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December 22, 2009
Training Report : November 4, 2009: Visit: Kodaira Genkimura (‘Genki’ means vigor and ‘mura’ means village)
On 4th November, participants visited Kodaira Genkimura in Kodaira City to learn about the current situation of persons with mental disabilities in Japan.
In the morning, participants received lecture about basic knowledge of persons with mental disabilities by Director of Community Living Support Center ‘Asayake’.
Since some of the participants never had an opportunity to learn about mental disabilities, participants asked a dozen of questions to the Director.
In the afternoon, mayor of Kodaira City arrived at Kodaira Genkimura to give a welcome speech to the participants. Participant from Jamaica returned thank-you speech on behalf of the other members.
Thereafter, two members of Clubhouse Habataki related their personal experiences after developing their illnesses to the participants. They explained the symptoms brought on by illnesses, lives in the mental hospital, and society and family's attitudes towards persons with mental disabilities. They lastly emphasized how they could be calm down and get settled after becoming members of Clubhouse Habataki.
One of the members concluded his speech with following word, “My dream is to make a happy family of my own in the future. Though I have a mental disability I will not be defeated by the illness and would like to get a full-time job.” Every one in the room was empowered by their stories.
At the end of the day, the participants and members of Habataki exchanged opinions and discussed the situation of persons with mental disabilities in each country.
It was a valuable opportunity to learn about mental disabilities through the lecture and interaction with Habataki members.
http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2009/training/l1104.html
Posted by jicafriends at December 22, 2009 10:05 PM