Education Japan Project #25405

Provide education tour for children in Kumamoto

by sweet treat 311

Provide education tour for children in Kumamoto

Jan 30, 2018

Getting ready for a new exciting year!

By Gentaro Yui - Director

Dear supporter,

Happy new year! We are very thankful for your support in 2017. Last year was another special year for us, going into third year in operation receiving over one thousand children locally as well as internationally. Ninety four year old sturucture, former public elementary school is full of energy. Locals are feeling that their community once damaged by tsunami is revitalized. This winter has been a cold one, but we including animals are charging ourselves for spring/ summer season!

Local develepment is still slow. Permanent homes are almost completed, and locals are starting to coming back to their hometown. Local elementary school and middle school has opened its door in September 2017. There are many walls, about 9 meters tall, covering the coastal line to block big tsunami for the future.

We have organized second invitation tour of Kumamoto children last summer, participating to our one week program. Mixed with children gathered from all over the world, they have engaged many experiences in nature, with local people, as well as sustainble methods at MORIUMIUS. They seemed happy to be away from the disaster area, seemed relaxed and enjoyed spending time with other children.

I am going to visit Kumamoto in order to meet and discuss with our local partner to invite children in 2018. Planning to invite in summer or in fall. As Tohoku region becoming leader in reconstruction from disaster, I feel that we will keep trying to invite children from other disaster area. I hope being away from home create confort for those children as well as to feel the energy of reconstruction in ther area will empower them.

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,

Gentaro Yui

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Oct 30, 2017

Another successful invitation tour

By Gentaro Yui - Director

Dear MORIUMIUS supporters,

Thank you for your continuous support! MORIUMIUS has finished our third summer. It was a rainy summer, but over one hundred children attended our summer program. Mixture of local, national, and international children gathered to MORIUMIUS to enjoy the nature as well as to interact with local people. Learning sustainable living through experiences in forest, farm land, and ocean were the theme here, adding local culture and history of what happen on March 11, 2011.

One week program is the prime program at MORIUMIUS. Only children stay for one week together learning from each other. Special occasion was the week of August 12, when we invited eight children from Kumamoto joined the program. This is the second time we invited children from Kumamoto, those who lost their homes by earthquake in 2016. Although the weather was not perfect, they all enjoyed the nature, local people, and staying with other children for one week. Not only they learned about sustainability of nature and life, they were also impacted by the storyteller’s story of what happened in 2011. Also, they seemed to be impacted by how slow the recovery process is.

Residence artist and member of the JET program took role to add extra diverse value to their stay. Creating art in nature, using natural materials, discussing with artists and other children was such an creative learning time. Big art piece was created by children from Kumamoto to represent the forest behind MORIUMIUS.

On the last day at MORIUMIUS, we have tradition that group of children will give presentation to children arriving to stay next week. Leaving group will present what will happen for the next one week stay. A couple children from Kumamoto cried looking back and telling the story of their stay. It was very touching moment, they expressed their joy and sadness of leaving MORIUMIUS. We all miss them, but will continue to grow the relationship with them.

We are continuting to invite children from Kumamoto. Please

Walking in the mountain to trace water source

Collecting materials with residence artist from UK

Creating tree from leaves children painted

Joining local BBQ

Listening to local storyteller

Links:

MORIUMIUS web site

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Jul 24, 2017

Summer is here!

By Gentaro Yui - Director

Blending indian spice

Dear supporters,

Thank you for your continous support. Summer is finally here at MORIUMIUS!

July is the anniversary month, two years since opening in 2015. We have celebrated our anniversay with indian spice master from Tokyo to cook seafood curry as well as to see Patagonia Japan's documentary on suppport in environment conservation presented by the president.

Over a year has been past since mega earthquake in Kumamoto. My deepest condolence for those victimized by the disaster. Continuing to support children in Kumamoto, we have planned to receive children in August. Summer here at MORIUMIUS is special time for children, providing one week program explore nature and interact with the local people to learn sustainable life. August 12 through 19 will be the week children of Kumamoto will be flying to Miyagi to stay at MORIUMIUS with other children gathering domestically as well as internationally. Through local partner in Kumamoto, we have selected five children and is getting ready for an exciting tour.

On July 22, we have started our premier summer one week program. Together with our staff, intern students from University of Michigan, and volunteer staff from JET Programme, we will be providing unique but innovative sustainable learning programs to children! MORIUMIUS is now filled with voices of children. Please keep watching us for more amazing journey providing learning opportunity to children in Kumamoto.

Organic spice blended for curry

Preparing fish for seafood curry

Boiling seafood, vegetable, and spice

Seafood coconut curry

Children arriving, and one week program starts!

Learning about the sustainable facility

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Apr 18, 2017

Spring is here!

By Gentaro Yui - Director

Cherry blooming

Dear supporter,

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

Cherry and plum trees are blooming, birds are whispering in the forest. 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.

One year has been past since mega earthquake in Kumamoto. My condolence for those victimized by the disaster. Continuing to support children in Kumamoto, we are starting to prepare for second invitation tour. We have decided and going to invite children from Kumamoto during the summer holidays. Summer here at MORIUMIUS is special time for children, prviding one week program explore nature and interact with local people to learn sustainability of life. August 12 through 19 will be the week children of Kumamoto will be flying to Miyagi to stay at MORIUMIUS with other children gathering domestically as well as internationally.

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 children in Kumamoto.

Making soy bean paste for Miso

Drying Konbu seaweed

Berinda and twins

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Jan 18, 2017

Happy New Year!

By Gentaro Yui - Director

Children from Kumamoto perform local dance

Dear supporter,

Happy new year! We are very thankful for your 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.

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. Also, since it was the season for harvest rice, children got to participate in 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.

I have visited Kumamoto in December to see the recovery situation. Houses that were damaged by earthquake were cleared, by did not see new construction. Many lived in temporary homes as well as in houses partially damaged. Towns by the mountains like Minami Aso were still severely, residence evacuated and roads closed.

As Tohoku region becoming leader in reconstruction from disaster, I feel that we will keep trying to invite children from other disaster area. We are planning to create another opportunity for these children to be invited in spring or in summer.

Warm regards,

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