Hello
Everyone!
Thank you for visiting our blog!
Let me
introduce myself and express my passion about why I started GBN
<My
passion of international development>
During my undergraduate studies in 1997, I joined an international
volunteer program in Nepal as a manual labor to build a primary school in a
small village. Living there was challenging, as there was no tap water, electricity or bathrooms.
However, the people of the village always helped each other, and I was truly
impressed by their great hospitality. I grew up in an advanced country like
Japan and had never worried about my basic needs. However, I always felt
emptiness with somehow poor interpersonal relations. Then I learned great
lessons from their community reliance which helped me to heal myself at that
time.
There
was one particular incident that occurred during the volunteer which I cannot
forget. A young child was burned severely, and his mother brought him to me and
asked for money to take him to the hospital. Because I was a student with
limited pocket, I could not give her money, and I felt so helpless. This incident
made me realize that a major problem in poor areas is lack of access to
adequate healthcare and social welfare systems. This awareness made me have more
desire to find how to facilitate the needed tools to improve the condition of
people’s lives.
<The
long journey to reach the field>
Although I
was desiring to work in the field of international development after graduation,
I had no opportunity to engage in such a field due to my limited professional
experience. Then, I worked in IT as a system engineer for a few years but I
couldn’t give up my interest. I finally resigned from IT job and relocated to
the United States
for participation in an internship program in 2003, working as a research
assistant at the Council on Hemispheric Affairs in Washington, DC., I also earned
a Master’s degree in International Policy Studies from Monterey Institute of
International Studies (MIIS) in California in 2008, specializing in
International Development. After my master program, I had finally worked for
Japanese Non-governmental organizations and engaged in several international
programs in Middle east, Myanmar, Vietnam, Iraq, and Mongolia etc.
Despite of so many years I took to reach this field, I was
not satisfied with what I was doing. I felt there is a huge gap between my work
and what I desired to do. I struggled myself by considering whether my involved
works really meet the local people’s needs or not.
<Starting the Global Bridge
Network>
During the time when I
was in Uganda in 2015, I found a huge challenge of adolescent school girls who
face difficulties to go to school due to their menstruation. I felt there is a
huge need to support, which motivated me to address this issue. I believe the
local people/partners who can truly understand community/people’s needs. Thus,
I thought it to be so effective to work with a local partner to reach and meet
their needs. Fortunately, I was so lucky to have a great local partner, SORAK
to work with us. Therefore, in order
to build a cooperative relationship and legitimize all activities as a legal
organization, Global Bridge Network was registered as a non-governmental
organization in Japan in 2016.
GBN would like to build a WIN-WIN situation through equal
relationship and want to get into the wide range of fields such as children’s
education, protection and social business as well as expand more different
areas not only in Africa, but also in any other countries. GBN wants to be a
bridge between people all over the world to help mutual relationship.
I really enjoy interacting with people
through GBN and appreciate all your support and cooperation!
Sincerely,
Maiko Ohnishi
