The Latest

The Preparation for Harvest Thanksgiving Celebration (HTC) Has Begun!

It’s that time of year again! ARI’s biggest annual event, Harvest Thanksgiving Celebration (HTC), is coming soon.
We recently held our first planning meeting, and participants shared many exciting and creative ideas. This year’s HTC is shaping up to be another joyful and lively two-day celebration.
Save the date: October 18 (Saturday) & 19 (Sunday).
Everyone is welcome come join the fun and celebrate the harvest with us!

PRA Class at ARI: Thinking Together About Local Issues

At ARI, a PRA (Participatory Rural Appraisal) class was held, where participants were divided into groups based on their home regions to discuss challenges faced in their communities. PRA is a method often used in development work, where local people identify problems and think about solutions using their own knowledge and experiences.
In the class, participants also worked on organizing the “causes” and “effects” of the issues they discussed. One common topic raised by many groups was waste management. Participants shared how inadequate waste disposal has led to river and soil pollution and even caused health problems in their communities.
By exchanging their experiences, participants discovered both similarities and differences between their regions. The class became a valuable opportunity for them to learn from one another and think together about what actions could be taken for positive change.

We visited Nakameguro Church for ARI Sunday

On June 22, two participants, two training assistants, and one staff member visited UCCJ Nakameguro Church in Tokyo for “ARI Sunday”.

At the service, Beri, a participant and pastor from Indonesia, shared her sermon based on her experiences in her country.
After the service, we enjoyed a gorgeous lunch prepared by church members. There, each participant was asked to share about their country and their work.
The families who served as the two participants’ host families during the recent Tokyo Homestay Program also joined us for a happy reunion.
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to Nakameguro Church for being our longtime supporter and for their warm welcome!

In July, we will have ARI Sundays at various churches in Tochigi and Gunma! For details, please see the following page:
ARI Sundays in July

Photo by Nakameguro Church

ARI community learns about Risk Management

Recently, Ms. Saori Kitajima, who was a participant of 1999, gave a special lecture.
With over 20 years of experience in international development, primarily across Asia and Africa, she currently serves as the Head of the Risk Analysis Unit at the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

The session focused on the theme of “Risk Management,” and included a workshop where each participant identified and articulated the risks associated with their own vision.
It was a valuable opportunity for the participants to gain clarity on the purpose of their training at ARI and to deepen their understanding of their personal mission.

ARI Community enjoys participant-led community event!

The other day, a participants-led community event was held with the theme “Enjoy!”
Despite having only a short time to prepare, the participants came up with creative ideas and worked hard to organize fun games and delicious food.
On the day of the event, the venue was filled with smiles and a warm, welcoming atmosphere.
We are truly grateful to all the participants who made this wonderful time possible.
Thank you so much!

From 2020: An opportunity, not a crisis – Short-term special training in Ghana

Originally published in 2020, we are republishing this piece to coincide with the upcoming issue of Take My Hand, containing updates from graduates in Sierra Leone. Get to know these four Participants during their time in Ghana.

by Yukiko Oyanagi, Associate Director

At the end of March 2020, when participants began to arrive in Japan, we heard the news, “Ghana closed the border. Four Sierra Leone students were left behind!” 

Participants from overseas come to Japan after receiving a visa from the Japanese embassy in their country. Sierra Leone does not have a Japanese embassy; therefore, the Japanese embassy in neighboring Ghana also serves that country. It is customary for Sierra Leonean participants to go to Ghana first, complete the procedures there, and then come to Japan. However, this year, due to the influence of COVID-19, Sierra Leone closed the border just after the four participants traveled to Ghana, and then Ghana closed the border before they headed to Japan. 

ARI staff sought help from Ghanaian graduates. Immediately, 2018 graduate John Yeboah raised his hand, saying, “If that is the case, come to me.” If they can stay at the graduate’s place …” is what we thought, but John was already looking ahead. He started a short-term training program for the four participants, including many aspects of the ARI program. It included cultivation of vegetables and crops (cultivation method, seedling management, weed control), organic farming training classes (Bokashi fertilizer, compost, agricultural materials using local resources), presentation skills, observation trips, training, leadership skills, etc. We were able to connect online for their interim report and listen to the presentation here at ARI. We were all surprised to hear a greeting and introduction in Japanese at the beginning of the presentations.

The four participants from Sierra Leone received training until the end of August and finally returned to their home country in mid-September.  This shortened training seems to have been very meaningful for them, and they greatly appreciated the opportunity to learn these skills. Above all, we are proud of our ARI graduate, John Yeboah, who was able to carry out such a training program.

Many thanks to the United Church of Canada, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, and American Friends of ARI, who funded this training.

In the top image, the four Sierra Leoneans are: 1) far left, Songu Philip Nabieu of New Life Ministries International; 2) third from right, Takieu Amara, Sierra Leone Correctional Service; 3) second from right, Magnus Foray Musa, Ndegbormei Development Organization; 4) far right, John Tucker, Methodist Church of Sierra Leone Relief and Development Agency. ARI Graduate from Ghana, John Yeboah 2018, is in the center in a blue shirt.

Want to know more about their work since returning to Sierra Leone? You can receive Take My Hand through a donation to ARI via our US-based supporters organization, American Friends of ARI. Read more and donate here.

What could a farm do with ducklings?

ARI practices a type of rice farming known as “aigamo rice”. Instead of using chemical pesticides, ARI releases ducks into our rice paddies to eat weeds and insect pests. Duck droppings help fertilize the rice, and mature ducks regularly produce eggs to eat.

As part of their training, participants learn the particulars of a famous method for growing sustainable rice, raising healthy ducks, and maintaining environmental biodiversity.