By Kanji Usui
I safely returned from my overseas business trip late last night. I received messages of concern from several people, but as you can see, I'm doing well. I apologize for any worry I may have caused. 🙇
It had been quite some time since I traveled overseas for work, but looking back, it was an incredibly fulfilling and rewarding experience.
I needed to see with my own eyes what situation the people we support at Ekoh Works and their home countries are facing, as well as what circumstances they are living under in the countries where they have taken refuge.
When entering a certain country on this trip, I carefully planned and thoroughly prepared while in Japan, approaching everything with maximum vigilance. However, most of those precautions proved largely unnecessary, and to be honest, I was taken aback. Still, despite what appeared on the surface to be peace, I caught glimpses of economic hardship, restricted freedoms, and populations living under extremely difficult circumstances. Additionally, even for those fortunate enough to have escaped abroad, I could feel firsthand, throughout my time there, the harsh realities faced by people subjected to social and political discrimination. Despite all this, I was able to have many conversations with young people who, against the odds, are desperately trying to look forward and live in the present. I also heard that they are placing their hopes in hope-links.
Furthermore, I was able to hear from around 50 people who are working hard to support these young people. Government officials from Japan, private sector employees, representatives from NGOs and NPOs, and academics—I was able to witness up close the real efforts being made, each from their own position, to maintain even the faintest thread of hope despite these harsh circumstances.
While this business trip did not solve anything, I gained a clear understanding of what is needed on the ground. It may seem obvious, but what people are seeking is legitimate work—fair compensation for their labor reaching their hands properly—and the opportunity for self-realization through that work. Even in places where this is not taken for granted, there are people desperately seeking these things. Keeping the faces of those people in mind, I will continue with the work ahead.
hope-links has only recently launched, but I am committed to taking it forward step by step, joining forces with those who share our mission, so that we can meet the expectations of people facing difficult circumstances, even if only in small ways.