the house in order to best serve Tokyo University Hospital’s patients.

As my youthful time at the RMH shows, it doesn’t take any special skills to become a volunteer. Many people just do cleaning or light office work, but your local house can tailor an activity to your particular skill set, says Yamamoto.

“For example, if you are a stylist, you could come and provide free haircuts for the guests. Or if you know reflexology, you could do massage. There is any number of ways to help out.” Even if your schedule doesn’t allow for volunteering, you can make a difference just by donating the change from your Big Mac Value Set.

For more information, see www.dmhcj.or.jp.

Dean Newcombe first came to Japan in 2008 as a traveler eager to visit Asia for the first time and experience New Year’s in Japan. The 27-year-old from Nottingham found life here so appealing he ended up staying on for a year and half, forging a professional and personal relationship to the country that would urgently pull him back after the March-11 earthquake.

In early 2011, Newcombe started a platform he calls Intrepid Model Adventures, which he was using as a tool to bring together his passions: modeling, traveling, health and fitness, and helping others. “One of the keystone beliefs of IMA is by taking care of yourself, your own nutrition and your own fitness, you can become strong enough physically and mentally to take care of others,” he explains. In March, he was coming out of three months of travel in Scotland focusing on his own wellbeing, and felt he was ready to bring that built-up energy and love to those affected.

Others were not quite so enthusiastic about the idea. Newcombe was cautioned that it would be unsafe, financially unrealistic, that he didn’t have any special training and that Tohoku was unreachable by car. Nevertheless, he was determined to make it happen. In early April, he got on a plane to Japan, spent a week in Tokyo making contacts with NGOs operating in the disaster zone, and headed up to Iwaki on his own to get some on-the-ground information.

From the nearest operating train station, Newcombe headed on food to the volunteer center and placed himself at their disposal. Over three days, he helped locals with whatever he could, despite frequent aftershocks, uncertainty about the Fukushima situation, and the difficulty of bridging the language gap. Expecting to find people steeped in grief, he was instead impressed by their energy and determination.

“Should I feel guilty for smiling in this situation?” Newcombe asks on his blog. “No doubt for everyone this was a tragedy, but what people needed was our great energy and hope, not our pity.”

The experience only strengthened his resolve to do more, and over the last six months, Newcombe has teamed up with Meiyukan, a non-government shelter, to establish a base of operations for IMA in Ishinomaki, allowing them to respond quickly to whatever needs they encountered. Newcombe and his IMA volunteers have cleared rubble, entertained children in the evacuation centers, bought and delivered fresh fruits and vegetables to people working to clear their houses, collected clothes and other supplies in Tokyo, hosted barbecues and other events, and generally made themselves useful wherever needed. Not to mention the fact that they’ve collected over ¥3 million in donations along the way.

Although he spends most of his time volunteering in Tohoku, Newcombe hasn’t completely abandoned his modeling work—though that has also been oriented towards helping Tohoku. He entered a contest sponsored by beauty and health-care manufacturer Kao to pick a Romeo from eight foreign entertainers in Japan. If selected, Newcombe pledged to donate the prize money to relief efforts. In the end, he came in second, but the experience allowed him to recruit other contestants to his cause and has opened doors for a possible sponsorship arrangement with Kao.

For Newcombe, his work and charitable ambitions are inextricably entwined. “If I am to work as a model, then I want to be more than just a man in magazine,” he says. “I like to think of the word model as in ‘role model.’ It’s exciting to try and inspire a world not often associated with volunteering.”

No matter what you do, though, volunteering should be a part of your life, says Newcombe. “It seems to me that the 21st century way of thinking is “What’s in it for me?” and “How much can I get for it?” I want to see a world where giving seems very natural and doing things for love alone is enough. Whether volunteering for an hour or a year, I believe that such experiences teach us who we really are.”

For more information, see www.intrepidmodeladventures.com.

Photos courtesy of AJWRC

While the gender disparity is generally lower in wealthier countries, Japan has lagged behind its counterparts on this issue. Says Sumire Hamada, a staff member at Asia-Japan Women’s Resource Center, “There is large gender inequality in Japan, especially in the areas of political and social decision-making, as well as economic activities. Women hold only around 10% of seats at the National Diet and earn about 60% [of what men make].”

Women are also encouraged to be economically dependent on men, through a social and legal system that privileges homemakers over working women, adds Hamada. “Neo-liberal economy reforms since the late 1980s have promoted non-regular employment, targeting women as a flexible labor force. As a result, 54.6% of the women compared to 20% of men now work as unstable, low-paid, non-regular workers.” This disparity means the poverty rates among single and widowed women are proportionately higher.

AJWRC, originally called the Asian Women’s Association, was founded in 1977 by a group of Japanese women with the narrow focus of protesting sex tours to neighboring Asian countries. From there, they expanded to other areas of concern for Asian women and finally took on a global feminist approach to fight for equality and social justice against all forms of discrimination and violence based on gender, sexuality, nationality, race, ethnicity, class, disparity, age, or disability.

The NGO tackles these issues through the three-pronged approach of networking, education and advocacy. They work with women’s organizations around the world, sharing information and ideas, and publish feminist journals in English and Japanese. The journals are also available through an exchange program with other organizations for periodicals and related materials, which has allowed them to build up an extensive library of information relevant to women’s issues that is available to the public.

As part of their advocacy plank, AJWRC conducts research and surveys and participates in international debates and campaigns, including consulting with the UN Economic and Social Council on Japan’s compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

Offering seminars and workshops is another big part of what AJWRC does. They cover a broad range of topics from reproductive health and rights to gendered human security and will also work with interested parties to organize speakers according to their needs. Recently, they have teamed up with an American group called SAFER, or Students Active for Ending Rape, to offer a training workshop for building anti-assault movements. Younger members have also begun seminars with other young Japanese women to find out what their concerns are and educate them about the feminist movement.

While progress has been slow, Hamada sees this increased involvement among young people as a sign of hope. “Although there is persistent resistance against women’s rights in society and the government policy response for gender equality remains disappointingly ineffective, AJWRC keeps actively working, believing that sustainable social change is possible.”

www.ajwrc.org/eng

Photos courtesy of Ken Matsuzaki

On March 11, however, the future of Mashiko pottery was thrown into doubt by the upheaval from the Great East Japan Earthquake. Potter Ken Matsuzaki, owner of the pottery workshop Yuushin-Gama says, “Mashiko regularly has small earthquakes around three on the Japanese scale, and the earthquake on March 11th started out like that, but eventually the tremors got more severe, supports were unable to stand, and all of the ceramics on the shelves and the dishes in the cupboards came flying out. Even the roof tiles were falling like they were jumping off.”

The potters in Mashiko use traditional climbing kilns known as noborigama, which consist of several chambers built on an incline to make efficient use of the heat. The kilns, along with the unique clay and glazes used there, are part of what defines mashikoyaki, or Mashiko ceramics. There had been about 50 of the kilns in the town, but the fierce shaking completely destroyed 90 percent of them. “For a city that survives and thrives on pottery making, it is as if the fire in our hearts has been extinguished,” says Matsuzaki.

There was also the loss of a large chunk of Mashiko’s history in the form of the artwork destroyed, particularly that of Hamada, which was housed in the Mashiko Reference Collection Museum. The buildings, which include Hamada’s kiln and the home he lived in, are on the verge of collapse. Matsuzaki estimates the damage to the museum at ¥80 million, but even if the buildings can be restored over time, many of the pieces have been shattered beyond repair.

If there is a bright side to this story, it is in the quick and emphatic response from supporters here in Japan and abroad. In the aftermath of the disaster, friends from all over the world reached out to Matsuzaki through email and Facebook with messages of support and inquiries about where to send donations. After consulting with the mayor, an NPO called Mashiko Pottery Fund was set up to assist rebuilding efforts and has so far collected about ¥13 million.

“A few of my English potter friends called upon the many potters they know, pieces were donated and sold at auction at Leach Pottery, and the proceeds were donated to MPF. In Boston, the owner of a gallery where I am doing a one-man show appealed to his customers and was able to collect a large amount of donations,” says Matsuzaki. “I was impressed by the overseas support that we received, and am deeply moved and filled with gratitude.”

Here in Tokyo, the Mashiko-born president of Otsuka Corporation set aside ¥50 million for the reconstruction of kilns, out of an overall ¥200 million donated to the city for the development of Mashiko pottery. However, even with this support coming in, Matsuzaki warns that the process will be slow. There are very few artisans trained in the construction of noborigama kilns, so it could be more than two years before the original 50 are back up and running.

In the meantime, the potters of Mashiko are doing their best to keep their traditional art alive by taking Mashiko to the world. A project to broadcast scenes of the artists at work, the firing process, and the galleries to the world in real time using hand-held 4G devices is under consideration, as well as exhibitions at overseas galleries.

Matsuzaki worries that the disruption to work could be disastrous for the future of Mashiko pottery, turning the city from a center of artistic production to a mere tourist attraction, but he’s not giving up hope either. “Whatever we do, I would like to move forward from the current feeling in Japan that things are at a standstill, and somehow get moving towards the future.”

To make a donation, see http://meturl.com/mashiko. For more info on Ken Matsuzaki and Yuushin-Gama, see www.yuushin-gama.com.

Courtesy of Amnesty International Japan

For AIJ’s newly appointed executive director, Hideki Wakabayashi (pictured), this milestone is a chance both to look back at what has been achieved so far and to look forward to the challenges lying ahead. “One of our top priorities,” Wakabayashi says, “is to expand the concept of human rights. The death penalty and discrimination against minorities are probably the two main things that come to mind, but we can’t forget other issues. So, in accordance with AI’s international Demand Dignity campaign, we are concentrating on problems such as women’s reproductive rights, gender inequality, and temporary labor.

“Think about karoshi (death by overwork), or the huge discrepancy between regular workers on one side and temporary or part-time workers on the other. We believe that these too are human rights violations that need to be addressed.”

Photo by Gianni Simone

Unfortunately, Japan is one of the weak links in AI’s three million-strong international organization. Although representing the tenth most populated country in the world, the AIJ’s members number a paltry 6,500. Part of the reason for this is that NGOs in Japan don’t have a long history. Most were founded in the 1980s or later, and many people still don’t know what they really are or what they do. Neither do they have much of a conception of Amnesty outside its famed struggle against the death penalty. But Wakabayashi aims to broaden the issues under examination. “The death penalty is a symbol of our struggle but it is also very divisive,” he explains. “This doesn’t mean we won’t keep fighting toward its abolition; it’s just that we probably need to tackle some more intermediate issues first.”

Domestically, AIJ is currently working for the establishment of a Human Rights Commission that, ideally, would be independent from the Ministry of Justice. Another important issue is the taping of interrogations to avoid police abuse and miscarriages of justice. “My hope,” Wakabayashi says, “is that through these little steps people will eventually understand what human rights are and why they are so important. Hopefully more people in the future will realize that the only way in which we can affect a change is through direct participation.”

AIJ will also continue to act as a watchdog on international issues. Among the events for the half-centenary celebrations, AIJ has organized a national “speech tour” featuring two activists from Nigeria and Myanmar. The tour will touch nine cities nationwide and will take place in Tokyo twice: on October 29 and November 6.

• Atsuko Tenma’s solo violin concert. Oct 12, 6:30pm, ¥4,500 (¥4,000 advance). Tsuda Hall, 1-18-24 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku. Tel. 03-3402-1851. Nearest stn: Sendagaya or Kokuritsu Kyogijo.
• Speech tour in Tokyo. Oct 29 & Nov 6. Tel: 03-3518-6777.
• Email: camp@amnesty.or.jp.

www.amnesty.or.jp

Courtesy of Japan Heart

Unfortunately, there are places where that is not the case. Whether through poverty or isolation, there are communities that find themselves without necessary medical services, not just in the developing world, but here in Japan as well.
Japan Heart, a Tokyo-based NGO, is a volunteer organization dedicated to getting medical care to those places. The organization was founded by pediatric surgeon Hideto Yoshioka after a life-changing trip to Myanmar in 1995, where he became concerned about the poor state of affairs in the medical field. Motivated by a desire to raise the level of service available, he has been working in the country for almost ten years in total, an experience he describes as character building, and emotionally and mentally fulfilling.

Yoshioka set up Japan Heart in 2004 to attract other medical professionals who were similarly interested in volunteering. From Myanmar, their activities spread to Cambodia, and the scope of their activities expanded as well. Over the years, they have dispatched hundreds of doctors, nurses, and laypeople from Japan to the two countries, where they provide not only medical services, but also human resource development, healthcare rooms at elementary and junior high schools, orphanages for kids who lost their parents due to natural disasters and diseases such as HIV, assistance to the visually impaired to lead more independent lives, and more.

While the volunteers are unpaid, the real reward is in growth and experience, says one of their staff nurses. “A lot of skills and knowledge are fostered by being in a medical environment entirely different from Japan’s. You’re confronted with your conception of yourself and Japan as a country, make a lot of new discoveries and meet new people. I think it’s a way of growing not just as a medical professional, but as a person.”

It is not only medical professionals who can volunteer. As representative Suma Ito explains, “As a staff member or volunteer you can do the same things you do every day in Japan, like making food, cleaning the house or hospital, carrying packages, playing with the children. The staff are extremely busy, so are enormously grateful for that kind of assistance.”

Japan Heart is also active at home. In addition to volunteer nurses who travel to remote islands and isolated areas with shortages of medical staff, the organization has been providing emergency medical services for seven evacuee shelters following the Tohoku earthquake.

“Currently, with the reduction in the number of shelters operating, we are moving to the second stage: caring for the hearts of the children on whose shoulders the burden of rebuilding lies,” says Ito. “With the purpose of protecting affected children from PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder], we are providing counseling as well as seminars for adults, such as guardians and kindergarten teachers.”

Japan Heart has also started the Smile Smile Project, which provides travel assistance to children with terminal diseases. Often, the families want to make some last happy memories together, but are concerned about the difficulties and dangers of traveling with a sick child. Japan Heart’s network of volunteers help them realize those plans.

Though the range of their activities seems at first to be broad, Japan Heart sees them all as bound by the same drive: to reach the hard-to-reach, whether it’s a remote village or the heart of a suffering child.

For more information, see www.japanheart.org.

The big buzzword for Tokyoites this summer has been setsuden, or conservation of electricity. With the ongoing crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power plant impeding electricity production, shortfalls have been expected in these high-demand summer months. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is now predicting capacity will reach 56.2 million kWh by the end of August, but that still falls short of the peak summer demand of 60 million kWh last year. In order to avoid the necessity of rolling blackouts, everyone needs to pitch in to reduce consumption.

Many businesses and organizations have helped out by implementing summer flextime schedules and relaxing their dress codes, but private households also need to do their part to bring down demand. Metropolis has got some relatively painless tips for lowering consumption at home.

The biggest drain on power is the air conditioner, which accounts for over a quarter of home appliance electricity usage. You don’t have to sweat through the entire summer without ever turning on the air, though. The Ministry of the Environment estimates that raising the temperature on your air-conditioning unit just one degree results in about 13 percent less energy consumption. They also say you can increase efficiency by cleaning the filter every two weeks and refraining from placing things on or around outdoor units. Putting up lace curtains or bamboo screens to keep out direct sunlight and closing the curtains when you are not at home also helps to keep inside temperatures down.

The second most important thing you can do is unplug, unplug, unplug! According to the Ministry of the Environment, about six percent of household electricity is used by appliances that are plugged in, but not in use. Unplug anything you don’t use regularly, and invest in a power strip for appliances that you do use a lot. Japan’s much-loved toilet technology is a big culprit here. Although it is certainly nice to have a heated seat and a warm water bidet whenever you go to the bathroom, simply unplugging your Washlet will cut your household energy consumption by a surprising 3.9 percent.

Speaking of the bathroom, hot water heating for bathing is another major energy user. Taking short showers with cooler water and refraining from baths will bring your consumption down here. Or better yet, head down to the local sento and use their hot water. If you do take a bath, keep in mind that the water can be reused when doing laundry.

Even if your company hasn’t switched over to summer hours, you might want to consider getting up and going to bed earlier. Not only do you get to take advantage of the cooler temperatures in the morning, but you’ll also cut down on the amount of time you need artificial light. Of course, even night owls can cut usage by switching to lower wattage bulbs and cleaning light fixtures regularly, and families can reduce power consumption at night by gathering in one room as much as possible.

There are a few kilowatts to be shaved in the kitchen, as well. Naturally, keeping the refrigerator door closed as much as possible will help, but so will keeping it well stocked. A near empty fridge is just wasting power keeping a few things cool, but a well-stocked fridge has a mass that’s easier to cool. Just be sure you don’t overload it and restrict air circulation. Letting leftovers cool to room temperature before putting them in the fridge also helps keep the icebox icy and cleaning the dust off the coils in the back will up efficiency. Cooks should also refrain from using the oven, which gobbles up electricity and heats the house. Microwave and stovetop cooking are far more eco-friendly.

So there you are, Tokyo. Follow these tips and you’ll have reduced your energy consumption by more than 20 percent without even breaking a sweat.

• For more energy saving tips, see the Minister of the Environment’s website.
• Images via http://setsuden.tumblr.com.jp.

Courtesy of Smile Kids Japan/Living Dreams

Worrying whether Japan’s orphanages have the capacity to handle the physical and psychological needs of these traumatized children, some childcare experts have stepped in to help.

“The initial concern is how existing homes will cope with more children,” says Amy Moyers-Knopp, executive director of Living Dreams, an organization in Tokyo matching volunteers with children’s homes. Part of their work is to reach out to homes in affected areas to see what kind of capacity they have.

The Tohoku Kids Support Project was launched by Living Dreams, in conjunction with national volunteer network Smile Kids Japan. They are raising money and mobilizing people in support of tsunami orphans. The first tier of their efforts was to meet physical needs like food, clothing and school supplies, as well as to replace personal items like toys and books.

“When you lose everything, including those personal material possessions, you might feel like you’ve lost a part of yourself, even though you are considered ‘lucky’ having survived,” says Moyers-Knopp. “Having a few personal items replaced can bring a small sense of normalcy, which in turn brings stability into these kids’ lives little by little.”

Also in the interest of fostering a sense of normalcy, the group is working with homes to provide counseling and therapeutic activities like sports, arts lessons and fun outings. “While it is hard to imagine these homes thinking about having dance lessons or kid yoga classes right now, these are exactly the types of activities we hope to connect to the homes, so the kids can start to feel like kids again,” explains Moyers-Knopp.

The activities that TKSP is working on will provide kids living in group homes with two important things: something to look forward to, and a dependable adult they can regularly spend time with—something that can make a huge difference in their ability to adjust to their new situation.

Even amid tales of fleeing the tsunami and missing parents, volunteers have been amazed at the children’s resilience and their ability to smile and laugh when someone takes the time to talk and play with them. With more people willing to make a commitment to these kids, hopefully they will eventually be able not just to survive, but to flourish.

Courtesy of PangeaSeed

July 16-22 (reception July 18), Free. Event Space M B1, 1-33-18 Ebisu-nishi, Shibuya-ku. Nearest stn: Daikanyama. See www.pangeaseed.com for more info.

Speaking of animals affected by disasters, organizations working in Tohoku are still in desperate need of foster homes for animals. This can be a particularly good option for people who will not be in Japan long-term but like having pets, as the eventual goal for many of the animals is to be reunited with their families. Of course, animals are available for permanent adoption as well.

If you are interested, please contact Animal Refuge Kansai or Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support. See www.arkbark.net or www.jears.org for more info.

Last year's Japan Wine Challenge. Courtesy of Japan Wine Challenge.

Meanwhile, the Tyler Foundation has become the Japanese representative of the Beads of Courage program, providing colorful beads to children fighting cancer as meaningful symbols of courage to commemorate milestones they have achieved along their treatment path. The organization is asking athletes or other people embarking on a challenge to carry a special handmade bead with them that will then be given to a child in need of encouragement. Beadmakers are also encouraged to get involved.

• Japan Wine Challenge
  July 29, 6pm, ¥30,000. Grand Hyatt Roppongi, 6-10-3 Roppongi, Minato-ku. Nearest stn: Roppongi. See www.japanwinechallenge.com for more info.
• Beads of Courage
  See www.tylershineon.org for more info.
  ]]> http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/japan-wine-challenge/feed/ 0 http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/citizens%e2%80%99-nuclear-information-center/ http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/citizens%e2%80%99-nuclear-information-center/#comments Thu, 12 May 2011 06:00:30 +0000 metropolis http://metropolis.co.jp/features/?p=24633
  

  CNIC’s co-directors, from left to right: Yukio Yamaguchi, Baku Nishio, Hideyuki Ban. Courtesy of CNIC

  In the two months since a powerful tsunami disabled the backup generators at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and set off the worst nuclear disaster in Japan’s history, we have all learned a great deal more about nuclear power. We’ve acquired a whole new lexicon to talk about types of reactors, fuel components and units of radiation. For the first time, many of us are stopping to think about the risks of relying on nuclear energy.

  It’s a message that some have been trying to communicate for a long time. The Citizens’ Nuclear Information Center, founded in 1975, has made it a central part of their mission to provide people with reliable information and public education about nuclear power. The assumption is that if people clearly understood the danger, they could not support it.

  “CNIC is dedicated to securing a safe, nuclear-free world,” says co-director Hideyuki Ban. “To that end, we provide alternative policy input critiquing Japan’s nuclear energy policy from a scientific perspective.”
  The accident at Fukushima Daiichi was no surprise to CNIC, who have been criticizing TEPCO’s seismic evaluations for some time. In a leaflet released after the 2007 Chuetsu-Oki Earthquake damaged another of TEPCO’s plants, researchers found that the company had ignored an active submarine fault line in their original application to establish the reactors. The researchers said that a major earthquake “could and should have been anticipated” and that “given [TEPCO’s and the government’s] attitude, the same thing or worse could happen again.”

  And so it did. In the days after the Tohoku-Pacific Earthquake, while TEPCO representatives talked about the unforeseen magnitude of the earthquake and tsunami, CNIC released this statement: “A nuclear disaster which the promoters of nuclear power in Japan said wouldn’t happen is in progress. It is occurring as a result of an earthquake that they said would not happen. This could and should have been predicted. It was predicted by scientists and NGOs such as CNIC.”

  However, it is not just the potential for radiation leakage after a natural disaster that concerns CNIC. Even when the plants are operating normally, there is the question of what to do with the dangerous byproducts.

  “No country has solved the problem of radioactive waste,” says Ban. “For over half a century, nuclear energy has been like a house without a toilet.” So far, the best solution available is to dig a very deep hole and bury spent fuel, where it can take thousands of years to decay.

  There are also concerns about the overlap between nuclear energy programs and the weaponization of nuclear material. “History shows that determined nuclear proliferators can and will use the technology, material and skills gained through so-called “peaceful” nuclear energy programs to build nuclear weapons,” says Ban. “The Japanese government and industry are promoting nuclear exports willy-nilly, even though very little progress has been made on closing the gaping loopholes in the international nuclear non-proliferation regime.”

  If anything good comes out of the disaster at Fukushima Daiichi, CNIC hopes that it will be more awareness that, even outside of the exclusion zone, our dependence on electricity from nuclear power comes with a steep price. As Ban puts it, “It is vital that more and more people take responsibility for the energy and resources they consume in their daily lives. If people are not even willing to do that, we can kiss the planet goodbye.”

  To find out more about CNIC, visit www.cnic.jp.

  ]]> http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/citizens%e2%80%99-nuclear-information-center/feed/ 0 http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/mission-tohoku/ http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/mission-tohoku/#comments Fri, 06 May 2011 05:00:55 +0000 metropolis http://metropolis.co.jp/features/?p=24538
  

  Dan Grunebaum

  

  Patrick de Volpi

  To view the Mission Tohoku photo essays click here
  
  Like many in post-quake Japan, my thoughts turned to what more could be done to help people in Tohoku after donating money and goods. The first plan was to join an NGO relief mission, but scheduling did not allow it and the bus was full anyway.

  In the meantime, many were organizing their own projects. Japanese-Brazilian Luciano Uchizono of events and marketing firm Jaspex was inspired to help after visiting Ishinomaki with a news crew two days after the quake. “The first days were very painful,” he recalls, “with the danger of aftershocks, tsunamis and radiation, not having a place to sleep, no shower, food or fuel, besides the awful scenery of dead bodies and the fear and hunger.”

  Quickly forming an NGO with his partner, president of Armani Exchange Yamaji Terutaka, he began the first of many trips delivering tons of food, water and clothing. Evacuees’ requirements continue to evolve. “Initially the needs were shelter, food, warm clothes, electricity, toilets and showers,” he says. “But what they need most now is financial support, help to clean the city and a proper place to live.”

  Tokyo-based Iranian journalist Afshin Valinejad (pictured, right) had worked in Afghanistan, and organized his own mission after reporting on the devastation. “I had a car and the situation was desperate,” he explains. “It was Persian New Year and I was motivated to do something. So I wrote on Facebook ‘Please join me in my tour of love.’ People filled my dining room with all sorts of practical goods, as well as 550 Persian carpets.”

  You might wonder what survivors could do with carpets. “At the beginning they had no house,” he says, “but after their basic needs were met my own plan was to make people happy. He notes that unlike Afghans the people of Tohoku were not desperately poor. “I am a Muslim and don’t drink wine, but a friend donated two boxes so I brought it, and the obasan were so happy in the shelter because they have nothing to do. They want to know someone cares about them and that they are not forgotten.”

  Even now, some areas lack basic goods. Valinejad was headed back to Iitatemura near Fukushima—a place where many won’t venture—to deliver five tons of water.
  I decided to join American friend Michael Anop (pictured, top right) of talent agency Eclipse Productions, who was heading to Ishinomaki in early April.

  Foreigners can often be most helpful under the auspices of NGOs, but the work of Uchizono, Valinejad and many others shows that with prior research, imagination and some Japanese language skills, individuals can be useful in an area where so much is still needed. Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture’s second city, counts 5,000 dead and missing. Thousands remain in evacuation shelters.

  Anop and I registered with the Ishinomaki Volunteer Center, run out of Senshu University campus, and spent several days shoveling mud and pulling debris out of shattered houses. For survivors living close to the shore, we helped retrieve what was left of their belongings from condemned homes. For residents further inland, we carted away sodden tatamis and flooded refrigerators.

  An unsaid task is also to listen to survivors’ stories. At one house, lively, sixtyish Toshiko Hashimoto recounted how she sheltered on the second floor as the tsunami swept through the ground floor and lapped at her stairs. We helped her recover furniture from the second floor and move from an evacuation center into temporary housing.

  From what we saw, there will be plenty to clean up for months to come. More than 300km2 of land has been buried under toxic mud, creating 25 million tons of debris.

  “We are still very much in the immediate relief stage,” says a spokesperson for Foreign Volunteers Japan, a post-quake online group with more than 1,200 members. “There are still many communities living in very basic conditions. The rebuilding process is beginning; so many volunteers will be required to help with the cleanup as well as construction.”

  Peace Boat’s Satoshi Kanazawa says evacuees need housing immediately, as school is starting soon and will require the gyms currently used as shelters. “Prefab housing from the government isn’t ready yet, so the evacuees need a couple months’ shelter,” he states. “The next big push will be temporary housing,” seconds Anop. “Humans cannot live in an evacuation environment for too long without serious mental anguish.”

  FVJ notes the difficulty of obtaining accurate information on the specific and often conflicting needs of communities. Those planning to deliver relief goods should determine what is needed where they are headed. Others intending to join municipal volunteer groups should confirm they are accepting individuals, be prepared to work amid sometimes dangerous conditions, and be self-sufficient in food and water
  Kohji Takahashi of Ishinomaki Volunteer Center says the main job there is still mud removal and cleaning up houses. “We welcome everybody and want foreigners to feel at ease volunteering,” he says.

  Those who go might experience what Anop calls the most rewarding experience of his life. “It’s not only the physical work of volunteering time and energy that helps tsunami victims,” he says, “but also the positive mental support they receive meeting volunteers willing to lend a helping hand and listen to their story.”

  Volunteer Centers and Resources

  • Japan National Council of Social Welfare Disaster Volunteer Information
    www.saigaivc.com
  • Fukushima-ken Volunteer Center
    http://ameblo.jp/pref-f-svc
  • Iwate Volunteer Center
    www.iwate-shakyo.or.jp
  • Japan Civil Network for Disaster Relief in East Japan
    www.jpn-civil.net
  • Miyagi-ken Volunteer Center
    http://msv3151.c-bosai.jp
  • Miyako Volunteer Center
    www.miyashakyo.jp/news/borasen.php
  • Volunteer Centers in Sendai
    www.sendaialtspace.com/Sendai_ALT_Space/Volunteer_Centers.html
  • Foreign Volunteers Japan
    www.foreignvolunteersjapan.org
  • Volunteer Akita
    http://volunteerakita.wordpress.com

  NGOs

  • Peace Boat
    www.pb-kyuen.net
  • JEN
    www.jen-npo.org/en
  • Second Harvest
    www.2hj.org/index.php/eng_home

  What to bring

  Waterproof work boots, hardhat, rubber gloves, protective eyewear, chemical dust mask, tetanus booster.

  ]]> http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/mission-tohoku/feed/ 0 http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/refugees-international-japan-rhythm-and-hope-party/ http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/refugees-international-japan-rhythm-and-hope-party/#comments Thu, 28 Apr 2011 06:00:10 +0000 metropolis http://metropolis.co.jp/features/?p=24359
  

  Photo courtesy of Refugees International Japan

  Often the money raised by Refugees International Japan goes to help people on the other side of the planet, but now that there are thousands of displaced people in Tohoku, they are holding an event to help out a little closer to home. Part of the proceeds from their annual Rhythm and Hope bash will be going to support communities displaced by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Musicians from Latin band Funky Ritsuko to taiko drummers and DJs will perform to lift spirits and raise some money. Some great prizes will also be raffled off throughout the night. So get your hands in the air and your booty on the dance floor to show your support!

  April 28, 6:00-11:00pm. ¥4000. What the Dickens, Roob 6 Bldg 4F, 1-13-3 Ebisu-Nishi, Shibuya. Nearest stn: Ebisu. www.refugeesinternationaljapan.org

  ---

  The weather is finally warming up and that means the season for charity runs is upon us. Ease into it with TELL’s 12th Annual Charity Walk & Runathon. If you’re keen, you can take the 10K or 5K runs, but if you’d just like to enjoy the scenery around the Imperial Palace and enjoy a chat, sign up for the 5K walk. Prizes and T-shirts are also up for grabs, but isn’t a lovely spring day in one of Tokyo’s nicest green spaces a reward in and of itself? The money raised will be used to support Tokyo English Life Line’s counseling and support services.

  May 7, 9:00am-12pm. ¥3700 per person, discounts for pairs and groups. Chidorigafuchi Park, Hanzomon Gate, Imperial Palace. Nearest station: Hanzomon. Register at www.telljp.com

  ]]> http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/refugees-international-japan-rhythm-and-hope-party/feed/ 0 http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/japan-earthquake-animal-rescue-and-support/ http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/japan-earthquake-animal-rescue-and-support/#comments Wed, 13 Apr 2011 03:00:06 +0000 metropolis http://metropolis.co.jp/features/?p=23847
  

  Veterinarian Dr. Sasaki provides medical care to a dog injured in the tsunami. Courtesy of JEARS

  The human cost from the March 11th earthquake and tsunami has been enormous. Already the death toll has climbed over 13,000, with many more still missing. Survivors have faced a lack of supplies, the fierce cold and ongoing aftershocks, all the while struggling with grief, trauma and uncertainty. But the human victims are not alone.

  “There are needy people and there are going to be needy people for a long time. And wherever there are people, there are pets,” says David Wybenga of Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support. “We just want to give them a hand.”

  JEARS, which is a cooperation between Tohoku-based Japan Cat Network, Animal Friends Niigata and HEART-Tokushima, began sending teams of volunteers into the disaster area almost immediately to assist in any way they could.

  “We have been friends and collaborators for a number of years,” explains Wybenga. “It was the most natural thing in the world the next morning to say, ‘What’s going to happen to the animals there? We should do something.’”

  The majority of the work the teams have been doing is delivering pet food and other goods to areas that have been cut off from supplies, as well as providing veterinary care where possible. They are also on the lookout for stray animals, though they haven’t found a lot so far. Consultants on their team who assisted in animal rescue after Katrina have said that many animals are likely still in hiding.

  The group also set up a Facebook page where people can post information about stray animals or requests for help, which is then passed along to the teams. The site also provides a link to make donations and a list of needed supplies.

  However, JEARS had not anticipated how much interest their activities would generate. The first page they set up was limited to 5000 members, but they blew threw that number in a couple of days and had to set up a different type of page. At last check, they were up to over 36,000 supporters.

  “I was blown away,” says Wybenga. “Same with the donations. I had no idea there was that kind of interest and generosity.”

  In addition to the teams on the ground, the group has been focusing on outreach to evacuees, particularly among the foreign community, who may not know what to do with their pets if they have to leave the country.

  “Whether they don’t have the documentation or the preparedness or the money, they’re just not ready at the snap of a finger [to travel with pets]. So we’re trying to basically prevent abandonment,” say Wybenga. “We’ll take all of your pets whether it’s going to be temporary or permanent, either scenario. We will take them now, please don’t abandon them.”

  They are also desperately searching for foster homes. Although they still have space in their shelters and boarding facilities, Wybenga worries that the situation creates a lot of stress for already traumatized animals.

  “Some of them are quite nervous either to be in a cage or to be around other cats. They want to be in a home. If we can bring them to dependable foster homes, that would be a great solution while we wait to see what their future will be.”

  It remains to be seen how long that wait will be, but considering the level of destruction, it may be some time before people are in a position to look after their pets again. However, until then, JEARS will do their best to look after them and all the pets who have lost their families. Says Wybenga, “For us, this is going to continue for a very long time.”

  To find out more about JEARS and for regular updates from their rescue teams, see www.jears.org.

  ]]> http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/japan-earthquake-animal-rescue-and-support/feed/ 0 http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/nature-film-network/ http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/nature-film-network/#comments Thu, 17 Mar 2011 06:00:00 +0000 metropolis http://metropolis.co.jp/features/?p=23390

  Courtesy of Green/Tawak Pictures (France)

  In a sprawling city like Tokyo, the only wildlife residents get to see on a regular basis are the gargantuan crows trying to make off with our garbage, or maybe the occasional cockroach. It’s easy to feel disconnected to the natural world—not just in the spiritual sense, but also in terms of how we impact it.

  That’s one of the reasons Tokyo-based NPO Nature Film Network has been working for almost two decades to promote movies as a way of fostering public enthusiasm and appreciation for nature.

  “Wildlife films have the power to show us what is actually happening on our planet,” says Mie Kuribayashi, NFN’s manager of international relations. “We feel the importance to convey [these changes] to people, especially people living in the city, because the benefits of our life are founded on the sacrifices of the Earth. For example, not many people are aware in our daily life that our foods, such as chocolates and cup noodles, which contain palm oil, are causing the deforestation in Indonesia and extinction of the orangutan.”

  Part of the group’s public outreach consists of hosting free bimonthly screenings at its mini-theater in Kagurazaka. Feature films from all over the world are shown, though NFN has a particular focus on Asian issues. Recent screenings have included a Korean film about the increase in the jellyfish population due to rising ocean temperatures and a British film about the plight of the endangered Asian snow leopard.

  NFN’s biggest event, though, is the Japan Wildlife Film Festival, held every other August in Toyama. It’s one of the biggest fests of its kind in Asia—the 2009 edition garnered 347 entries from 42 countries and 30,000 visitors. In addition to screenings, there are seminars by scientists and filmmakers that offer networking opportunities and give the public a chance to hear first-person accounts of filming and research.

  The festival also offers a chance for new or hobby filmmakers to get exposure for their work. Ai Nihongi, the winner of the Asia-Oceania Newcomer Award in 2007, was a biologist researching zooplankton. “She started filmmaking in her laboratory with a microscopic camera [and] did the filming, editing and recording of the narration all by herself,” says Kuribayashi. “She told me that she recorded the narration in her closet!” Nihongi has since done films for national museums and the BBC.

  At the 2009 festival, Patrick Rouxel entered a movie shot on a camcorder while in Indonesia on a tourist visa. It documented the massive deforestation there and its deadly effects on an orangutan named Green (pictured). The film, which shares the same name, won the Message Prize at the JWFF, going on to take best of show at both Wildscreen and the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival. As part of his efforts to raise consciousness about the issue, Rouxel streams the movie on the web free of charge.

  “Sadly, we receive more and more film entries which show us the crisis of Earth these days,” Kuribayashi says, reflecting on JWFF’s role in awareness-raising. “Through wildlife films, even little kids can see how we are connected to the Earth and that we urgently need to think about alternative ways. Awareness is the first step.”

  • Nature Film Network screenings take place at 6:30pm on the first and third Mondays of each month. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. 11-1 Akagishitamachi, Shinjuku-ku. Nearest stn: Kagurazaka.

  • The Japan Wildlife Film Festival takes place August 4-7. To find out more about Nature Film Network or the Japan Wildlife Film Festival, see www.naturechannel.jp.

  ]]> http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/nature-film-network/feed/ 0 http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/transplants-on-the-rise/ http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/transplants-on-the-rise/#comments Thu, 17 Feb 2011 06:00:16 +0000 metropolis http://metropolis.co.jp/features/?p=22742 In many respects, Japan’s health system is world-class, with universal insurance, skilled doctors and a culture of social responsibility. Yet there’s one area where the country has lagged far behind other industrialized nations: organ transplants. While an average of 68 transplants are performed in the US every day, until last year Japan was clocking up just 10—every year.

  One reason was the restrictive terms of the 1997 Organ Transplant Law, which only allowed donation in the case of brain death and with prior written consent, as well as the consent of the donor’s family. Moreover, children under 15 couldn’t give consent, making pediatric heart transplants essentially impossible. Last July, however, revisions came into effect that significantly relaxed the law, dropping the age restriction and the written consent requirement.

  According to Misa Ganse, public relations and education director of the Japan Organ Transplant Network, the number of brain-dead donors has increased about six-fold. “Since the changes to the law went into effect about six months ago, there have been 31 cases of organ donation from brain-dead donors,” she says.

  The addition of donor consent forms to medical insurance cards and driver’s licenses has also been a huge help, providing a high-profile alternative to the voluntary consent cards that were previously the only option. As Ganse says, the change “has increased the recognition of organizations dealing with organ donation and the credibility of individual consent.”

  However, even with these improvements, the demand for transplant organs still far outstrips the supply. “There has been a decrease in the number of kidneys donated after cardiac arrest,” says Ganse. “And, although it’s now possible under the law, we haven’t yet had a case of a brain-dead donor under 15.”

  It turns out that the relaxation of the law was only the first step in a much longer process, beginning with more effective outreach. In countries where organ donation is well established, the public hears about it in school, through the media, and from an extensive network of public health and advocacy groups.

  “[In Japan] a lot of people first learn about organ donation when they look at their insurance card or driver’s license,” says Ganse. “So it’s important to raise awareness, to make sure people have the correct information when they are filling out the forms, and to make sure their families are aware of and in agreement with their wishes.”

  There is also work to be done within the medical field. A recent study by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare found that Japanese medical facilities may not be ready for a surge in transplants. Of the 492 institutions ostensibly capable of performing transplants after brain death, only about 300 reported that they were properly prepared, and fewer than 60 said they would be able to perform transplants on people under 18.

  There’s also still no consensus regarding the sensitive issue of when and how families should be approached if there is no prior written consent. Japan has only a handful of donor coordinators, who have special training in supporting grieving families while counseling them on the possibility of organ donation. Most of the time, individual institutions have to set up their own policy and training.

  Still, Ganse is confident that things are now on the right track. “We hope that all of Japan will come to see that organ transplants are a socially necessary part of medical care and be able to give us their support,” she says.

  To find out more about Japan Organ Transplant Network, see www.jotnw.or.jp.

  ]]> http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/transplants-on-the-rise/feed/ 0 http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/tanzania-japan-volunteers-link/ http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/tanzania-japan-volunteers-link/#comments Thu, 20 Jan 2011 06:00:48 +0000 metropolis http://metropolis.co.jp/features/?p=22129

  Photo by Fanny Schertzer. Used under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license

  Digital communications may have made the world feel a lot smaller, but when it comes to forming human connections, there’s no substitute for being physically in the same place. Such was the inspiration for Open Mind Tanzania (OMT), a Dar es Salaam-based NGO that aims to make it easier for field researchers to come to the African country—with an emphasis on Japan.

  OMT is all about person-to-person contact. The group has organized an intercultural exchange that brings together volunteers from Tanzania and abroad to work on social and economic development activities. To encourage applicants, it is serving as a kind of research concierge, setting up local contacts in line with a volunteer’s area of study, lining up accommodation, and suggesting places and activities of cultural significance. Individuals are still responsible for preparing and funding their research, but OMT will facilitate the planning and arrangements.

  OMT calls the initiative Tanzania-Global Volunteers Link, and project director Sukemoto Yamashita is particularly eager to get his Japanese compatriots to participate.

  If Tanzanians have had any contact with foreign visitors, it was probably with Europeans or North Americans. However, Yamashita thinks his fellow countrymen and -women can offer a new and worthwhile perspective. “If Japanese volunteers came here, it [would be] an excellent opportunity for the local community to have a cultural exchange and to learn about real Japanese culture,” he explains.

  Of course, local communities aren’t just getting to meet Japanese people; they’re also having the chance to work with volunteers on grassroots projects that improve their quality of life. OMT focuses on initiatives promoting education and entrepreneurship among Tanzanian youth, such as business planning seminars and microfinancing projects. Organizers also expect the increased tourism to provide a boost to the local economy.

  According to Yamashita, they are hoping that visitors’ input will have a positive knock-on effect. “In dealing with development issues in Tanzania, the local community is focusing on the domestic perspective,” he says. “By involving the international community, they would be able to receive a global perspective.” In addition, the research conducted by visiting students and professors will serve as a resource that can be used in creating new programs.

  So everybody wins: the Tanzanians can forge connections with the outside world and create projects that benefit local communities, researchers will be able to make the most of their time in the field, and OMT gets access to information that will help them to better serve the public. How’s that for real-world connectivity?

  To find out more about Open Mind Tanzania, see http://e-kankanderi.com. If you are interested in participating, email Yamashita at omt.projectmanager@gmail.com.

  ]]> http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/tanzania-japan-volunteers-link/feed/ 0 http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/living-dreams/ http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/living-dreams/#comments Thu, 16 Dec 2010 06:00:13 +0000 metropolis http://metropolis.co.jp/features/?p=21388

  Photos Alfie Goodrich

  For an orphaned child in Japan, life can seem pretty bleak. The cultural importance placed on blood relationships here means the chances of getting a foster or adoptive family are remote. The child will most likely grow up in an underfunded and understaffed group home, where the high caregiver-to-child ratio means they probably won’t have an adult in their life to love, guide and motivate them, one on one.

  And the future doesn’t look much better. The college enrollment rate for kids in homes is only around 8 percent, compared to the national average of around 50 percent. Many of them end up working low-paying jobs that don’t even cover rent—little wonder that they often suffer from low motivation and mental health issues.

  One local organization is hoping to make a difference for some of these orphaned children by providing mentoring experiences with positive adult role models. Living Dreams, a registered NPO, works with 23 children’s homes in the Tokyo area, bringing individual and corporate volunteers to mentor kids in the so-called “LAST” areas—learning, arts, sports and technology.

  Executive Director Amy Moyers explains the importance of reaching out. “When a child is exposed to an experience or activity that opens up their perspective and allows them to ‘let go’ and dream a little bit, it’s amazing how those experiences can permeate into many other areas of their life,” she says. “Most of these children have far more potential than many people realize.”

  Moyers feels that the NPO’s activities promoting athletics and the arts, such as its yearly art camp (pictured), are just as important as its learning and technology components. “With many of these children who have been abused, you have to think of them as bruised on the inside and out,” she says. “They have PTSD symptoms, trust issues, confidence issues, and an overall sense of confusion about their predicament. So [arts and sports] can be a great source of release for kids to express emotions in a positive environment.”

  Moyers, who has a background in marketing and publishing, brought her knack for establishing strategic partnerships to the NPO. Living Dreams has worked with major companies in Japan, such as Shinsei Bank, Barclays Capital and Kawaijuku, to help them achieve their corporate responsibility goals. Some provide funding or donate goods, while others encourage their employees to donate their time.

  Individual volunteers are equally welcome, though. The organization is looking to provide as many different opportunities as possible, and believes that everyone has something to offer, whether it’s a knack for explaining programming or just a sympathetic ear.

  According to Moyers, the hardest part of their work isn’t finding money or volunteers, but changing the thinking of staff working at the children’s homes. “The home staff tend to be very practical, given that kids living in homes have an uphill battle to carve out a better path for themselves,” she explains. “The challenge is to diplomatically shift the home thinking from ‘managing expectations down’ to ‘encouraging some dreams.’” After all, sometimes all you need is a little hope.

  To find out more about Living Dreams, see www.livingdreams.jp.
  If you are interested in volunteering, email executive_director@livingdreams.jp.

  ]]> http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/living-dreams/feed/ 1 http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/association-of-relief-volunteers/ http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/association-of-relief-volunteers/#comments Thu, 11 Nov 2010 06:00:14 +0000 metropolis http://metropolis.co.jp/features/?p=20539

  Photo by Diane Poon

  It’s been 60 years since India’s caste system was officially abolished, but the old prejudices live on, particularly in rural areas. Dalits, as the “untouchable” castes have come to be known, continue to suffer discrimination, abuse and crushing poverty. What’s more, there is widespread ignorance about the official measures that have been put in place to protect them.

  “Many people don’t know about government food schemes or the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which promises at least 100 days of work a year for every citizen living below the poverty line,” says T. Ravi Kumar, founder of the Association of Relief Volunteers. “Our main job is to educate Dalit communities about these existing rights.”

  The ARV works with impoverished Dalits in the province of Andhra Pradesh, on India’s southeast coast. Their mission is twofold: to provide people with the means to sustain their livelihoods, and then to educate them so they can make a better future for themselves and their families.

  “ARV recognizes that survival needs must come first before empowering communities to seek out greater civil liberties,” explains Kumar, who is a Dalit himself. “These communities suffer from a lack of adequate food, safe drinking water, medical care and basic, sturdy housing.”

  The ARV organizes and funds a variety of schemes, including a nutrition program that provides one egg and a cup of milk daily to each child in several villages, and a safe drinking water initiative that transports villagers to cleaner water sources. Working in cooperation with the Indian government and an American NGO called Longitude, the group has also helped build homes for almost 200 families. Teams of 20-25 volunteers are brought to a village to work alongside the Dalits in constructing homes, as well as assisting in educating the children and promoting health and hygiene.

  “More than technical skills, funds and manpower, the work of the volunteers stirs unconsciously in the minds of the children,” says Kumar. “People in their own country refuse to touch them or speak with them, but the volunteers are constantly playing with them and holding them, simply because they are children. These children will grow up with so much more confidence than their parents and grandparents, and will hopefully fight harder for equality for their children and future generations.”

  Since its inception in 2004, the program has been particularly popular with expat English teachers living in Japan—so much so that it’s now scheduled around the school holidays here.

  Repeat volunteer Jonathan Slakey, an American who came to rural Kyushu through the JET program, says he “felt a responsibility” to continue after his first trip. “The knowledge that people were living in such a state—once you have seen that, you cannot possibly turn your back to it.”

  Kumar feels the same duty, and is determined not to rest until his dream is achieved. “I want my people to have the opportunity to live with dignity and be able to enjoy all the privileges entitled to them by their country,” he says. And who can argue with that?

  To find out more about ARV, see http://arv.org.in. For more about Longitude, see http://golongitude.org

  ]]> http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/association-of-relief-volunteers/feed/ 0