PARTENAIRE
This project is actively working for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDGs 10 (Reduced Inequalities), organized together with Kyodo Gakusha since 2000, a cooperative community where people with various backgrounds such as mentally disadvantaged, people who are tired of city life, who want to learn farming, who want to live in the nature, etc. They have 5 communities in Japan incl. Maki and Tateya and grow animals and vegetables in ecological, organic way.
Maki is located in a very isolated area (not accessible for cars and we have to walk 4 km in the mountains!), so it once became an abandon village in 1970s and then, was revived by Kyodo Gakusha. Over 10 people incl. 2 families were living till several years ago, but less and less in these years (almost nobody in the winter), so vols. are needed even more!
Tateya is located on the hilly (less than Maki, but still a bit isolated) area where 30-40 members live and mainly do rice farming as well as growing cows and chicken.
*Outcome of this workcamp: In 2023, we had 4 short term workcamps and 1 LMTV project with 13 vols. who greatly contributed to their protecting the houses, farming and caring animals that was difficult to finish by the time they needed without volunteers! See the long-term goal of this project as Local SDGs made by the previous project leader at https://www.slideshare.net/nice-workcamp/2019-ep3-188767935 (only in Japanese, sorry, but you can still enjoy the pictures!)
gare la plus proche
The nearest international airport is Tokyo (NRT or HNH). From Tokyo to the meeting point near the project, it takes 5 hours by express bus. Volunteers need to arrive at the airport in Tokyo by the end of Oct. 15 and can leave there from the beginning of Oct. 25.
Informations supplémentaires
Volunteers need to have high motivation and patience to keep the hard, long and important work in the very isolated, natural place and to respect the way of the local host. No special skills nor experiences are needed. Motivation letter is needed!
9,000 JPY (55 EUR by the rate on 2023 Nov. 18th) of "NICE Volunteers" fee need to be paid in advance either by Card or PayPal. This is used for the project preparation/ coordination such as the transportation of the camp leaders while the meals and the accommodation are provided by the local host by free.
Remarques
Study theme: Similar type of communities in each country and their networking
Other activities: Exchange program, Excursion on a free day (possibly to Hakuba, a famous tourism spot), etc.
Other: The popular documentary film for this place was broadcasted in 2015 at arayashiki-movie.jp/en/.