Yoshitatsu Kanno "Papa"

I, together with the core members, entertained expectations and anxieties on the opening day of our exhibition. I was worried every day because even other NGO members did not seem to have understood my explanations about JOICFP. I felt under pressure because we could not focus the contents of our exhibition program until right before the exhibition began.

The faces of volunteers who were very powerful in helping us out. The space and time that I had to exchange conversations with visitors to the Village. The faces of visitors who attentively, with tears, listened to the story by a mother from a developing country. Children who wrote letters saying "Thank you, mother" from their heart. These images came up fragmentarily to fill my mind with a feeling of satisfaction.

I was able to share the message "Every day is mother's day!" with a great number of people, and I also developed my own 'large Ferris Wheel' of visitors, Global Village villagers, and colleagues who I will treasure through my life.

What I can do - I would like to convey the above message to as many people as possible directly looking into their eyes.

Kei Yoshidome 'Eldest Daughter'

Not a few people say that they have changed through participating in the Expo. I heard people who helped the JOICFP exhibition say:

"I will try an entrance exam next year to become a qualified nurse" (company employee).

"The range of my future course of life has expanded" (junior university student).

"I talk about mothers in Africa to my client mothers, and tell them to take good care of life" (midwife).

"Let me help you again, as I will work taking no account of fees" (display fabricator).

Listening to the words by those who have found what they can do and who have already taken action, I feel I am also given energy and motivated.

What I can do - I will expand the circle of people who will work together for a common goal, perhaps.

It took us about a year until we finally chose "Save Mothers" as the main theme for our exhibition from among a wide range of JOICFP involvements. The NGO Global Village Office people and professional copywriters told us repeatedly, "JOICFP people want too much! If you include too much information, the visitors will understand nothing. You should know we have only one navel."

Michiyo Ono 'Second Daughter'

We repeatedly were knocked down, stumbled, and scrambled up again until we narrowed the concept of our exhibition.

When people asked me "What is JOICFP?" "What is it doing?" "What do you want to convey?" I could not give immediate answers. But now, I can answer them all, thanks to the "Save Mothers" pavilion.

During the exhibition, our message was well conveyed to the visitors, many people showed their sympathy to our activities, and many people appreciated the significance of our activities to be worth continuing. I had so many moving moments that my heart trembles with pleasure.

I became more attached to JOICFP through the "Save Mothers" pavilion. Now, I am proud to have been involved in its activities.

What I can do - I must explain the status of women in the world to many more people.

One volunteer said to me, "I didn't know what to do, and whatever I have done, nothing was fruitful. I have been just thinking that I have to do something. But now, after listening to the Afghan woman here, I realized that our support has reached them. I am so impressed."

Wakako Kai 'Youngest Daughter'

Mr. Babakarkhil came from Afghanistan. He is the Director of the United Medical Center for Afghanistan/Rehabilitation Program for Afghanistan (UMCA/RPA). At the Expo, he reported the situation in which expectant mothers are placed, and said politely, "We receive great support from Japan. Our people are thankful to the Japanese. I thank you all."

I often hear people say, "Even if I donate something, I will not know how it is used." As a staff member of an NGO, I must collect donations and support for people in developing countries on one hand, and I must inform supporters in Japan that their support is actually delivered and makes a real difference to people in need in developing countries on the other.

What I can do - I must convey voices of beneficiaries of support from Japan to supporters in Japan.