NISHIGAI Anji | Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

Program: (ST) Community Development with Secondary Students in Toho Village
Instructor: KIMURA Rikio

Reasons for Participating in the Program

When I attended Professor Kimura's lecture, I became interested in participatory development and decided that I wanted to not only learn theory at university but also to actually visit the site and find issues through interaction with local residents. I applied for this field study because I thought it would be an opportunity to see issues from multiple perspectives, such as whether the issues and solutions we think about are really the ones that need to be solved for local people.

How the Program Helped You Grow

I was able to realize the difficulty and necessity of working with students from different grades and nationalities. Despite the differences in opinions, I think we were able to look at local issues from a variety of perspectives.
In addition, after participating in the program, I realized the importance of finding out the issues through experiencing life in the local community. Since I would like to be involved in community development in the future, this program gave me an opportunity to value my own awareness and building trusting relationships with local residents, such as by living in the target area.

Message for Students Interested in The Program

This field study provided many opportunities to visit secondary schools, do homestays, and experience local culture. I recommend this program for students who are interested in development and community revitalization, as well as for students who would like to work in a diverse team with different grades and nationalities. There are also opportunities to find issues with your own eyes, make proposals for projects to the town hall, and exchange opinions.