Community SL Testimonials

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The Nagasaki Foundation for the Promotion of Peace and Nagasaki University

Rise SAIKI

I am very happy to have participated in this program. At the Nagasaki Foundation for the Promotion of Peace, I learned about the tragedy of the atomic bomb and peace in various ways, such as listening to the stories of atomic bomb survivors, visiting atomic bomb sites, and participating in peace-related forums. At the Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition (RECNA) at Nagasaki University, I also learned from the professors how to put into practice the thoughts about the abolition of nuclear weapons that I had received from many people through my activities at the Nagasaki Foundation for the Promotion of Peace. I think this is a well-balanced, good program with sensitivity and reason, which combines practical learning through listening and seeing, learning through papers and lectures, etc., and rational thinking about problem-solving methods using feelings as the driving force.

It was very impressive to realize that everyone involved has their own unique role to play in the goal of nuclear abolition, which made me think about finding my own way to contribute.　

Hanna YOSHIDA

It was a very busy but fruitful month. Places I'd like to go and people I'd like to meet kept popping up in my mind, which I was able to visit and meet during my stay. Many people helped us to deepen our learning, so I'd like to thank them all for the valuable and irreplaceable experiences I was able to have. I learned a lot about the tragedy of the atomic bomb, that only we can learn in Nagasaki through the programs of the Nagasaki Foundation for the Promotion of Peace, and also about the topic of "Steps Toward Nuclear Abolition" at the Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition (RECNA) at Nagasaki University. By visiting the communities of academia and civil society, I think I was able to gain perspectives from both sides.

During the activities, there were times I felt that I could not do anything, even though I was the one who was supposed to "serve". One student at that time I was working with told me, "I learned something new from the questions and ideas you raised. I thought that even if I only ask questions to students in Nagasaki, I could have a new influence on them, and this would be a service to the community.

I'd like to "go back" to Nagasaki and continue learning in the future.

Health and Welfare Department, Mitaka City

C. K.

I was interested in community activities and regional development and Mitaka city has many community activities, so I did service activities at Mitaka City Hall.

The staff at the Community Welfare Division welcomed me warmly and taught me everything I needed to know about the Community Care Network from scratch. They work carefully for the people of Mitaka and I could do my activities with warm feelings when I was with the elderly people and children who gathered at the local salons and events.

What was impressive was that the monthly salon was a place for local people to make friends and socialize. Also, for the staff members happily discussing future salon plans, the Community Care Network was the place for them. I think that I would not have realized it without doing activities in the field.

The 30 days I spent learning while interacting with many Mitaka citizens were a very valuable experience. I hope to continue to be involved in local activities and the community in the future.

General Incorporated Association Dochavengers

Hikaru ISHII

I'd thought about who I was and what I should do by communicating with the people there during the month. There was no set activity plan for this program, so I had to think about what I needed to do and act to learn. During the first week, I worked hard to expand my network and deepen my knowledge of Gojome Town. It made my time and work worthwhile, and the rest of the days were memorable experiences that made me think that if I hadn't been in this program, I wouldn't be the person I am today.

For future service-learning students, please try to get involved in as many different types of communities as possible! Even if you are apprehensive at first, there are many activities that you can learn from. Even if the results are not what you expected, it is not a failure, but a valuable experience that will help you grow in the future. Please enjoy the activities to the fullest!

Yamanashi Prefecture Fuji Research Institute

Rin KASAI

There were many experiences that I would not have been able to have if I had not participated in this program, and it was a good opportunity that allowed me to deepen my thoughts about my own interests and concerns. I started the activities with questions about how to tell information related to environmental issues and nature, but through activities such as nature classes, I was able to learn and think about many other things as well as my questions, such as thinking about my future. I found out that teaching something to children could be one of my future careers, as I had interacted with children like in elementary school. I never thought I'd be thinking about my future through service-learning activities. I am really glad that I was able to participate in this program.

I'm keeping in touch with the people of the institute. I'd like to be the kind of person who can cherish the encounters and connections in the future. It was a summer that I will never forget, and one that I don't want to forget.