Thanks to all your support, 27 participants successfully completed the Rural Leaders Training Program 2025! They are now ready to take on the world as new rural leaders contributing to their communities.
Individuals and organizations working in rural communities in so-called developing countries often lack the financial resources for travelling to Japan and participating in this training program. Without your generous assistance, their training could not have been achieved. We would like to express our deepest gratitude once again to everyone who provided support for this year’s program.
Participants who have completed the training are, in a sense, a Christmas gift from ARI to rural communities in the remote corners of the world.
What they will bring back to their communities is not money or material goods. Alongside the practical skills and experience cultivated through hard work, they gained the flexibility, the spirit of acknowledging, respecting mutual weaknesses and differences, through the overcoming of culture shocks and reflecting on themselves and their communities.
For example, one of this year’s participants came from Myanmar, which is currently in the midst of a civil war. She shared her intention to spread organic agriculture, rooted in the ARI concept that “what you need is around you,” and to encourage people to achieve things through their own power, not just relying on external aid.
We aspire to improve people’s lives by nurturing grassroots human resources who work in areas where international assistance is often difficult to access, thereby empowering 1,000 people behind each leader.
As we wish for peace this Christmas, could you entrust us with your hopes for the next generation of leaders?
Please note that donations to ARI are eligible for tax deductions. For details, please visit the special page: https://ari.ac.jp/en/donate/winter2025
Furthermore, during this campaign period, we will be sharing daily messages on our Instagram and Facebook stories under the title, “What Gift of Hope do you want to bring back to your community?” featuring the aspirations of the 27 participants.
And we are also planning to hold a “Friends Day” event on January 17th, intended to allow our supporters to gain a deeper understanding of ARI’s activities and atmosphere and to foster interaction. Please look forward to it!
Participants, who had traveled by bus from Minamata to Hiroshima (The final training location of this trip) for the entire day, visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum the following day, November 20. They first heard from legacy successor Ms. Sachiko Hiraoka. She shared about her aunt Sadae Sasaoka’s experience of the atomic bomb. She was 13 and happened to be at home when the bomb dropped 3.5 kms away. She shared the horrors her aunt saw, of the pain of losing family members, and the hopelessness of war. Ms. Hiraoka also said that she is honored to share these experiences with people who are community leaders. We hope that it was impactful for participants, too.
After this, participants had time to tour the museum and learn more deeply from the exhibits. Some panels in the permanent exhibit were renewed and there was a new exhibit of items donated in 2023. They are on display from October of this year till February 2026. Within it were stories of how people kept these items to remember their family members and now felt it was time to donate them to the peace memorial museum so their memory will continue to be honored. Some participants were deeply impacted, not only by the contents of this day, but by all the issues they encountered during the WJST.
Finally, after lunch, participants walked around the peace park led by one of our staff, Takashi, visiting various sites of importance. The hypocenter of the bomb, the dome, the bridge, etc. At each location, they offered a prayer for the many people who lost their lives during the war and especially the atomic bombing. They ended the day at the cenotaph. Our collective hope is for peace everywhere in the world, where the evils of war are not repeated.
On the 21st, they set off on their return journey. Despite encountering trouble along the way when one of their buses had a problem, everyone arrived safely back to ARI late on the night of the 22nd.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to each one of you who supported this trip in various ways and prayed for them from near and far. Thank you so much!
When you hear the word “coaching,” what image comes to mind?
At ARI, which emphasizes leadership training, we value not only equipping leaders from various countries with the skills to coach others, but also helping them recognize and enhance their own inherent abilities as leaders.
Ms. Morikawa, who has been involved with ARI since 2012 following the earthquake and has provided annual training for ARI staff ever since, is a personification of inclusiveness. There is much to learn simply from her atmosphere alone.
We hope this class, which connects with previous learning on active listening, nonviolent communication, and dignity, will deeply resonate with the participants as they approach graduation in a month and become a significant asset in their future work.
On the morning of November 17th, participants arrived at Moji Port in Kyushu aboard a ferry and then traveled by bus to Minamata. Although they had studied Minamata disease beforehand at ARI, visiting Minamata had a profoundly different impact on them.
Upon arriving in Minamata, they first heard from Mr. Matsuki, a former Minamata City government employee. He worked with the mayor to rebuild connections within a broken community. Minamata residents had many issues – one of them was mistrust among those who were direct victims and those who could make a living either directly or indirectly through Chisso company. There are so many complex issues, but hearing from a government official was interesting for participants. I am sure through some of their questions, they feel that the government is not doing anything or enough. But it is important to consider this role as well – especially as leaders who will have to consider various perspectives.
After that they visited Soshisha- private Minamata disease Museum. Soshisha is an organization that has supported Minamata disease victims in raising their voices against Chisso and the government. Mr. Yoshinaga, our guide, shared more details about the disease, especially as people who supported the Minamata disease victims to raise their voice against Chisso and the government. Who was affected, why the disease amplified, and how stigma has endured in many ways. He ended the sharing by imploring participants to be good leaders for their people; who seek to learn and see for themselves, the ground realities.
For that night, they have all reached their 14 host families.
On the second day, participants had a tour of Minamata along with our guide, Mr. Umeda. They learned a lot about the courage of Minamata people and their desire to fight for justice. It was a new learning for staff as well, since they heard Mr. Umeda’s personal stories. He shared the three big causes of the disease. The small cause being the presence of methyl mercury as a pollutant. The secondary cause is the magnification of mercury and spread through polluted fish. The final and biggest cause of the disease was the fact that they continued to pollute the water for over 30 years, even after knowing that it’s dangerous. This is the human ego. One that sees the impact only from one perspective. He implored all participants to look at the context, the reasons, and make decisions based on the whole picture – which includes the realities of the community.
After this they heard a testimony from Ms. Shinobu Sakamoto. She is a congenital Minamata disease patient. She shared her life story and her journey in representing the voice of many who suffer from the disease – including those who are not officially recognized as Minamata Disease patients. People were moved by her determination to go to school, to go to many places, and to share her story. It was a good learning opportunity for all of them.
At the last, participants visited Karatachi and heard from Ms. Nahoko Osawa – their program organizer in Minamata. She shared about how this connection has been held for 45 years and how happy she is to be the 2nd generation supporter for Minamata people (the activities were started by Nahoko’s parents) and person connecting ARI with Minamata.
The day ended with a fellowship party which included all host families. We had music, dance and good food! All of us really appreciate their warm welcome and hospitality.
In early November, a two-day biogas class was held with Mr. Kuwabara from Ogawa Town, Saitama Prefecture as the instructor. Biogas is a biofuel gas derived from organic materials such as food waste, paper, and livestock manure. The residue after fermentation can be used as fertilizer or compost, making it a waste-free process. For this reason, it has gained attention in recent years as a means of generating renewable energy.
Every year, during their observation trip to Ogawa Town in June, participants visit Mr. Kuwabara to learn about his unique biogas project involving the local community. In his area, food waste collected from households is used to produce biogas. In the early days, with public subsidies, residents received coupons usable at local shops for delivering their food waste, making it an initiative friendly to both the environment and the local economy.
On the first day, a hands-on class was held on constructing polyethylene biogas plants. On the second day, each participant challenged themselves to design a concrete biogas plant tailored to the scale and budget feasible within their own community.
Participants arrived in Osaka on the evening of the 14th and were welcomed by the Osaka YMCA.
On the 15th, they split into three study groups:
One team visited Osaka Korea Town in Ikuno Ward. Participants learned about discrimination issues related to Zainichi Koreans. It was an opportunity to reflect on minority groups and identity. We were grateful for the opportunity to hear about our guide’s first hand experiences as well. Many were surprised to learn that these issues exist and how they take form in Japanese society.
The issue of discrimination was also the main topic for the team visiting Taisho Ward. Participants were saddened to learn about the struggles Okinawan people in Osaka face. From their perspective, it was difficult to understand how Okinawan are different from Japanese; and why they cannot be accepted. However, after hearing actual experiences, they also perceive that there could even be issues of discrimination now if 3rd generation Okinawan people decide to return to Okinawa.
The final group visited Nishinari Ward. Participants were shocked to learn about this reality in Japan. They found that women and children are especially vulnerable. They also discussed the cycle of poverty and how difficult it is to escape it due to structural and cultural factors.
All three groups were accompanied by Osaka YMCA high school volunteers and translators. The students shared that they didn’t know about these issues despite living and studying in Osaka.
Osaka YMCA will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2032. In preparation for that, Osaka YMCA’s “VISION150” values creating space for
encounters and dialogue. We feel that these field trips uphold this vision. Together we learn and explore more ways to tackle these social issues.
The next day was Sunday, and participants spent time with their host families, visiting churches and other popular places in Osaka, some even visited Nara. In the evening, they said a teary goodbye to the families and boarded the ferry to Moji port.
At ARI, practical classes taught by graduates are held about four times a year.
This time, two graduates from the Democratic Republic of Congo class of 2022, Shukuru and Mordekay, led an online class. They introduced methods for raising black soldier fly larvae. In fact, while at ARI, the two had first attempted this rearing as a personal project. Unfortunately, they failed at the time, but after graduation they tried again in their home country and were able to achieve success.
Feeding on kitchen waste, these insects hatch from eggs into larvae in a short period of about 18 days. They are highly nutritious and ideal feed for chickens and other animals. This space-efficient method, well-suited for small-scale farmers, has been shared with community members and the number of farmers implementing it is gradually increasing.
The class also included Ryo Maki, a former farm staff member. He shared his own experience attempting to rear Black Soldier Flies at his farm (RyoMimi Farm) in Tochigi Prefecture, using kitchen garbage and fermented rice bran as feed, making it a highly informative learning session.
Additionally, this Shukuru and Mordekay’s program is supported by Tarr Fellowship microgrants from AFARI (American Friends of ARI) and they will host a special online session this Wednesday, November 19th at 11 a.m. Eastern U.S. time — we hope to see you there!
If you’re interested, please contact [email protected] for registration.
Please note that this event is entirely in English.
On November 13th, after being treated to delicious oranges at the farm of Mr. Shinobu Yamanaka, who has supported ARI across three generations, participants departed Hamamatsu and headed for Aino High School in Mie Prefecture.
At that night, participants had a good time talking with Aino HS students. Along with a world map, they talked about their countries, what they like, and so on. Although, it was an optional for Aino HS students, many students joined this round table discussion.
The next day’s main program began with fellowship – singing, dancing, and some games to officially start the program. During the discussion time that followed, participants facilitated discussions using the PLA idea of the 3 P-s in society (power, prestige, property). They discussed which roles and occupations, such as pastors, teachers, and farmers, possess what “P”. They could hear stories of how different some roles are in Japan and in participants’ countries.
After lunch, they spent some time enjoying various sports. The program was closed by a warm message from the principal. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day.
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