一区切り。

お盆の長期連休を使ってザンビアに一時帰国（？）してきました。

というのも昨年開催したワークキャンプが、
今年はザンビア人の手だけで開催されたので、
どんな風になっているものかと見に行ってきたのです。
今年は日本人の学生が6名も参加してくれたので、
彼らをキトウェまで送り届ける役割もかねて。

準備段階で日本からメールでやりとりしながら、フォローしながらでしたが、
実際にやったのは彼らザンビア人。
当日どんな形になっているか心配で、仕事の休みを使っていくけど、
自分がある程度働くことを想定して現地に行きました。

確かに、ちょっとお金の関係でフォローを入れたり、
ものの手配の関係で動いたりはしたけど、
自分が想像していたよりも「ちゃんと」してた。

もちろん、日本人参加者からしたら、
全然オーガナイズがなってないって思われるような感じだったかもしれないけど、
彼らが彼らだけで初めてやってここまでできたら結構すごいことだと思います。
あの全然実行力のないYMCAにとっては。
共催団体のYAZが結構しっかりとした人たちなので、彼らの力が大きいかな。

これからもYMCAとYAZがプログラムを続けたいと思っているなら続けて欲しい。


今回任地に帰って、このワークキャンプ以外にもドラマクラブなど、
自分のやってきたことが、私がいなくなった今も彼らが続けてくれていることを知ってうれしかった。
自分の活動のその後を見れる機会はなかなかないものだし、本当によかった。

そして、日本にいたら絶対に連絡の取れない
ストリートチルドレンや路上マーケットのおばちゃんやお兄ちゃんたちと再会でき、
ちゃんと「日本に帰ります」って挨拶ができてよかった。
任期終了間際に会えずに挨拶できなかった人にもできたし。
みんなと笑顔でお別れできたし。

今回のザンビア帰国で、ようやく一区切りついた気持ちです。
自分のこれからは、、、考え中。

ルサカに帰るバスの中から沈む夕日を見ながら、
やっぱりアフリカが好きだなぁ、もう一度ここに帰ってこようと思いました。


ということで、このブログひとまず終了。

On my way to Africa へ続く？？？

ファイナルレポート

ブログで最終的な活動の報告みたいなのがなかったので、

活動のファイナルレポートを公開。（英語版だけど）

２週間後にはまたザンビアに行くんですけどね。

FINAL REPORT

1.0     INTRODUCTION

2 years has passed since I came to Kitwe YMCA as a volunteer in February 2010.

Before I came to Zambia, I worked at human resource development department in Toyota Auto Body Co., Ltd. I was in charge of the new employee training programme. On the other hand, I also worked as a volunteer at the free school for refusers to attend “normal” school. I organized some workcamps there as a camp leader and also interacted with pupils and youths who participated in the workcamps as volunteers.

At Kitwe YMCA, I worked as a Youth Development Coordinator to develop children and youth programmes such as cultivation of aesthetic sentiments, workshops, club activities, and events. Kitwe YMCA is the organization with a vision of having a generation of empowered young people who are motivated to be productive citizens of the nation and kingdom of God. They achieve this vision by offering youths and children the above mentioned activities. I believe that it makes the youth and children busy to avoid the dangers of HIV/AIDS, alcohol and drug abuse etc. as well as develop them in terms of mind and body.

To help to achieve their vision, I set two objectives:

1)        To give the youth and children various opportunities

2)    To empower youth to change the society and to take action towards the social problems by themselves.

2.0     ACTIVITIES

To achieve my objectives above, I implemented three activities, Cultivation of Aesthetic Sentiments (2.1), Organizing Events and Workshops (2.2), and Supporting Club Activities (2.3).

2.1     Cultivation of Aesthetic Sentiments

I taught OVC (Orphans and Vulnerable Children) music and creative activities at Wusakile YMCA and Kamatipa YMCA once in a week under my objective of giving children various opportunities. I introduced Japanese and English songs, simple musical instrument, arts, and crafts to develop their individual personalities. I also could give them the opportunities to perform.

Although I didn’t have the experience of preschool teaching, teachers helped me to control the class. The lack of material was a challenge for me, but I used rubbish to make instruments. I hope that they learnt something important from my class and that they will develop their individual personalities.

It was very unfortunate that Wusakile YMCA stopped offering preschool lessons to OVC in its community.

2.2     Organizing Events and Workshops

I tried to organize events or workshops once in three months* to empower youths. In the first year of my assignment, I held events and workshops for the members of YMCA. But I realized that it was more important that YMCA held these not only for the members of YMCA but also for the communities or vulnerable people. I tried to organize those with youth members and let them facilitate to develop their implementation skills. Especially drug abuse prevention workshop for street children and bilateral workcamp were quite successful. These two were what I wanted to take form. Youth members worked as volunteers in this time although they asked for an allowance every time.

Since Kitwe YMCA had financial problems because of NAPSA, it was very difficult to implement youth programmes. But I managed to organize some fundraising events, which was also a good opportunity for youths to understand how important to save money or how difficult to make money.

I could say that participants/volunteers of these events and workshops developed themselves through interaction with other youth members including me and I hope that they learnt something important such as a sense of responsibility, punctuality, and voluntary spirit.

*Events and workshops organized during my assignment period

Youth Camp at Mwekera Forestry College - April 2010

JOCV 40^th Anniversary Event - July 2010

Drama Club Performances/Fundraising Events - October to December 2010

Drug Abuse Prevention Workshop - March 2011

Some Fundraising Events - June to July 2011

Bilateral Workcamp - August to September 2011

Drug Abuse Prevention Workshop - December 2011 (coming)

2.3     Supporting Club Activities

Kitwe YMCA drama club was started by five members who were actors of the drama in JOCV 40^th Anniversary Event in July 2010.

One of the biggest performances for them was the project called “Hope of Love”. They performed it at Kitwe Little Theatre. It was a very hard way to realize this. They raised K700, 000 for hiring the hall, advertised it on TV, and practiced every day. By the grace of Nkana-Kitwe Arts Society, this project was successful. Now, Kitwe YMCA Drama Club collaborates with them. Besides, they also performed in the events such as Youth Day and World AIDS Day.

The core members of this club are highly motivated even if sometimes they quarreled with each other. They had a lot of ideas and gave me pieces of advice every time. So I tried to direct them on how to make plan and how to put those ideas together. I could learn how to work in Zambia through management of this club.

I hope they will continue their club and someday I would like to see them on TV or the films.

2.4     Other activities

Community School

I also supported one community school near Kamatipa YMCA one of the youth members introduced me to. Mainly I helped them to find the sponsors or donors. The head teacher was so motivated that he kept looking for the donors by himself every time he came to town. And finally he received donations from one company and some individual donors. I was very happy that he didn’t rely on my help but he achieved it by himself. I hope he keeps his motivation for the  school and finds the sustainable way.

Friends of the Street Children

I taught music at Kawama Boys Center of Friends of the Street Children, an NGO which deals with the problems of street children. They had the keyboard but they didn’t have the teacher. I visited them once in a week and taught the keyboard and guitar to children and staff who had the interest. The staff was very cooperative and helped me a lot. Some of the children played nice music (and composed!) although they had never touched the keyboard before.

3.0     CONCLUSION

“Develop Community Through Youths” was my second year’s motto. I implemented activities according to this.

Sometimes it was very difficult to organize things with Zambians because of the cultural differences such as what is called Zambian time and lack of a sense of responsibility. And also it was challenging to keep motivating youths as well as myself. However, children in compounds, street children, and pupils were my incentive to work as a volunteer. I really enjoyed talking with them in Bemba. I wish their future to be bright and become leaders for the next generation.

I hope that I could empower youths enough to take action towards the social problems through my activities. Every Zambians I worked with has good ideas so that they just need to carry the ideas out.

Finally, I appreciate that a lot of Zambians and organizations such as Friends of the Street Children, ZNBC, Nkana-Kitwe Arts Society, Drug Enforcement Commission, NICE, and YAZ helped my activities. And without the staff and members of Kitwe YMCA, I could have done none of those.

4.0     RECOMMENDATIONS

It is essential for Kitwe YMCA to work together with other organizations since YMCA doesn’t have the programme staff that is specialized in specific fields for example peer education or social counselor. For the same reason, YMCA doesn’t need to hesitate to apply proposals. Besides it is also important to develop YMCA’s original programmes, I think club activities, international exchange programmes, and international workcamp I organized in August 2011 can be the ones, to drive the membership.

Furthermore, I strongly recommend finding international volunteers from other countries and sending our volunteers to  other countries more and more through YMCA network since YMCA is worldwide organization. And give all youth members equal opportunity. This will motivate youths and be the attractive and original programme of YMCA.

Finally, the communication among the staff is also important. As I practiced, the project proposal, the plan, the report, and the financial report should be submitted to the Senior general Secretary every time they organized something to share the information. This is the duty of the staff in programme.

4月です。

新しい年度が始まりました。
久しぶりです、この感覚。
この春の暖かさを感じながら１年の区切りを感じながら、わくわくする感じ。


今日は、青年海外協力隊春の募集説明会に経験者として参加してきました。
１枚の思い出の写真をもとに話をするというプログラムがあったのですが、
１枚の写真から説明できることがたくさんあることに自分でもびっくり。
他のOVの話も興味深く聞くことができて、楽しかったです。


また機会があれば。
協力隊楽しいですよ。

職場復帰から１ヶ月

このブログも更新が全然できていませんが・・・。
日本に帰って来てから、何かと忙しくしています。


日本はとにかく寒い。
今年は特に寒いそうですが、
も〜う寒いのはいいです。




職場への復帰は1月16日から。
協力隊関係の仕事もちょいちょいあります。


こないだは、二本松訓練所へ23-4次隊のOVDAYの講師として行ってきました。
2年3ヶ月ぶりの二本松はとても懐かしかったけど、結構いろんなこと忘れていますね。
建物の構造とかどこに教室があったかとか忘れてました。
これから行く候補生たちはなんだか初々しくていいですねーーー！
あ〜、また　行きたい。

３週間が経って・・・

シマが恋しくなってきた・・・。

まだ２週か

帰国して２週間が経ちました。


月曜日から職場にも復帰しています。


今日、帰国してからはじめてザンビアに電話しました。
意外と電話をすると近く感じるものですね。
みんな元気そうで、何よりです。


日本社会の流れにのまれて私の意図とは関係なく新しい生活がスタートさせられた。
私自身も次の目標に向けてスタートをきる。

驚くこと

飛行機で成田に着陸する前に窓から見える町の明かりを見て、違う世界に帰ってきたんだなぁ、彼らの知らない世界に来てしまったんだなぁと、ぐっときて涙が出てしまった。


日本に到着して、３日が過ぎて、もう日本に慣れてきました。
ザンビアの生活に慣れるには３ヶ月以上かかったけど、やっぱりここで生まれ育ってきた国なので、戻るのは早いですね。
既にザンビアのことが少しずつ思い出せなくなっているほど！？


最初は、周りの知らない人たちが日本語を話しているのに違和感を感じたり、眼鏡をかけている人がやたら多いのが不思議だったり、電車の中でみんながiphoneをいじっているのが奇妙だったり、人と全然目が合わないのが何となく寂しかったりしたけど、その辺はだいぶ慣れました。
まだ、人とぶつかったときに条件反射的にSORRYと英語で出てしまうのはなおらない。。。あと、時間の感覚・・・遅れることに対する罪悪感や約束を守ることに対する責任感が薄くなっている・・・これは早く戻さないとなぁ。。。


そして、コンビニ店員や駅員さんなどサービスを提供してくれる人に対して過大なまでにありがとうと言ってしまうのは、きっとサービスの質が良すぎるからなのかな。


そして、寒い！久しぶりに身体の芯まで冷えるような冷気を感じています。到着後最初の方は、アトラクション的な感覚で寒さを楽しめていたけど、もう今はただただ寒い。冬服買わねば。


日本に着いてから一番ザンビアとの差を感じたのは、小学校を見たとき。
きれいな校舎があって、グランドでは子ども達が道具を使って野球をしていて。なんでか、涙が出そうになった。日本の子ども達に、みんなは恵まれているんだよってことを伝えたいなと思う。


外から帰ってきて感じる日本の変なところや、良いところを忘れないようにしたいと思います。


明日はザンビア同期と箱根です。