Tokyo is special. Being surrounded by people but still alone is an exquisitely perverse feeling reserved surely only for this city. So dramatic! I’m just on Spring break and idle time is souring my thoughts. To rid myself of extraneous hours and up my spirits I have been trying to find volunteer work. But that has been an ordeal in itself.

The NGOs I contacted were on the whole indifferent to my inquiries. Logistically I understand why. Training volunteers take resources like time, money and office space. A volunteer eventually reaches a “break even point” and starts performing and providing value beyond the write-off of resources sunk into her initially. But the flake-factor of college students is well-known, and I am a risk. I can understand their apprehension in not chancing resources that could have been spent on the goals of the NGO.

At the same time, it is bizarre that it is so fucking difficult to lend a hand when there’re so many problems in the world. I just want to do something positive. Let me!

Last Wednesdays I went to Ichigaya and visited with JOICFP (Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning). They focus on sexual/reproductive health, population, status of women, etc. But they have a wide focus and realize the interconnectedness of things. JOICFP has many projects that have nothing directly to do with S/RH. They see the big picture (I think).

I talked to the buchyo of Resource Development and the Domestic Campaign Division. Mr. Takahashi is a good guy if my read is right. One of the JOICFP projects is donating bicycles to developing countries. Last year they donated over 3000 bicycles to 80 countries. The bicycles go to midwives, health educators, are used to transport women in labor, etc. where the only other transportation available is on foot. But the program suffers from a lack of domestic understanding. A few years back Seiichi Tabata, a well known Japanese children’s author, wrote a picture book called ‘Pika Pika’ explaining the story of a bicycle and how he becomes a hero in Africa. It’s used as a tool to raise awareness and sales are plowed back into the bicycle program. The Japanese language version was extremely successful, but the English translation has yet to find its avenue.

Takahashi’s idea was I should find that avenue. Make community contacts, go to book fairs, do readings, and find new sales methods. It’s really exciting because I get my own project to plan and execute. It’s not 100% yet, but if I’m allowed I look forward to the challenge.
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