Linking with Japan
Kayoko returns regularly to Japan to see her family. Since 2019, Kayoko has given lectures to Junior High School (JHS) students (aged 13 – 15 years) and Senior High School (SHS) students (aged 16 – 18 years) in five schools in Northern Japan. She tells them about the Charity's work in India and includes references to the relevant United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).[1]
Kayoko helps raise awareness about social issues, poverty, discrimination against girls and women, and the urgent call for environmental sustainability in India. She tells the students that some school girls in India are forced to quit their studies due to a lack of sanitary protection and social and religious taboos. The Japanese students get the opportunity to understand the different values and customs in India and find it unimaginable that girls having periods are considered impure as this is not part of Japanese culture. The students express their gratitude for not living in such conditions and are grateful they can complete their education without all the added pressures that Indian girls face.
Around 600 students listening to Kayoko's lecture.
Kayoko lecturing at Aomori Akenohoshi SHS.
Aomori Akenohoshi JHS and SHS
Junior and senior students are studying the effects of poverty worldwide and the challenges surrounding menstrual health. Kayoko has lectured hundreds of students and some teachers on different occasions over the years. Students attending Kayoko's lecture in the grand hall either in person or online are always keen to find out about Hanaru's approach to these issues in India. During one lecture, Kayoko poured water on a Hanaru napkin to demonstrate that leakage was contained, reducing the risk of embarrassment to the girls using them. The audience was impressed by the quality of the napkins.
90 senior students participate in a project called 'Team SDGs'. There are 9 teams in this project, and one made up of 15 girls is studying the issues around menstruation and poverty. The SDG teams are supported by Ms Keiko Takaki and Ms Emi Toriyabe who set up the online meeting with the girls in the Delhi Slum for International Women's Day - see below.
24 SHS students are involved with fundraising and Kayoko attends their online meetings and looks forward to future collaborations.
We thank Principal Mr Kon, past-principal Mr Sasaki and teachers Ms Takaki and Ms Toriyabe for their support.
Students and teachers chose to use the Hanaru napkins in support of girls in India.
Misawa SHS
Kayoko has visited her old high school in Misawa City, Aomori Prefecture many times, and given lectures to different groups of students, teachers and guests from the community. Many students stay after the program to discuss the Charity's work further and ask questions.
The students at Misawa have been raising funds to support Hanaru's work and present Kayoko with their donations on some of her visits to the school. During one of her visits to Misawa SHS, she joined the Volunteer Club during their after-school activities. The Club is run by Ms Akiko Tanaka and Ms Hiroko Kamijo. The students make and sell Misanga friendship bracelets to raise funds for their chosen causes - one of which is Hanaru. Kayoko joined them at Misawa Sunday Market where teachers and students held a stall. They started the day at 6 am, set up the tent and stayed all day to sell as many items as possible. They displayed posters of Hanaru's Project in India to raise awareness about the charity's work.
We thank Principal Mr Chiba and English teacher Ms Tanaka.
Kayoko and some of the students.
Club leaders presenting their donations to Kaoko. A student making friendship bracelets to sell at a fundraiser.
Hachinohe Nejo Municipal JHS
Kayoko gave a lecture to 280 Grade 8 and 9 students during their lesson on International Exchange. The students' survey afterwards reflected that none of them had ever known about the reality of daily life in India - or that such a large number of school girls face the possibility of dropping out of school.
We thank Principal Mr Kimura, Deputy Principal Mr Takino and all the class teachers of years 8 and 9.
A hall full of students learning about Hanaru.
Hachinohe Nakasawa JHS
Kayoko gave a talk to 65 students and some teachers. The principal - Mr Takino - invited Kayoko to give a talk about Hanaru's work to his students. He was keen for the students to listen to someone who was born and raised near their hometown talk about their experiences in India.
They also participated in the International Women's Day celebrations in 2023.
We thank Principal Mr Takino and the teachers who organised the event.
Kayoko giving a lecture about Hanaru to students at Nakasawa JHS.
Hachinohe Dai-ichi JHS
Kayoko spoke to 125 students. English teacher, Ms Ohno invited Kayoko to talk about Hanaru's work as a part of their global study and SDGs-related programs.
It gave the students a rare opportunity to find out about the reality of some aspects of life in India, to appreciate their life and develop positive intentions to be kind and supportive to others, and to become a proactive global citizen. Ms Ohno expressed her appreciation and said that the students were so engaged in the session.
We thank Principal Mr Sasaki and class teacher Ms Ohno for organising the event.
International Women's Day - 8th March
2024
As part of International Women's Day, some of the students listened to Kayoko giving an online lecture from Kolkata, India. She talked about Hanaru's work while showing a PowerPoint presentation. At Aomori Akenohoshi, 200 students and 5 teachers attended and at Misawa SHS, there were 78 students and 3 teachers. There is more information about the lecture in this article on the Akenohoshi school website: https://www.aomoriakenohoshi.ed.jp/22866/
2023
Students and teachers from Aomori Akenohoshi SHS and Hachinohe Nakasawa JHS were able to join - via Zoom - Kayoko and the Ambassadors' visit to distribute Napkin Kits and provide menstrual education at the Shahbad Dairy Slum, one of the biggest in Delhi.
They all jointly celebrated "International Women's Day", and the traditional Japanese "Girls' Day". They were all able to see the differences in daily life and culture between India and Japan and everyone appreciated this rare opportunity to meet. It was an eye-opening experience for all, but especially for the Japanese participants who realised what life is like in a slum, compared to their own living conditions.
The Japanese students and teachers explained that 3rd March is a festival day for them, and showed their "Girls' Day" doll display to the Indian girls. This unique festival celebrates the growth and good health of young girls. Displays of 'hina' dolls, representing the Emperor, Empress, attendants, and musicians of the Heian period (794AD-1185AD) are set up with peach flower decorations. Festive food such as arare (multi-coloured rice crackers) and chirashizushi (sliced raw fish with rice) are served.
Japanese Hina doll display at Aomori Akenohoshi.
Most of the students shared their impressions after the online experience that they were surprised to see such happy faces and the bright colours of the Indian girls' outfits, despite their small one-room houses and poor living conditions and that there was none of the sadness or depressed attitudes that they had expected to see.
A report of this event was broadcast on the local TV channel in Aomori - you can see this (in Japanese) at https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/361633?display=1 or in English via Google Translate at https://newsdig-tbs-co-jp.translate.goog/articles/-/361633?display=1&_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp
[1] United Nations - The 17 Goals, https://sdgs.un.org/goals, viewed on 28/01/2024