GENKIプログラム、バングラデシュの地方へさらに拡大
【2018年7月の活動報告】
By July, we distributed about 730,000 meals (progress rate: 66%) against Euglena cookie distribution target of 1.1 million meals for this term (April-September 2018).
1.GENKI program further expanded to rural areas
Since the start of the GENKI program, Euglena cookies have been distributed mainly to schools in the capital city of Dhaka. In February of last year, we started distributing cookies to 6 local schools for the nationwide expansion of the program. Also, from this month, we have started distributing cookies to two local schools. As a result, the area where the GENKI program is implemented has expanded from 8 prefectures to 10 prefectures (Fig. 1). This month, we would like to introduce one of them, the Shuniketon Pathshala Boda School, located in Panchagarh District, northern Bangladesh. The land area of Bangladesh is about 1/4 of Japan, which is almost the same size as Hokkaido and Tohoku combined. The province of Ponchogol, where the Schniket school is located, is about 400 km from Dhaka. Unlike Japan, the transportation network is not well developed, so it takes about 11 hours by car from Dhaka (Fig. 1 arrow).
Schniket School is a school run by Hunger Free World (HFW), an international cooperation NGO headquartered in Japan. In order to fundamentally solve hunger, it is essential for HFW to realize each person's "food rights (to obtain the food necessary for living in good physical and mental health)". I think. HFW sympathized with the activity philosophy of the GENKI program and introduced the GENKI program to 140 children at Schniket School from this July.
HFW not only provides guidance on improving nutrition to mothers and children, but also provides medical activities such as medical examinations, provision of medicines, and vaccinations at health centers. Generally, the examination fee in Bangladesh is 400-700 yen, but HFW provides these medical treatments to children free of charge. In addition, parents of children can be examined for only about 30 yen. Therefore, many children and parents use the health center.
However, the health center is 7km away from the school and costs transportation. “Children's diets are biased towards rice, and they rarely eat side dishes such as small fish and vegetables. As a result, they are not well-nourished. Eat Euglena By continuing, I want to build a healthy body and reduce the number of times children go to the health center. " The principal expects not only the distribution of cookies through the GENKI program, but also food education activities. HFW's maternal and child nutrition improvement activities advise pregnant women to eat cheap and nutritious seasonal vegetables and other meals. By combining the know-how of dietary education activities of both the HFW and GENKI programs, we will support both mothers and children in improving nutrition not only at school but also at home.
Photo-1: Children who received cookies
Photo-2: Children undergoing medical examination at a health center
2. Introduction of Fatima who helps her mother's work
This month, I will introduce Fatima (8 years old) who will attend the Aprazeyo Azimpur Center School (Aparajo School) in Dhaka City and help her mother's work after school. The target schools for the GENKI program are mainly in slums. As a result, about 10% of those schools are forced into child labor.
Arapajo School is located in the old town called Old Dhaka. The jewelery industry has flourished in the region since the 19th century, and there are still many small and medium-sized manufacturers, vendors and retailers of jewelry and accessories. That's why at Arapajo, 35 of the 255 students are working at home as an accessory profession. Fatima's family is a family of seven, a father and a mother, and three older sisters. The mother buys accessory materials at the market and spends about 50 earrings and about 100 arm ornaments a day with her children. I am making while doing housework. Some products are sold in the market through wholesalers, while others are sold directly to customers by laying a vinyl sheet on the road surface. Earrings are sold for about 13 yen, and arm decorations are sold for about 7 yen. As a result, we earn about 9,000 yen every month. While dad sells accessories on the road, he also sells vegetables in the market. The monthly income from selling vegetables is 9,000 yen, and the monthly household income is about 18,000 yen. This monthly income is the average monthly income of slums.
Fatima loves making accessories and helps her sister and mom make earrings every day after school. Until last year, I was only working on joining pierced earrings, but now I can make eight pierced earrings by myself. When we went to see our local staff working, they showed us how to make pierced earrings enthusiastically.
Photo-3: Fatima-chan cuts the arm decoration chain
Photo-4: Making earrings with family
Photo-5: Created earrings
Photo-6: Family photo (Fatima-chan is the second from the right)
Thank you for your continued support.
Euglena Co., Ltd.
Overseas Business Development Department / Bangladesh Office