Community Revitalization Project in Kumamoto

On behalf of the local residents of Nishihara Village, I wish to extend my deepest gratitude to the GlobalGiving donors.

After the 2016 earthquake, the population of the village dropped by half wherein most of them live in temporary housing. One of the consequences of village`s population decline is the difficulty of maintaining the public and communal lands. We helped solved this problem by mobilizing volunteers to help in mowing these lands, as well as helping the local villagers in their agricultural farms.

From April to June, the mobilized volunteers helped in planting of sweet potatoes and grass cutting of the village`s common and public lands. These months happened to be the busiest period for the local rice farmers. They were appreciative of the presence of the volunteers as they can focus in tending their rice farms.

Compared with last year, the number of requests from the locals has declined. As they are gradually working towards self-reliance, the locals knew that they cannot depend from the volunteers forever. As for the volunteers, they are aware of how they motivate the locals to start living again and it is fulfilling.

On behalf of the local residents of Nishihara Village who were benefiting from the support of GlobalGiving donors, I wish to extend my deepest gratitude.

From January to March, a total of 85 volunteers were mobilized who helped the 32 local families in harvesting and post-harvesting of sweet potatoes as well as harvesting of taro, Chinese Cabbage, and yuzu fruits. Compared with last year, the number of requests from the locals has declined. As they are gradually working towards self-reliance, the locals knew that they cannot depend from the volunteers forever.

Meanwhile, other than helping in the agricultural farms, we are also helping the locals in the maintenance of their common and public lands. Grass cutting and grass mowing at the public/common land are crucial in the prevention of wild fires which could damage the houses of the villagers, their farms, and their communal forests.

The volunteers have found a second home at the village and promised to help the locals every year. The “fans” of Nishihara Village developed great social bonds with the local villagers after helping them in their agricultural farms. They are aware of how their presence is motivating the locals to start living again.

On behalf of the local residents of Nishihara Village who were benefiting from the support of GlobalGiving donors, I wish to extend my gratitude. Our beneficiaries, who are mostly living at temporary housings are now gradually regaining their pace. This we attributed to the mobilized volunteers who were present and made the villagers feel more alive as they helped them in their agricultural farm activities, as well as assisting them in marketing their agricultural products.

With your support, from October to November, we have mobilized a total of 168 volunteers and assisted 79 local farmers and their families. The volunteers helped the local survivors in planting cabbage, maintenance of the carrot farms, harvesting of squash, taro, sweet potatoes and peanuts, and post-harvesting of garlic and sweet potatoes.

The couple, Mr. Hideyuki (69) and Ms. Chieko (68) is one of the families who has been receiving volunteer assistance since the start of the project. It began when the earthquake delayed the schedule time of planting of their sweet potatoes. Now that Ms. Chieko is constantly suffering from swollen feet, Mr. Hideyuki is seeking our help for

The need for reconstruction triggered the influx of volunteers into the village. The actual reconstruction process may be coming to an end, but we felt that there is still a need for outside volunteers to help solve the dwindling population of the village. Other than farming, the presence of volunteers opens various possibilities such as marriage, expansion of sales channels, and maintenance of the village`s population.

On behalf of the local residents of Nishihara Village who were benefiting from the support of GlobalGiving donors, I wish to extend my gratitude. With your support, from July to September, we have mobilized a total of 73 volunteers and assisted 12 local farmers and their families in their agricultural farms and in maintenance of their public lands. 

Most of the volunteers are repeaters who have developed a sense of attachment to the community and to the locals, particularly the elderly. These volunteers assisted the locals in farming-related activities, such as post-harvesting of garlic, weeding, and harvesting of blueberries, persimmon fruits, potato and Chinese cabbage.

In comparison with last year, requests from farmers were on a downward trend due to the almost ending reconstruction assistance in agriculture sector. The earthquake survivors expressed the need to be self-reliant, however, due to circumstances such as old age, they have no choice but to seek help.

Nishihara Village, like the other rural villages across Japan, is suffering from the decline of agricultural production due to old age. We felt that in order to contribute to the immediate reconstruction of the village after the earthquake, mobilizing of volunteers is one of the best solutions.  

Aside from mobilizing volunteers, we also assist the village farmers in processing and showcasing their products for them to have more income. The locals were inspired when one of the villagers penetrated the market after producing a vinegar made from peach. After setting a booth and setting their crops in one of the summer festivals in Fukuoka, a group of local farmers is still in awe after profiting more or less 6,200 USD.

Meanwhile, other than assisting in agriculture works, outside volunteers who are mostly government officials and doctors also bring information that are useful in the daily lives of the villagers. Such information includes government services that can be accessed by the villagers. 

As we evaluate our project, we can deduce that what we are doing is a win-win situation. Some former volunteers decided to reside at the village and the locals whom they have assisted became their immediate families.

On behalf of the local residents of Nishihara Village who have been benefiting from the support of Global Giving donors, I wish to extend my gratitude. With your support, from April to June, we have mobilized a total of 226 volunteers and assisted 94 local farmers and their families in their agricultural farms and in maintenance of their public lands.

Mrs. Fujimoto, an earthquake survivor and one of the local farmers who has been receiving help from the volunteers, said that other than eating her favorite Haagen-Dazs ice cream, meeting and working with the volunteers is one of the things that she is looking forward to. After the earthquake, she has to work 7 days a week to cope with the loads of work both in her farm and in taking care of her family, including her 100- year-old mother and 2 grandchildren.

Mrs. Fujimoto mentioned that the presence of the volunteers is not only helping her in producing and packaging her sweet potatoes, but also a big help in her emotional recovery as they are willing listen when she is voicing her problems. Before we parted, she asked for my address and two days after, I received a box full of sweet potatoes. The warmth and the gesture are quite overwhelming.

Meanwhile, together with Ms. Nambiar, Global Giving field-staff, we have met with the village leaders of Nishihara Village. They showed us the map showing the areas damaged by the earthquake and mentioned that until now, 80% of the total 34-hectare village`s paddy field is still left untilled, because of the damaged dam that used to supply the water needed for the rice production. The village leaders extended their gratitude to OISCA for mobilizing volunteers who are helping in the maintenance of their paddy fields. Without doing any grass cutting activities in the paddy fields, shrubs and trees will grow naturally and would further delay the tilling of lands.

The number of requests from the villagers may have decrease as the phase of the recovery support is about to complete, but we still feel the need to support because of the problem of aging local farmers and the shortage of human resources. Moreover, two-years since the earthquake and the immense destruction among the villagers is gradually forgotten. Our activities are somewhat important in informing the general-public of the need to reach out and help the victims.