Maki & Tateya 4 (Family workcamp) | NICE-24V-0823A | 2024-08-23 - 2024-08-25 | AGRI,ENVI,SOCI | Age: 6 - 99

Family workcamp! This project is actively working for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDGs 10 (Reduced Inequalities), organized together with Kyodo Gakusha since 2000, a cooperative community where people with various backgrounds such as mentally disadvantaged, people who are tired of city life, who want to learn farming, who want to live in the nature, etc. They have 5 communities in Japan incl. Maki and Tateya and grow animals and vegetables in ecological, organic way. Maki is located in a very isolated area (not accessible for cars and we have to walk 4 km in the mountains!), so it once became an abandon village in 1970s and then, was revived by Kyodo Gakusha. Over 10 people incl. 2 families were living till several years ago, but less and less in these years (almost nobody in the winter), so vols. are needed even more! Tateya is located on the hilly (less than Maki, but still a bit isolated) area where 30-40 members live and mainly do rice farming as well as growing cows and chicken. *Outcome of this workcamp: In 2023, we had 4 short term workcamps and 1 LMTV project with 13 vols. who greatly contributed to their protecting the houses, farming and caring animals that was difficult to finish by the time they needed without volunteers! See the long-term goal of this project as Local SDGs made by the previous project leader at https://www.slideshare.net/nice-workcamp/2019-ep3-188767935 (only in Japanese, sorry, but you can still enjoy the pictures!)

Work: Volunteers will help their organic farm by weeding in the rice and vegetable fields, planting vegetables, taking care of goats and chicken and also renovate the trails and the traditional house, help their house works such as cooking, washing, carrying the stuffs from the down village. Be ready to work for quite a long time (05:30-18:00 with some brakes) and hard. Kids may sometimes be separated to plan in the nature with care of some adults.

Accomodation and food: Maki: Volunteers will sleep in a few rooms of the volunteers house that is a very beautiful cultural heritage and equips the basic facilities such as water, electricity, toilets and a bath room! They will have meals, meetings and social life with Kyodo Gakusha members in the main building (just 30 meters far). Meals will be cooked by together with the members by turns. Sleeping bag is not necessary. Tateya: Building for volunteers and a few members, 5 min. walk from the farm. Meals will be usually cooked by volunteers by turns. Sleeping bag is not necessary.

Location: OtarimuraNaganoprefecture

Location and Leisure: Both are located in the beautiful places near “Japanese Northern Alps”. Maki is in about 900 meters asl. and there is something remained here that most of Japanese areas have lost in modernization. Tateya is surrounded by the farms and 40 min. walk from the train station.

Airport: TYO

Train/Bus station: The nearest international airport is Tokyo (NRT or HNH). From Tokyo to the meeting point near the project, it takes 5 hours by express bus. Volunteers need to arrive at the airport in Tokyo by the end of Aug. 22 and can leave there from the beginning of Aug. 26.

Requirements: Only families (Children should be 6-12 years old) can join this program. Up to 4 persons (1-3 kids) per family. Parents volunteers need to be physically strong and flexible to respect the way of the local host. Motivation letter is needed! 9,000 JPY (55 EUR by the rate on 2023 Nov. 18th) 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. Child is exempted to pay this, but need to pay 3,000 JPY per child for the meals instead (this can be paid on the arrivals).

Language: eng

Extra Fee: 9000 JPY

Study theme: 2030 goals of Kyodo Gakusha and children's growth in each country. Other activities: Exchange program, Excursion on a free day (possibly to Hakuba, a famous tourism spot), etc. Other: The popular documentary film for this place was broadcasted in 2015 at arayashiki-movie.jp/en/.