Dear supporter,

Thank you for your continous support.  After the cold winter, spring is almost here at MORIUMIUS!

Cherry trees are getting ready to bloom, and plum trees have already started to bloom.  We have had cold but exciting winter.  Miso making is only done in winter.  Twenty five local children gathered to create miso for next year.  Using local organic soybeans with handmade Koji, bacteria necessary to ferment miso, and with handmade salt we have created over 100kg of miso in one day!  Also, winter is the season for seaweed.  Children will go out to ocean to collect seaweed with fisherman.  One of the most important seaweed in Japan is Konbu.  Konbu is used dry to make delicous broth.  Childen layed Konbu seaweed on the wood deck of MORIUMIUS to be dried.

Now we are in Spring Break, many children are gathering.  One of the highlight was that we had a group from a foster home in Tokyo.  They seemed to enjoyed the nature, sustainable living of MORIUMIUS, and certainly shocked with the story of Ogatsu listening to a local storyteller.  Children seemed to be motivated and created connection to the community.

Our newest member, Berinda, a goat who was pregnant arrived in January and gave birth to twin girls in February.  They are now a important member in our sustainable life.

Last news would be to renovate the old house that principals of the elementary school used to live.  Once an old house is now turned into community cafe for locals to gather.  Although population is still 1/4 of the original, it was a bright news for locals.  They were so happy to see the house been renovated, already gathering daily basis and interacting with visiting children.

Going into warm season, MORIUMIUS will be filled with voices of children.  Please keep watching us for more amazing journey providing learning opportunity to revitalize community.

Dear supporter,

Happy new year!  We are very thankful for your continuous support in 2016.  Last year was another special year for us, going into second year in operation receiving more children locally as well as internationally.  Over one thousand children have gathered to MORIUMIUS.  Once an abandoned school is full of energy.  Locals are starting to feel that their community once damaged by tsunami is been revitalized.

Local develepment is still slow.  Permanent homes are almost completed, and locals are starting to coming back to their hometown.  Local elementary school is under construction, and is planned to be opened in July 2017.  

It was the season for rice rice harvest of rice.  Children participated in cutting rice plant out from the rice field in front of MORIUMIUS.  It was easy to cut, but difficult to dry.  Many of them have finally realized how the rice they eat everyday have grown and produced.  This rice field was build to recycle waste water from the facility in order to reuse and create natural lives.  It is one of the system to feel sustainability.

One of the highlight for fall/ winter season is to invite local children who's family members were victimized.  Working with NPOs supporting those children, children seemed very happy to be in nature, and to be with children gathering from around the world.  

Also in October, we have organized to invite children from Kumamoto Prefecture, southern part of Japan where massive earthquake struck in April.  Fifteen children who have lost their homes visited us to join our annual sporting event.  Sporting event is a seasonal event where many locals gather to participate various sport programs together.  Many children as well as volunteers joins this occation.  Children from Kumamoto enjoyed the event, they seemed happy to be away from the disaster area since aftershock has still been happening.  We are trying to create another opportunity for these children to be invited.  We have created a project page in Global Giving to raise fund for invitation tour.

https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/kumamoto-to-moriumius

Thank you again for your support.  Without it, we would not be able to provide unique learning opportunities as well as interaction to local communities.  I hope to grow and continue this great venture so that the community will revitalize through education.

Warm regards,