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2017 SGH Philippines Fieldwork Report



1. Date: 2017.7.30 to 2017.8.6 (7 nights and 8 days)


2. Participants: 20 second-year SGH students


3. Teaching staff: 5 members

Former professor at Kwansei Gakuin University: Mr. Shoji Nishimoto
Kyoto University Graduate School: Mr. Keisuke Yano
Principal Tomoko Yamaguchi, Mr. Tatsuro Yamawaki, Mr. Masayuki Otsuka, and Ms. Kazuyo Tanaka

4. Objectives

The objectives of visiting the Philippines are to give students an opportunity to understand the current conditions in developing countries, enable them to experience the local people’s life and view problems from their own perspectives, and allow them to use this experience in making a BOP business plan as part of their research. In addition, the students can acquire hands-on knowledge on international support by training at an international organization and deepen their international understanding by exchanging ideas in a 6-day joint program with overseas students from Enderun College.

5. Comprehensive Report

The Non-Profit Research  Center IMEC, Belgium: What It Does, and Why It Is Successful The Non-Profit Research  Center IMEC, Belgium: What It Does, and Why It Is Successful

Students received training at the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Students actively asked questions and learned about the projects and objectives of ADB. They also had the opportunity to interview a role model of a Japanese working at an International organization about their work motivation and job description, as well as the kind of preparation students need for their future employment. This experience surely enriched their high school life.

The Non-Profit Research  Center IMEC, Belgium: What It Does, and Why It Is Successful The Non-Profit Research  Center IMEC, Belgium: What It Does, and Why It Is Successful

Students met their buddies at Enderun College for the first time. Last year, the college established their new “Leadership Program” based on joint field work with Mikunigaoka HS. Twenty students enrolled in this curriculum were selected for the joint activities. Our students were nervous to see their buddies for the first time, even if they had already communicated with them through email. However, Filipino students were very kind and generous, and introduced some fun games to make their partners feel relaxed. Then, our students explained the business plans they created while in Japan and got advice from the Enderun students.

The Non-Profit Research  Center IMEC, Belgium: What It Does, and Why It Is Successful

We went to Payatas, widely known as a mountain of garbage, with Enderun College students. There are no incineration plants in the Philippines and they can only compact garbage and dispose it in landfills. As a consequence, Payatas town is inhabited by so called “human scavengers”, who subsist on small earnings from collecting and separating trash. Observing from the bus window the streets and residents of poor Payatas, our students also visited NGO booths that had panel exhibition. We donated used clothes from Japan by handing them over to the local staff and this ended our Payatas visit.

2 nights and 3 days joint training with Enderun College students at the GK Farm.

The Non-Profit Research  Center IMEC, Belgium: What It Does, and Why It Is Successful The Non-Profit Research  Center IMEC, Belgium: What It Does, and Why It Is Successful

The content of the training at GK Farm is shown below.

The Non-Profit Research  Center IMEC, Belgium: What It Does, and Why It Is Successful

GK Farm founder, Mr.Tony Meloto, gave a welcome speech followed by stories of young people who used to live in poverty and had to commit theft to survive. These young people are now learning about business at GK and had chances to study abroad, and are now living their lives full of hope. Mikunigaoka students joined various programs, exchanged opinions in English and gave presentations. This year again, our student council donated stationaries and basketballs to children in the local communities and LEED, a business school in GK.

The Non-Profit Research  Center IMEC, Belgium: What It Does, and Why It Is Successful

Preparations for the presentation were done in the morning and actual presentations were held in the afternoon at Enderun College. In groups, they created new ideas and revised specific details of their business plans based on their experience in the Philippines. Through our interaction, we learned about the culture of young Filipinos and their educational programs, which we would never have experienced in Japan.

The Non-Profit Research  Center IMEC, Belgium: What It Does, and Why It Is Successful
At the Closing Ceremony, Mr. Ed Rodriguez (Principal of Enderun College) and Mr.Shoji Nishimoto (from Mikunigaoka HS) gave their speeches and presented us with certificates.  We spent our last night with a farewell party while enjoying Filipino cuisine. The students from Enderun College were excellent, well behaved and willingly provided our younger high school students with assistance. For us students of Mikunigaoka HS, this experience is only the start to a lifetime worth of collaboration.

Students’ voice

Through my experience of fieldwork in the Philippines, I was able to observe and understand poverty with my own eyes. Previously, I thought that I had to save people from poverty and this experience has confirmed my feelings. But now I have a deeper sense of obligation to save these people from poverty. This fieldwork was an extremely valuable experience and had given me the chance to see the world, even for a short time. To me, this is a lifetime experience.

I am certain that my view of the world and my perspective have expanded after interacting with people with different viewpoints and values, and this has lead me to new discoveries. Although there are many serious problems in the Philippines, after looking at the situation of the local communities and its people, it seemed to me that they have not lost hope yet. I felt that poverty isn’t a factor for their unhappiness. I happened to be born in the rich country of Japan, and of course, there still are people who are in poverty. But, regardless of all these, I believe the one life we have should be lived to its fullest. The standard of enjoyment may be a factor that may vary depending on one’s circumstances, but through my experience and the people I met in the Philippines, I would like to do my utmost best each day while appreciating my own life.


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