Working in the flower farms of the southern island. Vols. need to speak very good Japanese!

work camp information
Code NICE-23S-1203A
Project name Erabu9
Location Kagoshima, Japan
Period 2023/12/03～12/22
Type AGRI
Vo;unteers 7 members
Background This project is actively working for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDGs 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), organized together with a group of farmers since 1995. The project has been held mostly in March and this is the 3rd time to be held in the summer since 2019. The project started by the links with the President of NICE who had a farm stay here in his student days. The island has rich, beautiful sub tropical nature with corral leaf on the beach without being polluted by the tourism. As the location is isolated and very far from the cities, they can hardly get the paid workers to help their farm work, so vols. help it to protect their industry and life! Thus, the volunteers can learn a lot from the natural and local life, by that many of them become a big fan of the island!
Work The volunteers will be spilt into 3 farms (without change in the whole period) and mainly help to harvest the flowers and other farm work such as selection and rapping of flowers. Farm work will be 5-6 days in a week usually around 08:00-18:00 (sometimes, even longer) with lunch break in 12:00-13:30. There will be some pocket money to be used for meals (besides the lunch on the working days) and a part of the travel cost to the island. Thus, there are some possibilities to have another public work once a week such as beach cleaning and activities at the elders home though not sure.
Study theme Local SDGs (2030 goals) of Erabu
Location Okino erabu island. It originally belonged to Ryukyu kingdom of Okinawa islands which deeply effects the culture. It had been once occupied by the USA after the World War II, but returned back to Japan in 1953. Birth rate is one of the highest in Japan since people help each other like a big family:)
  The nearest international airport is Naha. The ferry runs every day (Naha 07:00 - Wadomari 14:10, Wadomari 12:00 - Naha 19:00. 5,760 JPY for one way). Vols. need to arrive at Naha by the end of Jul. 31st and can leave there after the beginning of Aug. 15th.
Accommodation Local house rent for the volunteers with some sleeping rooms, bath, kitchen, toilet, etc. Meals will be cooked by the volunteers themselves besides the lunch on the working days that will be provided by each farm.
Other activiteis Excursion on the island (limestone cave, etc.) on the free days, welcome/ farewell parties, swimming in the beach, sea turtle (or if lucky, also whale!) watching, etc.
Requirement Good Japanese (no problem for the daily and work conversation). Respect to the culture and farm life and high motivation to work hard. You don't need much power, but patience to keep (and positive attitude to enjoy!) the same work
Language English(Japanese is also welcomed)！
Other We can open the place for international volunteers ONLY IF we already have a Japanese volunteer or resident in the same period.
Map
Participation fee
What is included in the participation fee

Participation fee（domestic）（Click to see table for details *Japanese only.）

6,000 JPY (44 USD by the rate on 2023 Feb. 24th) 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.
What is NOT included in the participation fee

Transportation expenses

Due to meeting and breaking up at the venue, you will need to use a train, bus, or plane to reach the meeting place by yourself.
Tickets will be arranged by yourself.

Other personal expenses

○Free travel expenses before ／after participation（Free for transportation, food, accommodation,admission, marenals,etc. There is a big difference depending on the person.）
○Expenses for free time during the participation period（Free for transportation, sweet, alchol drinks, souvenirs, admission,etc. Usually it is about thousand yen.）