ジェノバキャンプで暮らす娘の夢が叶うことを願う伝統工芸職人の父親
【2020年2月の活動報告】
Approximately 950,000 meals (progress rate: 45.5%) were distributed by February against Euglena cookie distribution target of 2.1 million meals for this term (October 2019 to September 2020).
1. Father of a traditional craftsman who wishes his daughter's dream to come true
Afrin (8 years old), who lives in Dhaka's slum Genova Camp, is a third-year student at BLS OBAT Elementary School, which is a target school for the GENKI program. Afrin's future dream is to become a school teacher who is respected by everyone, and her father, Hassan (42 years old), who is a traditional craftsman, strongly desires to make her daughter's dream come true almost every day. I work for 12 hours. "My work cultupi (embroidery that decorates traditional Bangladeshi clothing) is a very delicate task that requires accuracy and concentration. I have to sit for a long time and suffer from poor eyesight and back pain. Has been done, "he says. The monthly income as a traditional craftsman is about 7,000 yen, which is not high. Therefore, I also have a day labor job to support my household budget. Currently, Bangladesh is the world's second largest exporter of clothing after China, and clothing accounts for 77.8% of all exports to Japan (value basis: 151.6 billion yen, source: JETRO 2018 data). However, the garment sewing work in Bangladesh, which supports this major industry, has low wages (for example, Mr. Hassan earns about 300 yen per garment), and the target workers have to work long hours. There is one side that there is no.
Hassan had a dream of becoming a school teacher when she was young, just like her daughter Afrin. However, I regret that I had to give up my dream because I dropped out of school in the second grade of elementary school due to a poor family environment and did various jobs to help my family. "I want my daughter to continue studying and become a school teacher in the future. For that purpose, I will do my best for a long time," he said. Afrin also cares about his father's physical condition and spends his time on holidays and after school to help him with his work. Finally, he expressed his gratitude, saying, "My daughter was Euglena cookie at school, which has been very helpful in terms of maintaining the health of her family and herself. Thank you very much."
Photo-1: Afrin-chan helping her father's work
Photo-2: Bangladeshi traditional craft culture
2. Deepen family exchange at the "Pita Festival" that inherits traditional food culture
In the December 2016 report, we introduced a warm steamed confectionery called "Pita" as a winter tradition in Bangladesh, but this time we will talk about it at a school targeted for the GENKI program related to pita. Pita is one of the traditional winter food cultures in Bangladesh that has been around for hundreds of years. It is mainly made by wrapping various ingredients in a dough kneaded with rice flour or wheat flour, shaping it into small spheres, and steaming or baking it. The ingredients are devised such as adding sweetness with fruits such as boiled sugar and coconut, and stuffing vegetables such as stir-fried radish, potatoes, and cabbage to bring out the flavor.
In rural areas, after harvesting rice, there was a tradition of hospitality in which pita made from rice flour dough was served on a special occasion to welcome visitors. Today, it has changed a little, and it has become an event where many family members, relatives, and friends gather and participate. And it is spreading not only as an event only for families, but also as an event that strengthens the entertainment color in various groups such as schools. The Pita Festival was held on February 24th at DAM Mission Elementary School, which is a target school for the GENKI program. Dr. Ripon, the organizer of the event, said: "Since the parents of the students work together, everyone is very busy at home. We don't have time to hold an event with our family, so we teachers planned it as a school event for students and their families. "
On the day of the event, the venue in the school was filled with the liveliness of more than 600 students, parents and teachers. Throughout the day, the students sang songs, performed dances, and performed pita-making demonstrations. Principal Ali said, "Students living in slums have little room to enjoy together with their families. Today was a real opportunity. Students and their parents, paying homage to inheriting their own traditional culture. And I feel that the significance of this event is to interact with the school teachers, "he said. I got a glimpse of the positive attitude of the school, which considers not only the study on campus but also the family environment of the students. We will continue to work on the GENKI program to contribute to the health of children.
Photo-3: Students performing a dance on the campus stage
Photo-4: Parents behaving pita in a campus tent
Photo-5: Pita prepared for the festival
Thank you for your continued support.
Euglena Co., Ltd.
Overseas Business Development Department / Bangladesh Office