The Philippines: Almost 6 months have passed since monster typhoon Yolanda hit. Japanese support groups continue their aid efforts on the ground, utilizing their knowledge from Japan's own disaster experiences. An NGO led by Sadakazu Ikawa, who was an evacuee during the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake, is currently supplying building materials to people who lost their homes. A company with cutting-edge water filtering technology has stepped in to help in the midst of a water shortage crisis. The Japanese government is also moving to support towns worst hit by the disaster in their recovery process. The program follows their commitment to helping with restoration, working side by side with the local people.
This year, the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties has begun full-scale restoration of the Angkor ruins in Cambodia. Having restored the Heijo Palace in Nara, the Institute is known for its careful restoration methods based on thorough research and surveying. Having already carried out extensive surveying of the area, restoration of the Angkor ruins is finally ready to begin this year. This program is an up-close look at how Japan and Cambodia are cooperating to preserve the ruins, and highlights Japan's unique way of contributing to the international community through protecting cultural heritage sites.
Surabaya city in Indonesia is working to dramatically reduce garbage by adopting a new waste management system. Such efforts have been supported by Kitakyushu, a city in western Japan which has overcome its own pollution issues in the past through effective cooperation between the government, private companies and the community. The 2 cities are now aiming to expand its cooperation to create a business platform and potentially serve as a model to solving waste issues in Indonesia and other Asian cities.
Dominica, a small Caribbean country with a population of about 70,000, is now exerting efforts to make the best use of its resources and achieve a more independent economy. Mitsuhiro Ishida of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been working with the locals with a focus on establishing a sustainable method of fishing and promoting the custom of eating fish within the country. The program documents the process as they work together in developing a new fishery industry in Dominica.
A Japanese firm is helping to strengthen Vietnam's coal mining business. A few decades ago, there were nearly 1,000 coal mines across Japan, but now Kushiro Coal Mine is the only major coal mining company still in business. Its primary task is sharing Japan's coal mining skills with miners overseas with a special focus on safety. Watch how Japan's long-established mining techniques and work ethics are helping the young miners of Vietnam.
Mongolia is located in East Asia with around half of the population living in rural areas. Many people live nomadic lifestyles in which horse-riding and motorcycle accidents frequently occur. The program follows the efforts of young Mongolian physicians working with a group of Japanese experts to spread the use of "Judo Therapy", a traditional method of treating bone fractures which can be administered with the use of hands and various materials available at home.
Bangladesh is a land of rivers with an acute drinking water shortage. The small Japanese company Nippon Poly-Glu saw they could solve this problem with a unique purifying agent developed from natto, the traditional Japanese food. The key factor was letting local representatives decide themselves how to promote and sell the product. We see how the company worked side by side with local communities both to develop a business and to solve a nation's drinking water problems.
As the population of Africa soars, a type of rice called NERICA (New Rice for Africa) is a potential key to the continent's food supply issues. NERICA strains do not require irrigation facilities, are easy to grow and produce good crop yield. As cash crops, its cultivation also contributes to improved standards of living among farming families. The program documents one of NERICA's main cultivation point Uganda and its cooperation efforts with Japan to promote NERICA and improve food security in Africa.
Afghanistan suffers from being a constant battleground, and also of severe drought. With no rain crops cannot grow, and neither can people. Working to change that situation is Dr. Tetsu Nakamura of Peace (Japan) Medical Services. He studied engineering from scratch to construct a large-scale irrigation system that carries water from the Kunar River to areas in need. Japanese engineering ideas and the stone-handling skills of the Afghan people are bringing peace and harmony back to its land.
Bordered by 5 countries in the center of the Indochina peninsula is the Lao People's Democratic Republic or Laos. Cultivating cost efficient and high-quality human resources is a key for Laos' ability to achieve stable growth along with other ASEAN countries. With the principle "To develop people is to develop the country", a Japanese NGO based in Laos has supported development of human resources by operating a vocational training school for the past 20 years. The program follows its leader Sachiko Tominaga and the young people of Laos working to triumph over poverty and achieve self-sustainability.
In Myanmar, few medical institutions have adequate facilities and there is a shortage of doctors. As a result, not many people have access to decent medical services. In such severe conditions, a Japanese NGO called International Medical Volunteers Japan Heart started providing medical services there in 2004. People under 18 can be treated free of charge. The doctors and nurses in the group are all volunteers and they work together with local medical counterparts. In exchange for their efforts, they gain valuable experience and learn practical medical techniques that can be applied following disasters and in isolated areas. In this episode of Side by Side, we report on a compassionate approach to health care that's creating healthy futures in communities in need.
In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines. Over a million homes were damaged and 6,000 people died. On Leyte and Samar islands, homes were destroyed and the fishing industry was wiped out. Japanese fishermen hit by the 2011 tsunami are now showing how to grow oysters to revitalize the coastal areas. Good-quality oyster farms can boost both commerce and community. We see Japanese harnessing their experience of disaster alongside local people working to revitalize fishing.
26 years after the end of Cambodia's civil war, much progress has been made in rebuilding schools, and now 2 million children are attending elementary school. But they face the problem of a high dropout rate. Now a Japanese NGO called Hearts of Gold is using field days, a vibrant tradition in Japanese schools, to encourage Cambodian children to stay in school. For 10 years, Hearts of Gold has been successfully promoting physical education in Cambodia. Schools it supports claim improved attendance rates and student morale. What's their secret of getting dropouts back to school? This documentary follows an NGO's work to bring physical education to Cambodian elementary school students.
In 2005, former Kobe City firefighter and paramedic Kiyoshi Masai established the NPO Japan Paramedic Rescue (JPR) to save lives by spreading Japan's fire and rescue methods. The organization takes in surplus fire trucks and ambulances from fire departments around Japan and donates them to Cambodia, also providing the training required to take advantage of them. The more than 2 decades of conflict that ravaged Cambodia until the 1990's also devastated the country's fire and rescue services. Today, though military and police personnel are assigned firefighting duties, they lack adequate training and up-to-date equipment. In 2000, Rapid Rescue Company 711 was set up in Phnom Penh to develop fire and rescue personnel, and learning advanced techniques used in Japan has boosted the effectiveness of its 40 members. In December 2016, with the backing of Cambodia's military and government, the country's first fire and rescue academy opened its doors. And students there will learn fire and rescue best practice from local instructors trained in Japan. We follow rescue workers from Japan and Cambodia cooperating to save lives.
Nepal may not be a major coffee producer, but these days the quality of the nation's crop is improving rapidly. A key player in this progress is Hidefusa Ikeshima (34), who moved to Nepal 9 years ago--not as an aid worker, but as a coffee grower and entrepreneur. He and local partner Bodh Raj Aryal run a plantation, developing farming and processing methods right for Nepal, to share with other farmers, whose crops they also purchase for export. Meet the men behind Nepal's coffee revolution.
The Lao People's Democratic Republic, or Laos, is a multi-ethnic country in S.E. Asia. One element of the culture of the Hmong, the second largest tribe after the Lao, is now about to spread across Laos. It's a collection of their traditional folktales. The Hmong is a tribe without an indigenous written language, so the stories have been passed down orally from generation to generation by village storytellers. The program focuses on an initiative in which a Japanese woman is working side by side with Hmong villagers to combat the fear that the tribe's traditional culture could disappear for ever. It involves combining the ancient stories with colorful embroidery work, the forte of the Hmong. The end result is embroidered picture books that will ensure the Hmong folktales are handed down to posterity. Thanks to these beautiful books, the members of the Hmong tribe are regaining their confidence and their pride.
Uzbekistan has thousands of years of history as a center of trade along the Silk Road. However, since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the country's silk farming industry has stagnated. In 2009, the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology began introducing high-quality Japanese silkworms to the region and promoting the development of silk products. We look at their efforts to revitalize the industry and empower local women with the skills to improve their own financial circumstances.
Women in Kampong Chhnang, Cambodia, are working to build a village of pottery together with 2 Japanese, Yukie Yamazaki and Shinsuke Iwami, a potter. Many foreign assistance projects in Cambodia invest money but leave nothing on their conclusion. The pottery project began as public assistance, but after the initial project ended, Yamazaki urged the women to continue under the strict conditions of working without pay until they began seeing revenue. The success of the project has revitalized the village.
Environmental conservation is a basic policy of Bhutan, but it's also developing tourism as a nation-building pillar to improve rural livelihoods. A project run by a Japanese NGO and Bhutan's only nature conservation group trains homestay farmers and local guides, and develops local specialties. The program introduces Bhutanese preserving their customs, lifestyle and environment through tourism development and a Japanese woman working side by side with them to provide Bhutan-style hospitality.
Uganda was torn apart by civil war for over 20 years. During that time, more than 30,000 children were abducted and forced onto the front lines. Now these former child soldiers are finding it difficult to reintegrate into society. Japanese non-profit Terra Renaissance provides basic education and training in skills like carpentry and tailoring to help them achieve self-reliance. The program follows 2 Terra Renaissance students working toward reintegration while dealing with the scars of the past.
Myanmar has seen its economy boom in recent years, but that boom has yet to reach the 70% of the population in rural villages, who suffer poor sanitation and high child mortality. Enter Japanese doctor Satoko Nachi, whose non-profit visits villages to improve living conditions. The small team teaches tooth brushing, handwashing, trash disposal, the importance of clean water and even organic farming. Follow Nachi and her team as they support locals in taking responsibility for their own health.
East Timor gained independence in 2002, making it Asia's youngest country. The country has overcome many struggles, and currently, high youth unemployment is an issue. Left unchecked, it can lead to violence. Japanese Takeshi Ito suggested creating a local radio station to create a closer-knit community. Working together with a staff of young East Timorese, Radio Comunidad Comoro opened in 2015. Follow along to see the hopeful dreams the young staff have for the future of their country.
For underprivileged children in the Philippines, it is no easy task to make their way in society. Enter Hajime Yokota. Yokota's non-profit organization connects such children with professional hairstylists from the Philippines and Japan, who hold free lessons to impart their skills and help break the cycle of poverty. This time, we follow some of these children as they learn new skills and work at becoming self-reliant.
A Japanese NGO called IKTT works with women in Cambodia to revive Khmer dyeing, a Cambodian textile tradition that had been on the brink of extinction. Now IKTT and these women -- most of whom originally come from impoverished farming communities -- have created a "textile village" on the outskirts of Siem Reap that is producing close to 200 items a year. They raise silkworms, produce dye from local plants to color threads and weave fabric. The items they create fetch a high price, and offer a way for the women to support themselves and take pride in the work they do as artisans. IKTT's founder, Kikuo Morimoto, passed away in 2017, but the women of Cambodia and the IKTT staff from Japan are determined to keep the textile village going. They are now beginning to experiment with new fabric designs and styles. We visit a village in the forests of Cambodia, where women are creating beautiful textiles and a happy, vibrant community.
Former Japan Self-Defense Force Member Ryoji Takayama has been clearing mines in northwestern Cambodia since 2006. He works in an impoverished area where poor infrastructure makes life difficult for local people. Having realized that mine clearance was not sufficient to alleviate poverty, he began working to dig wells as well as to improve schools and roads. Takayama hopes that the next generation will carry on his work of the village development.
Ethiopian sheepskin leather is one of the world's top materials, light and supple yet highly durable. Though most gets exported for use by foreign apparel makers, one workshop in Addis Ababa is working to forge a global Ethiopian brand through luxury handmade sheepskin bags. Having fallen in love with this unique material while in Ethiopia as an international aid volunteer, founder and designer Hiroko Samejima decided to launch a business working closely with Ethiopian artisans.
Michie Nishiguchi runs a company in Cambodia that produces and sells herbal tea. Nishiguchi gets her supply of herbs from regional schools and farming communities. The money she pays them can then be set aside and used to run schools or to cover living expenses. We follow the activities of Nishiguchi and the many local people who make her enterprise possible.
A totally blind Japanese woman is living alone in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. Dispatched by JICA, 47-year-old Emi Teruya is a "facilitator", an expert in supporting the disabled. As a former socialist nation, Mongolia has a well-established social security system, but measures regarding human rights and the social participation of the disabled have not yet been developed. How can the issues of discrimination and prejudice against the disabled which have taken root in Mongolian society be removed? One way to more widely promote public awareness of the real meaning of "disability" is for the disabled themselves to become facilitators. Teruya is helping that to happen with her expertise and personal experience. Aiming to change the mindset of society and realize comprehensive social participation, local disabled people are now training hard to become facilitators. The program introduces their interactions with Teruya, as well as their various activities.
Manila suffers from severe air pollution, exacerbated by exhaust fumes from its famous tricycle taxis, which often have old engines. Although the government is pushing for a switch to newer models, most drivers are poor with no bank accounts. This makes them ineligible for loans, so they cannot afford new vehicles. The spotlight has now turned to a revolutionary new service offered by a Japanese venture firm. By attaching the firm's unique smart device to taxis, drivers can use their vehicle as collateral against a loan. New taxis mean lower fuel and maintenance costs, which helps drivers improve their living standards.
Toru Iwasaki, the first man to coach baseball in Myanmar, teaches young players that determination is an essential quality. Many among them have been raised in poverty, unable to attend school or placed in foster homes. But through the intense practice baseball entails, they've learned about teamwork and how to believe in their own potential. Iwasaki's team has proved greatly influential to educators in Myanmar, making a change for the better in the country.
The majority of Tanzania's population live without electricity. Lighting in rural areas is provided by kerosene lamps whose smoke damages the lungs, or by poor-quality flashlights. One Japanese firm is bringing dependable electricity to these areas. Every small village has a small store called a kiosk. Here solar energy is used to charge lights during the day. At sunset, they are rented out to residents. The lights also include a charging station for mobile phones which are vital to life in these areas. Now in its 4th year, the firm has expanded operations to include around 900 kiosks. The bright, safe lights are used on nighttime market stalls, to light domestic chores and help children study. About 1.5 million people have benefited from these lights. Explore how Japanese and Tanzanians are working together to bring light to areas with no electricity.
In the 24 years since it was devastated by a campaign of genocide, Rwanda has staged a remarkable recovery. It has been hailed as "Africa's economic miracle." However, aside from highways and other main arteries, most roads are still unpaved. There are 2 rainy seasons a year, and during those times the roads often become impassable, which can make life very difficult. This March, a Japanese non-profit called Community Road Empowerment (CORE) began a road improvement initiative in Rwanda. Their groundbreaking method uses sandbags -- fill bags with soil, line them up evenly, and pound them down, and the result is just as strong as concrete. And because the technique is relatively simple, local communities can fix their own roads without any special training. Over the past decade, CORE has supported the repair and improvement of over 150 kilometers of road in 25 countries. We follow a Japanese non-profit working hard with young Rwandans who are eager to forge their own future.
The Loess Plateau that stretches across northern China is choked up with yellow soil, but was once covered in thick forest. A Japanese has spent 26 years planting trees and bringing back those forests. Since 1992, 70-year-old Kunio Takami has raised donations from Japanese citizens and organizations to plant trees with the local residents of Datong. He overcame painful local history of the Sino-Japanese war to help bring prosperity to poor villages. Discover his efforts and this ongoing project.
In Uganda's long civil war over 30,000 children were abducted and forced to fight. Returning to civilian life is fraught with difficulty but Terra Renaissance helps former child soldiers reintegrate. One lives apart from her children to focus on a tailoring course. She's determined to master new skills and regain a life with her children. Another now protects child refugees from South Sudan; he understands their emotional scars. Discover how former child soldiers are rebuilding social bonds.
The civil war in Syria has driven 6 million refugees from their homeland. Over 650,000 have relocated to neighboring Jordan, majorly impacting the lives of local citizens. Nippon International Cooperation for Community Development (NICCO) has worked in Jordan for nearly 30 years, providing support to both refugees and poor Jordanians through projects promoting better employment chances and personal income. It also tackles emotional care for children scarred by war and poverty. "It's the hard work of our local staff members that allows us to work side by side with Syrians and Jordanians," says Yuiko Isoda, who heads NICCO's Jordan office. Meanwhile, 8 years after the beginning of the war, Isoda is facing a shrinking budget. She's begun working with local NGOs to share skills, ensuring that support for those who need it remains in place.
Though Cambodia's animation scene is still in its infancy, one homegrown studio is making a name for itself by combining cartoons with social education. Japanese animator Hidetaka Nakamura works with local staff to create public service content that tackles environmental issues, traffic problems, and other social themes. He also runs anime workshops for local elementary school students. Under the regime of Pol Pot, artistic expression was not permitted, and many local creatives were executed. But now Nakamura and his team are working hard to incubate what they see as a new age of cultural vitality. Follow a small studio striving to make a big difference in Cambodia.
Seven Spirit is an NPO in downtown Cebu, the 2nd largest city in the Philippines. It offers free music lessons to children aged 8-18 and has its own orchestra, which is invited to perform at festivals. It was set up by Hiroaki Tanaka, from Japan, as a way to give children on the street a talent to which they can dedicate themselves. Older kids can audition for university scholarships and the chance to go on to higher education. Discover how music is shaping a new future at Seven Spirit.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific ring of fire, under constant threat of volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunami. One Japanese NPO is helping local community radio to spread information during disasters and recovery, as well as promote disaster awareness. FMYY is a Kobe community radio station set up after the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. It provides detailed information that TV can't broadcast, alongside community events to help revitalize the city. Now that experience is being used to work with community radio in Indonesia, setting up new stations and helping with programming. "Both our countries are at risk of natural disasters. We want to share information and help save and support the lives of survivors." Discover how radio is supporting disaster survivors in Indonesia.
The rice terrace clusters of Ifugao, passed down from generation to generation for 2 millennia, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site of which the people of the Philippines are truly proud. But due to the country's rapid modernization, the working population, particularly the young generation, has been moving away from the countryside into the cities. As a result, the terraces are gradually being desolated and the villages around them are in decline.
Papua New Guinea is an island nation spread across a vast archipelago in Oceania. In the north-eastern town of Rabaul, a training center is teaching organic farming to young people from all over the country. The Organization for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement (OISCA) focuses on organic techniques that enable poor farmers to use everyday plants and manure for compost, instead of paying for fertilizer or agrichemicals. Planting a variety of crops not only allows the soil to remain healthy, but also provides a more diverse food supply. OISCA's main focus is growing rice, which has begun to supplant the long-harvested taro root. Rice provides more nutrition, making it more efficient to grow and better for locals' health.
Japanese NPO Asian Development with the Disabled Persons (ADDP) uses sport to encourage social integration and independence among disabled people in Laos. Member Hiroyuki Hane trains candidates for Laos' Paralympic team. The team are all visually impaired and hope to represent their country as short-distance runners in international competition. Laos has no history of disabled sport so Hane, whose left arm is disabled, is sharing all his knowledge of track athletics in the hopes of establishing an independent, nationwide interest. This summer the Paralympic team will take part in a track and field contest in Osaka Prefecture. How will Hane's trainees do?
In Cambodia, only 20% of students advance to junior high. To inspire kids to learn, college teacher Shuji Matsuoka and his Cambodian students have developed original teaching materials. It's a board game played on a map of Cambodia, teaching geography, spelling, and arithmetic through photos and simple text. Even the Cambodian government has recognized its value as a teaching tool. Matsuoka was inspired by Cambodian Aki Ra, a former child soldier who now clears landmines as a volunteer.
During the 1990's, China's Yunnan Province was the target of many natural resource exploitation campaigns that devastated the land. Today, we follow Mr. Mamoru Taguchi, a coffee shop owner in Tokyo, and Mr. Guo Jun, a former mining manager from Inner Mongolia, on their decade-long journey to revitalize the region through the farming and sale of coffee.
Over 80% of Cambodia's population are farmers. Most farms are run independently and have minimal funds or agricultural education, often meaning harvests are poor. To help change this, Japanese entrepreneur Kengo Kitaura launched AGRIBUDDY. The service uses a smartphone app to predict potential harvests, which can be used to apply for unsecured bank loans, while local partners provide materials and knowledge. Discover how a new agricultural service that relies on trust is spreading throughout Cambodia.
Vientiane is the capital of Laos, a landlocked country in Southeast Asia. In a nearby village, one company is producing a premium rum that's winning countless international awards. The brand is jointly owned by Japanese Ikuzo Inoue and Laotian Sihattha Rasphone. The company's aim is to create employment for Laotians and improve living conditions. They employ young locals who have no other employment prospects nearby. How is this small village in rural Laos producing world-class rum? And how is this changing the lives of locals?
Civil war raged in Cambodia for over 20 years and the scars remain visible today. Many were unable to attend school during the war and were left illiterate and innumerate. Left behind by the country's recent economic rise, they remain trapped in poverty. Today, one in 5 adults in rural areas still cannot read. Japanese NPO JAPAN TEAM OF YOUNG HUMAN POWER, organizes night-time literacy and numeracy classes. Experience the struggles the students face, and the joy that learning can bring.
In 2013, a Japanese NPO began constructing schools for rural villages in western Myanmar. Hirano Nobuyuki, who directs the project, insists that a quarter of the construction costs are covered by the villagers themselves. Instead of simply receiving aid, Hirano wants locals to work to save this money, helping them adopt a mindset of self-dependence. Once the school is complete, Hirano's organization returns that money to the village for use in setting up a business that will fund the school's maintenance costs. The project has built 88 schools, and more and more villages are running cooperative farms and student dormitories. Learn how these villages are becoming financially independent through the construction of new schools.
COVID-19 has spread damages across the world, topping 6 million cases as of May 2020, claiming 370,000 lives. Side by Side will shoot Japanese and local people cooperating across the world to protect citizens from coronavirus, televising the images twice in series. First stage is Malaysia, where the case was the largest in the Southeast Asia temporarily. This time students at MJIIT set up by Malaysian and Japanese Governments are main characters. We'll shoot them fight at the front of measures against infectious disease controlling the red zone or making face shields and aerosol boxes with Japanese know-hows they learned at MJIIT.
COVID-19 is raging globally, and infection case topped 9 million as of June 2020. Side by Side shoots Japanese and local people cooperating globally to protect citizens from coronavirus, televising the images in series. Second stage is the Philippines and Cambodia. In Philippines we'll interview NPO supporting there for over 25 years deliver foods to the jobless poor due to city lockdown. In Cambodia we cover a company which developed an app for children behind on study due to no school.
In the 3rd of series, we shoot Japanese and locals fighting against COVID-19 to protect citizens in Uganda and Kenya. Many Japanese have practiced international cooperation in Africa. But most of them returned home due to the spread of COVID-19. Now locals are in action to protect the country using know-how gained from Japan. A national hospital prevents hospital infection using JICA's reform plan of the work environment. At a Kenyan national univ. people trained in Japan are working on making respirators.
AEFA is an NPO set up by Mr. Tanikawa Hiroshi, rebuilding old schools in Asian frontiers. Rebuilt ones topped 300. Funds are donations from Japan. AEFA cooperated with local NPOs, talking with them, performing plans smoothly. He stayed there for half of a month. But now he is obliged to assist the locals by teleconference due to COVID-19. We see new international cooperation by his NPO and local ones.
Uniquease, a restaurant in a disadvantaged area of Manila, has employed over 70 troubled youths and taught them to cook and serve. Founded in 2010 by Nakamura Yachiyo, business at the restaurant had been growing steadily until the novel coronavirus pandemic, which forced Nakamura to downsize to focus on takeout and delivery. We first visited Nakamura in 2016. 4 years later, she and her staff are battling the turbulent winds of a pandemic on their quest to break the chains of poverty.
After struggling to find staff, Akimoto Yoshihiko, owner of a 73-year-old bakery in Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo turned to Japan's Technical Intern Training Program and hired 5 Vietnamese trainees. "It's more than just filling a roster," Akimoto explains. "We want their skills to bear fruit back in Vietnam." One of Akimoto's interns now runs a popular store in Hanoi. Meet the seasoned Japanese bakers eager to pass on their techniques and the dedicated trainees shaping a new future.
Taya Toru runs a farm in Fukui Prefecture, in central Japan. 6 young people from Indonesia work there as technical interns, acquiring skills and laying the foundations for their future dreams. But they're learning more than Japanese farming techniques. Taya was a youth volunteer in Indonesia's farming villages and studied rural sociology at Indonesia's agricultural university. He wants his trainees to return home and become local leaders. Alongside the farm work he's also helping them draw up business plans that draw on their earnings during their 3 years in Japan. Meet the young Indonesians planning for the future as they work, and the man ensuring their efforts will bear fruit.
As of December 2020, Brazil has 7 million COVID-19 cases, the third highest number in the world. Meet the people fighting a terrifying situation. Shiraishi Telma runs a Japanese restaurant and hands out free bento to the many people in São Paulo left homeless because of the pandemic. She works with Japanese food researcher Ishizu Akiko. A Brazilian doctor provides free medical services in a rural area, supported by Japanese NPO BRIDGE. They all hope to turn the tide by working together.
Over 900,000 people from the Akha, Hmong, Karen and other indigenous communities live in the mountains of northern Thailand. Each with their own language and culture, they rely on local fields. Nakano Hozumi wants to improve lives and incomes by farming organic coffee. She previously built a student dorm for local children and has worked with these communities for over 30 years. Explore how organic coffee is bringing change.
Lacking a national healthcare system, some 10 thousand children under the age of 5 die every year in Laos. Most deaths are caused by preventable illnesses or treatable injuries. In 2015, NPO "Friends Without A Border" built a children's hospital with the latest equipment to tackle this problem. Built in the historic former capital of Luang Prabang, its construction was overseen by Japanese nurse Akao Kazumi. She and a team of local nurses also run an outreach program, visiting children in mountain villages who can't travel to the hospital. Meet the team and learn more about their work.
Siem Reap in Cambodia is the home of Angkor Wat, and also a free art school. Former Japanese art teacher Kasahara Tomoko set it up in 2008, and it now has around 100 pupils. Many teachers were killed under Pol Pot and there are still no school art classes. Kasahara believes that drawing freely as a child is deeply important to personal growth. Six of her former students now teach at the school themselves. Follow their efforts to revitalize the spirit of art among Cambodia's children.
Matsuoka Shuji developed original materials so children in rural Cambodia can learn by playing board games. As some struggle with literacy, he used QR codes and images, as well as a game for teaching Khmer. Cambodia's schools closed in 2021, switching to online classes due to the pandemic. But poor internet access means many remain excluded. Matsuoka's new materials could help them learn at home. Meet Matsuoka and the Cambodian teachers ensuring the next generation have the opportunity to learn.
Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA recalled its 2,000 international volunteers during the pandemic. Vietnam's early success against the virus meant 4 volunteers returned in November 2020, completing their two-year stint in April 2021. Follow occupational therapist Nishiyama Noriko who updates rehab techniques at a geriatric hospital, and special needs teacher Shimizu Sayuri who helps an underdeveloped educational field. After 8 months away they work alongside colleagues to tackle new challenges and find new solutions.
Sustainable farming methods that eschew agrichemicals. Former consumer co-op worker Kawasaki Hiroto is promoting these techniques in a small village on the northern reaches of China's Yellow River. At 66 he visited over a hundred Chinese farms to promote the use of compost and cyclical farming methods, but to no avail. He was at his wits' end when he met Li Wei, a farm owner in Henan province who'd struggled with organic farming. Together they rebuilt his farm with sustainable techniques, sharing their experiences through social media and training courses.
Kon Aya moved to Mongolia 20 years ago and is now a volunteer who visits towns, villages and encampments across the country to read picture books to children. Nomads rarely own books because of their weight and bulk. Many other families can't afford to buy their children books. Kon's work is supported by the students of the National University of Mongolia. Kon is a part-time Japanese teacher and has helped over a thousand students. Meet Kon and the students helping her even in the midst of a pandemic.
A young Japanese entrepreneur who had observed various social issues in Mongolia such as economic disparity, air pollution and a lack of work opportunities, launched a leather brand in a country with few industries. Domestic manufacture using local materials is now creating jobs and it's attracting attention on an EC site in Japan. The program introduces the challenges being faced by young Japanese and Mongolians striving to create a new era through manufacturing high-quality leather bags.
Kenya, Africa. In 2015, pediatrician Kumon Kazuko opened a learning and rehabilitation center for children with severe disabilities. She wanted to support such children and their families by providing them with a safe space. Discrimination and social stigma against disabilities are deep-rooted in Kenya, and mothers with disabled children are isolated from society, often facing domestic violence and divorce. Specialist medical equipment and facilities are rare. Kumon and her team are working to change the situation by providing care to children and their families, as well as raising social awareness.
The White Canvas Art Competition, held since 2020, discovers and connects unknown artists in Sri Lanka, Thailand and Cambodia to the international art market. The idea of one Japanese person grew into an international project, which accepts submissions on any theme, in any medium. Each country's winning art is shared with the world via a virtual gallery. A system has also been put in place to support artists in selling original work. Find out about the unique ways this competition uses IT, and the thoughts of those involved.
Prosthetic leg maker Ricardo Rookie Anievas makes house calls all over the Philippines. 1.2 million people in the country need prosthetic legs, primarily due to amputations following complications from diabetes. Rookie works at the Manila office of a Japanese company led by engineer Tokushima Yutaka, where a dedicated team has developed technology to make 3D-printed prostheses. The 3D-printed legs cost just one-tenth that of a regular prosthesis, making it possible for many more Filipinos to get their lives back on track.
As COVID-19 cases remain high in Cambodia, volunteers from NGO Japan Heart can't visit its medical center. It takes children with illnesses and cancers that can't be treated elsewhere. Local doctors and nurses are assisted by volunteers from Japan, who are now hampered by travel restrictions. But pediatric surgeon Dr. Yoshioka Hideto is still providing life-saving surgeries. After 5 years on the team, Cambodian Dr. Bisiphan is following in his footsteps. Meet the team saving lives in a pandemic.
Soccer is hot in Thailand. The country has produced international players like Chanathip as it leads South-East Asia in the sport. One Japanese is giving all boys the chance to become professional soccer players. Kambe Sugao has spent years training players in Japan and abroad. In 2021 he began volunteer coaching a soccer team set up by a Thai entrepreneur. While the boys chase their dreams, Kambe cheers them on.
For over 15 years, Nishida Shin has taught gymnastics in Jamaica, a country with little history of this sport. Aside from paid lessons, he also runs free classes for kids from poor areas where crime is common. Nishida wanted to give these children a different goal. One such boy was Daniel Williams, who began training with Nishida at 8 and went to the World Championships at 20. He's now a coach, training the next generation of athletes. Meet the team shaping a new future for Jamaica's children.
