This project is actively working for SDG2 (Zero Hunger) and SDGS15 (Life on Land), organized together with Sansonjuku, founded in 1994, maintaining forest and step rice paddies through the projects which involve people from the city and local. They started 80-days of international workcamp with NICE since 2008 to make the footpath and maintain the forest. But in July 2012, the hardest rain ever attacked around this area. After that, it had serious damages from a flood. Their aim is to activate the community and sustain the program with young people from the world to conserve this rich nature and revival in this area!
Volunteers will work on various types of activity related to agriculture such as 1) Cultivating rice (Ex. rice planting, cutting grass in terraced rice fields (Mainly from May to Nov.), 2) Helping local farm of green tea (May and Oct.), rice and vegetable (from May to Nov.), etc., 3) Supporting events of Sansojuku (Ex. promotion, preparation, supporting staffs, communicating with participants, clean up) and 4) Taking care of goats (everyday).
Motivation letter is needed! Volunteers need to have high motivation to learn and speak Japanese language, respect to the local culture and way of the local organization, high motivation to work hard and interests in environment issues and local development.
Egao no mori center (It was Kasahara-higashi elementary school until 2004). Volunteers cook by themselves.
70 nationalities are exempted to get visa within 3-6 months stay! So, only those who are from other countries or those who will stay for a longer time will need to get visa.
Check the updated info. at this site (https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page22e_000921.html#section2) and this site (https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html) of MOFA, Japanese embassies and any others.
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18,000 JPY (110 EUR by the rate on 2023 Nov. 18th) per month till the 3rd month and 9,000 JPY per month from the 4th month of "NICE Volunteers" fee need to be paid in advance either by Card or PayPal.
This is used for the project preparation/ coordination such as the transportation of the camp leaders while the meals and the accommodation are provided by the local host by free. Odd days are counted as one month (e.g., 170 days are counted as 6 months).
- Study theme
Volunteers will get knowledge of how to conserve SATOYAMA, taking care of forest, organic farming.
- Other activities
Other activities Join the local events, many opportunities to learn the local wisdom, etc. Sightseeing, short trip (hot springs, famous places here).
- Location
Southern part of the Fukuoka prefecture. The Yame city is 482.53 km2. There are so many tee trees and terraced paddy fields.
- Terminal
The nearest airport is Fukuoka. However, volunteers need to join On Arrival (in Yokohama for KR06-09, 13-14 and Osaka for KR01-05, 10-12, 15) and Evaluation Seminars (in Yokohama for KR01, 03, 05, 07, 09, 10, 12, 14, 15 and Osaka for KR02, 04, 06, 08, 11, 13), so firstly should arrive at/ leave NRT or HND if the seminar is in Yokohama and KIX if it is in Osaka, by 08:00 on the starting day and can leave there after 18:00 on the ending day.
- Language
Japanese and English (the local host can speak some English), but Japanese speaker is in priority.
- Other
The first/ last 2 days are On Arrival/ Evaluation Seminars in Yokohama or Osaka. The activity Blog: http://egaonomori.exblog.jp/
