バングラデシュでの栄養バランスの偏りや運動不足に起因する肥満予防のための取り組み
【2019年11月の活動報告】
By November, we distributed approximately 440,000 meals (progress rate: 21%) against Euglena cookie distribution target of 2.1 million meals for this term (October 2019 to September 2020).
1. Efforts to prevent obesity caused by malnutrition and lack of exercise
Bangladesh is known as the poorest country in Asia, but the obesity rate is surprisingly rising. The rate of overweight or obesity in Bangladesh increased from 7% in adults and 3% in children in 1980 to 17% in adults and 4.5% in children in 2013. Also, in 2018, a medical college in Dhaka surveyed children in slums and found that about one in eight was overweight or childhood obese. The obesity rate in Japan is about 31% for men over the age of 20 and about 22% for women, so the obesity rate in Bangladesh is still lower than in Japan. However, Bangladesh faces the “double burden” of malnutrition and obesity, and the government believes that measures are needed. The main reasons for obesity are the increased intake of junk food and lack of exercise due to the westernization of food in the wealthy. On the other hand, those who live in slums have an unbalanced diet centered on carbohydrates and lack of exercise. In fact, Bangladesh consumes the most rice in the world, and the daily consumption of rice per person is about two and a half rice balls in Japan, while it is about ten and a half rice balls in Bangladesh. However, the side dishes may be only potato curry and boiled eggs, and they do not have a well-balanced diet. Many adult patients suffer from diabetes due to excessive carbohydrate intake.
As I mentioned earlier about children's lack of exercise, there is no habit of exercising in Dhaka because the buildings are close together and most schools have no playground and no place to play. In addition, the habit of going to and from school has a great influence. In Dhaka, many children go to school by bicycle or rickshaw (vehicle like a Japanese rickshaw) with a loading platform called "school van", and the custom of walking to and from school has not taken root. Against this background, elementary schools with GENKI program target schools have been implementing something like group commuting to and from school in Japan since 2012. This has helped children get into the habit of walking every day. Generally, children suffer from malnutrition, but since their childhood diet and exercise habits have a great effect on their health after adulthood, they should acquire a well-balanced diet and exercise habits. That is also important.
Euglena cookies cannot eliminate obesity, but it is expected to prevent cardiovascular diseases and diabetes caused by obesity by reducing the imbalance in nutritional balance.
Photo-1: School van, a common way to go to school in Dhaka
Photo-2: Parents picking up and dropping off at rickshaw for the safety of their children
Photo-3: Children leaving school in a group
2. Employment placement for parents
Have you ever studied the profession of your parents or painted a picture of your work as a child? This month, I would like to introduce "Our parents' profession" drawn by Riya, a fifth grader (13 years old), who attends Opololojo Mohammadpur Elementary School, a school targeted for the GENKI program in the capital city of Dhaka. The elementary school in the slums where Riya attends has 290 children, and most of the children's families live on salaries that are said to be low-income earners.
In class, Riya and her friends discussed the six typical professions of their parents, and Riya, who is particularly good at drawing in the class, put them together in one picture. The occupations depicted there are (1) garment factory workers, (2) clothing tailors, (3) rickshaw drivers, (4) car drivers, (5) housekeepers (housekeepers / husbands), and (6) retail store salespeople. .. "Office worker", which is the most likely occupation in Japan, was not drawn in this picture because it is a highly educated occupation in Bangladesh. All six occupations have a monthly income of 12,000 to 18,000 yen. In Dhaka, the starting salary of new graduates who graduated from a four-year university is said to be 18,000 to 24,000 yen, so the monthly income of slums is about 30 to 50% lower than the starting salary of new graduates.
Bangladesh is one of the world's leading garment exporters, with garments accounting for more than 80% of the country's total exports and millions of workers engaged in garment-related work. Many garment factories are scattered throughout Dhaka, and many workers heading to the factories walk to fill the surrounding roads during commuting hours. Riya is a family of three, a father and a mother, and her parents work in a garment factory. Working hours are the same as in Japan, I go to work at 8 o'clock and work until 18:00. After school, Riya spends her time at a friend's house in the neighborhood waiting for her mother to return while doing her homework and drawing her favorite pictures. Since there are many double-income couples in slums, it is common to spend time at acquaintances' homes, do household chores such as cooking, cleaning, and washing, and take care of younger brothers and sisters.
Photo-4: Six representative pictures of parents' occupations drawn by Riya
Photo-5: Work at a garment factory
Photo-6: Riya-chan's picture and Riya-chan on the classroom
3.Japan Action Tank Forum 2019 held
Japan Action Tank Forum 2019 was held in Marunouchi, Tokyo on November 24, 2019. The venue was full and closed with great success. Japan Action Tank was established with the aim of promoting and practicing the social business created by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the founder of Grameen Bank and the winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, together with Japanese companies and organizations. It is a general incorporated association. Dr. Yunus is the chairman, the president of the company, Izumo, is the representative director, and the Executive Officer, Satake, is the secretary general. The model of "Action Tank", which is also a place for information exchange between companies and organizations practicing social business and people who are about to start, has already started activities in France (France Action Tank) and India (Indian Corporate Action Tank). It started in Japan next to it.
At the Forum, Dr. Yunus gave a keynote speech, examples of businesses by companies and organizations practicing social business were introduced, and panel discussions were held by people working toward the diversification of society (diversity). In the keynote speech by Dr. Yunus, "You are the leaders who come here today to find hints for solving social issues. For the issues that are occurring in this era. Please take action, "he said to the people who gathered at the venue. In addition, in the case study, various social issues such as domestic and foreign nutrition, poverty, global warming, and education are introduced, and a strong message from people who are practicing sustainable social business while creating employment. I was able to share.
To achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the international goals adopted at the United Nations Summit in 2015, for Japanese companies and organizations to realize a sustainable world through social business. I also feel that the role that Japan Action Tank should play is important. We will continue to introduce the activities of Japan Action Tank in this report.
Photo-7: Dr. Yunus giving a keynote speech
Photo-8: Izumo explaining Japan Action Tank
Photo-9: Satake introducing a case study in Bangladesh
Thank you for your continued support.
Euglena Co., Ltd.
Overseas Business Development Department / Bangladesh Office