๏ผ2018ๅนด๏ผๆใOWC*ไผๅ ฑ่ชใธๅฏ็จฟ๏ผ
ๅๅนดใซไบใ็ฑณๅฝใงใฎ็ๆดปใ็ตใฆใ2005ๅนด11ๆใใใใใฏใคใณใไบบใฎๅคซใจใจใใซใใใณใฌใญใผใซใธ็งปใไฝใใ ใใคใณใใง็ๆดปใๅงใใใพใงใฎใใใใฏใๆฑไบฌใงใใใฅใผใจใผใฏใงใ่ชๅใฎใใธใในใญใฃใชใขใฎๆง็ฏใซๅฐๅฟใใๆญณๆใ้ใฃใฆใใใใดใฉใฉใณใใฃใขๆดปๅใซใฏใใใปใฉ้ขๅฟใๆใฃใฆใใชใใฃใใ
ใใใใใใณใฌใญใผใซใง็ๆดปใๅงใใ็ดๅพใใใ่กใฎ่ณใใจใใใง็ฎใซใใใ่ฒงๅฐใฎ็พๅฎใใ็้ใใใใจใๅฐ้ฃใซใชใใฏใใใใไฝใใใใใใชใใใฐใใใใฏๆใฃใฆใใๅ ทไฝ็ใซใชใซใใใใฐใใใฎใใใใใซใฏๆใใคใใชใใฃใใ
2007ๅนด11ๆใใใใใฏOWCใฎใใณในใชใผในใใผใซใผใปใใผใใฃใณใฐใซๅบๅธญใใใ่ฌๅธซใฏใใใณใฌใญใผใซใงๅญคๅ ้ขใใขใฌใใปใใซใใฌใณใปใณใฟใผใใ้ๅถใใใซใผใใณ็งๅธซใๅฝผใ่ชใในใใชใผใใใซใใฌใณใๆก็ณๅ ดใฎๅดๅ่ ใใใธใฅใฉใผ๏ผ็ฌฌไธใฎๆง๏ผใฎ็ๆดปใซ้ขใใๅ ทไฝ็ใช่ฉฑใฏใใใใใ้ๅธธใซ่กๆ็ใชๅ ๅฎนใ ใฃใใๅฝผใฎ่ฉฑใ่ใใชใใใ่ใใๅฃๆชใช็ฐๅขใฎใใจใงๆฎใใใฆใใไบบใ ใซๅฏพใใใใใ่ช่บซใใใจใใใใใใงใใไฝใใใฎ่ฒข็ฎใใในใใงใใใจ็ๆใใใ
ๅฝผใฏใใใใใใกใใใใซใงใใงใใใใจใจใใฆใใใใคใใฎๆๆกใใใฆใใใใใใฎไธใคใฏใ็ฉไนใใฎไบบใ ใซใฏใ็พ้ใงใฏใชใใ้ฃใน็ฉใๆธกใใชใใใใจใใใใจใ ใฃใใไปฅๆฅใใใใฏใๅฐใใชใใใฑใผใธๅ ฅใใฎใในใฑใใใใพใจใใฆ่ณผๅ ฅใใ่ปใซๅธธๅใใฆใใใไฟกๅทๅพ ใกใฎใจใใชใฉใซใ็ฉไนใใ่ฟๅฏใฃใฆใใฆ่ป็ชใๅฉใใใใๅฐใใ้ใใฆๆธกใใใใซใใฆใใใ
ใซใผใใณ็งๅธซใฎ่ฉฑใ่ใใ็ฟๆใใใใใฏใๅญไพใใกใซไผใใใใซใๅ่บซใใขใฌใใปใใซใใฌใณใปใณใฟใผใ่จชใใใๅฝๆใใใใฏใ่ฅฟๆฅๆฌๆฐ่ใซๆใซไธๅบฆใใๆฟๅคใใใคใณใใใจใใใณใฉใ ใ้ฃ่ผใใฆใใใใจใใใใใฎๅๆใจ็งฐใใฆใ่จชๅใใใใจใซใใใฎใ ใฃใใๆญฃ็ดใชใจใใใ่ชๅใฎไธญใงใใใฎใใใชใๅ็ฎใใไฝใใชใใใจใซใฏใ่ถณใ้ใถๅๆฐใๅบใชใใฃใใ
ใใคใฆในใใชใผใใใซใใฌใณใ ใฃใๅฐๅฅณใใกใจใใซใผใใณ็งๅธซใฎไธๅฎถใใไธใคใฎๅคงๅฎถๆใจใใฆๅใๅฑๆ นใฎไธใซๆฎใใๆงๅญใฏใใใใใซใจใฃใฆ่กๆ็ใชๅ ๆฏใ ใฃใใ
ใกใใใฉใใฎใใใฎใใจใ ใใใๆฅใ่ปใงๅธ่กใ่ตฐใฃใฆใใๆใฎใใจใไฟกๅทๅพ ใกใฎใจใใ็ฎใฎๅใซๅ่ปใใฆใใไธๅฐใฎใในใฎๅพ้จใซๆธใใใๆๅญใ็ฎใซๆญขใพใฃใใ
โFeeding a hungry child is not charity. Itโs our social responsibility.โ
ใ็ฉบ่ นใฎๅญไพ้ใซ้ฃไบใไธใใใใจใฏๆ ๅใงใฏใใใพใใใใใใใใกใฎ็คพไผ็่ฒฌไปปใงใใ
ใใใฏใ่ฒงๅฐๅฑคใฎๅญไพใใกใซ็กๅใงใฉใณใใไพ็ตฆใใฆใใไธ็ๆๅคงใฎ็ตฆ้ฃใปใณใฟใผใใขใฏใทใฃใคใปใใใฉใฎ็ตฆ้ฃใในใ ใฃใใ้ฃขใใๅญไพใใกใใชใใใใจใ็ฎๆจใซ่จญ็ซใใใNGOใงใใใ
ใใฎไธๆใซใใใใใฏๅฟใๅฐๆใใใใ
ใใฎ็ดๅพใใใใใใใฏ่ชๅฎ ใงๆฐใซๆใซไธๅบฆใใใฃใชใใฃใปใใฃใผใใผใใฃใใ้ใๅงใใใๆฅๆฌไบบ้งๅจๅกๅคซไบบใ่ชๅฎ ใซๆใใใคใณใใฎ็ๆดปใซ้ขใใใปใใใผใชใฉใๅฎๆฝใใใฎใจใใซ้ใใๅๅ ่ฒปใไธ็จๅใใใใฎๅพใๅฐๅ ใฎๆ ๅๅฃไฝใ่จชๅใใฆๅฏไปใใใจใใๆดปๅใ้ๅงใใใ๏ผๅนดใปใฉ็ถใใใใฎๆดปๅใใใใฅใผใบใปใฏใชใจใคใทใงใณใฎๅบ็คใจใชใฃใฆใใใ
2012ๅนด๏ผๆใใใใใฏใใฅใผใบใปใฏใชใจใคใทใงใณใ็ซใกไธใใ2015ๅนดใซใฏNGOใซ็ณ่ซใใใใใฅใผใบใปใฏใชใจใคใทใงใณใฏใใใณใฌใญใผใซใซๆฎใใๆฅๆฌไบบใฎๅต้ ๅใ็ใใใๆดปๅใ้ใใฆใๅฐๅ็คพไผใธ่ฒข็ฎใใใใจใ็ฎ็ใจใใฆใใใ
็พๅจใฏใๆๅทฅ่ธไฝๅใ่ฃฝไฝใใใใผใ ใปใใณใใฃใฏใฉใใใใณใผใฉในใใใณในใๆซ้ฒใใใใฅใผใบใปใฏใฏใคใข๏ผใใณใตใผใบใใใใฆๅใ็ทๅฅณใใใชใใใผใ ใปใจใญในใใใใจใใใๅคงใพใใซ๏ผใคใฎใใผใ ใซๅใใใฆๆดปๅใใฆใใใ
ๆฏ้ฑ้ๆๆฅใๆๅฎ ใใชใผใใณใใฆในใจใใใในใใฅใใคใชใปใใฅใผใบใใจ็งฐใใๆดปๅใฎๅ ดใๆไพใใฆใใใใกใณใใผใฏใๆๅทฅ่ธใ่ฃฝไฝใใใใๆญใใใณในใฎ็ทด็ฟใใใใฎใฏใใกใใใใไบคๆตใฎๅ ดใใจใใฆใฎๅฝนๅฒใๆใใใฆใใใๆ ฃใใชใใคใณใ็ๆดปใงๅฝน็ซใคๆ ๅ ฑไบคๆใฎๅ ดใไธๆๅธฐๅฝใใๆปใฃใใจใใ่ชๅฎ ไปฅๅคใซใใใ ใใพใใใใใใใใจ่จใๅใใๅฎๆฏใฎๅ ดใใกใณใใผใใใใใซใจใฃใฆใๅฟๅฐใฎใใๅ ดๆใงใใใฐใจ้กใฃใฆใใใ
ใใฅใผใบใปใฏใชใจใคใทใงใณใฏใๅนดใซไธๅบฆใๅคง่ฆๆจกใชใใฃใชใใฃใปใใถใผใซใๅฎๆฝใใฆใใใปใใOWCใฎใฏใชในใในใใถใผใซใๅซใใใใใคใใฎๅฐๅ ใฎใใถใผใซใซๅบๅบใปๅบๆผใใฆใใใใในใฆใฎๅ็ใฏใใใณใฌใญใผใซใซใใใใพใใพใชๆ ๅๅฃไฝใซๅฏไปใใฆใใใๆ ๅๅฃไฝใ่จชๅใใๅฐๅ ใฎไบบใ ใจไบคๆตใๅณใใใจใฏใใใฅใผใบใปใฏใชใจใคใทใงใณใฎใกใณใใผใซใจใฃใฆใใใใใใฎใชใ็ต้จใจใชใฃใฆใใใซ้ใใชใใ
ใพใใใใฅใผใบใปใฏใชใจใคใทใงใณใงใฏใใใณใใฃใฏใฉใใใฎใฏใผใฏใทใงใใใใญใผใซใซใฎใทใงใใใณใฐใใขใผใใตใชใผใ็็จใใฆใฎใฉใณใไผใใใธใในใปใใใผใชใฉใใใพใใพใชใคใดใงใณใใไผ็ปใๅฎๆฝใใฆใใใ
ใใฅใผใบใปใฏใชใจใคใทใงใณใฎๅต่จญไปฅๆฅใใพใใชใ๏ผๅนดใซใชใใใใฎๆ้ใ180ๅใ่ถ ใใใกใณใใผใๅจ็ฑใใๅธธๆ40ๅไปฅไธใฎใกใณใใผใๆดปๅใใใฆใใใใกใณใใผใฎไธญใซใฏใๆฅๆฌใงใฏ็ต้จใใใใจใฎใชใๆๅทฅ่ธใใณใผใฉในใใใใใฏใใณในใซๆๆฆใใไบบใใใใๆฐใใ่ฉฆใฟใฏใพใใใคใณใใงใฎ็ๆดปใ่ฑใใซใใไธๅฉใซใชใฃใฆใใใจใๆใใ
ๆจๅนดใๆฅๆฌใธไธๆๅธฐๅฝใใ้ใๆฑไบฌใจๅๅคๅฑใงใใใฅใผใบใปใฏใชใจใคใทใงใณใฎ๏ผๅจๅนดๅ็ชไผใๅฎๆฝใใใๆงใกใณใใผใๅนนไบใๅผใๅใใฆใใใไธก้ฝๅธใงใๆใใใไบบใใกใจใฎๅไผใๅฎ็พใใใฎใ ใฃใใๅใๆๆใใใณใฌใญใผใซใซใใไบบใใกใฏใใกใใใฎใใจใ็ฐใชใๆๆใซๆฎใใใไบใใซ้ข่ญใใชใใซใใใใใใใๅใๅๅฐใฎๅใใฐใซใผใใซๅฑใใฆใใใจใใใ ใใงใใฟใช็ฌๆใซๆใก่งฃใใใใ่ฆชใใใซไผ่ฉฑใๅผพใใงใใๆงๅญใ่ฆใใฎใฏใๆฌๅฝใซใใใใใใจใ ใฃใใ
ใพใใใฟใชใ็ฐๅฃๅ้ณใซใใใณใฌใญใผใซใงใฎ็ๆดปใซใใใฆใใใฅใผใบใปใฏใชใจใคใทใงใณใฎๅญๅจใฏๅคงๅใ ใฃใใจ่จใฃใฆใใใใใจใฏใๆฌๅฝใซๅ ๆ ใชใใจใ ใฃใใใใใใใ็ถใใฆใใใใจใใๆใใซใๅใๆทปใใฆใใใใ
้ทๆ้ใซไบใใๅคใใฎไบบใใกใจๆดปๅใๅ ฑใซใใใฎใฏ็ฐกๅใชใใจใงใฏใชใใใใใใใใพใงใใใฅใผใบใปใฏใชใจใคใทใงใณใ้ใใฆๅพใฆใใ็ต้จใๆๆใฏใๆฑบใใฆไธไบบใงใฏๅฎ็พใใใใจใใงใใชใใใจใฐใใใ ใ
ใใใใๅ ใใใใฅใผใบใปใฏใชใจใคใทใงใณใใใใฎใจใใฉใใซๅจ็ฑใใใกใณใใผใฎใฒใจใใฒใจใใซใจใฃใฆใๆๆ็พฉใชๆดปๅใฎๅ ดใงใใ็ถใใใใจใ้กใฃใฆใใใ
*OWCใจใฏOverseas Womenโs Clubใฎ็ฅใใใณใฌใญใผใซใซๅจไฝใใๅคๅฝไบบๅฅณๆงใใกใฎใใใฎใฐใซใผใใงใๆฅๆฌไบบใใใใกใใใกใณใใผใซใชใใใ
Gaining a new perspective through creativity and volunteering.
(Article for OWC โThe Rangoliโ July, 2018)
After living in the U.S. for ten years, I moved to Bangalore with my husband in November 2005. Until I started to live in India, I had spent my life building my own business career in Tokyo and New York, and was not very active in volunteer activities. However, as soon as I settled in Bangalore, I couldnโt ignore the poverty that can be seen all around the city. I felt that I should do something to make a difference, but I could not immediately think of what specifically to do.
In November 2007, I attended OWCโs Monthly Speaker Meeting. The speaker was Pastor Dr. Reuben, who runs a home, โAgape Children Centreโ in Bangalore. His story about the lives of street children, stone-breakers (quarry workers), and eunuchs (hijra) was truly shocking for me. I felt that I should contribute for people who are living in extreme and deprived environments. One of the suggestions that Dr. Reuben gave us, was to not give cash to beggars. He said that it would be better to give food or clothes, instead of money. Since then, I have made it a practice to buy a lot of small packets of biscuits for beggars, and always keep some in our car.
In the next month, I visited โAgape Children Centreโ alone, and met their children. My purpose was to write a visit record for a Japanese newspaper, but in reality, I was very nervous and it needed courage to go there. It was an eye opening experience to communicate with Pastor Reubenโs family and the girls, who were once street children, living under one roof as a big family.
Around that time, when I was driving around the city, a bus stopped in front of our car, while we waiting for a signal. My eyes caught a sentence written on the back of the bus.
โFeeding a hungry child is not charity. Itโs our social responsibility.โ
It was one of the buses of Akshaya Patra, which runs the worldโs largest school lunch program with the aim of ending child hunger in India. That sentence triggered me to action.
Immediately after, I started to hold a โCharity Tea Partyโ at home, every few months. I invited Japanese expatsโ wives to my home and held seminars, and shared useful information about living in India. I collected a seminar fee and donated items from participants, and visited local charities to donate them. This activity continued about five years, and was the foundation for the creation of Muse Creation.
I founded Muse Creation, a volunteer NGO, in June 2012. Muse Creation brings together the collective creative talent of our Japanese community in Bangalore. We have set up three teams: Team Handicrafts, Muse Choir & Dancers, and Team Expats (which focuses on familiarizing Japanese expats with the work and living culture of India). Through these creative activities, we wish to bring awareness, and to communicate with local underprivileged people.
Every Friday, I hold a workshop, called โStudio Museโ at home. Members get together for a creativity and social skills workshop. At the same time, it is a place to exchange information to help lead a better life in India, a place to build a social network, and a place to help each other in an unfamiliar living environment.
Muse Creation organizes annual charity bazaars, and participates in other community bazaars, including OWCโs Christmas bazaar. All the proceeds from the sales of our products are donated to various charitable organizations in Bangalore. Visiting them to communicate with local people, is a valuable experience for our members. We also organize various activities like handicraft workshops, local shopping tours, experiential lunches (for instance, lunches where members wear saris), business seminars, etc.
Members of Muse Creation always number 40 or more at any given point, and members enrolled in the past six years exceed 180 people cumulatively. There are quite a few members who challenge new activities that they have never experienced in Japan, such as learning handicrafts, dancing, and chorus music. These experiences enrich their lives in India.
Last year, when I went back to Japan, we held the fifth anniversary of Muse Creation in Tokyo and Nagoya with our alumni members. I met with over 50 past members at that time. Everyone told me that the activities of Muse Creation were an important part of their lives in Bangalore. The comments were a source of happiness and motivation for me.
It is not easy to bring together many people over a long period, to act in unison. However, what can be collectively experienced and achieved in Muse Creation, can never be realized alone. I sincerely hope that Muse Creation will continue to be an effective and impactful group through the active efforts of our members.
MUSE CREATION Charitable Trust [NGO] 