Ghanian and Japanese Children Creating Meaningful Connections

We invite you to read the recent Educateurs sans Frontières (EsF) blog post about the heartwarming story of a small group of Japanese children and their friends in Ghana. Over the past two years, they have built a strong relationship, characterised by mutual respect for other cultures.

The journey began when Mayumi Saito and Yoshiko Konno were inspired by the Voices of EsF programme for the years 2021–2022. They were the facilitators of a small group of Japanese elementary children who had gathered to have conversations online. Mayumi and Yoshiko were committed to listening to and hearing the children; they regularly met to discuss various topics, ranging from community-building to topics that mattered to them.

Mayumi's work has always been centered around creating an environment that prioritizes children's needs. The mission of Voices of EsF allowed her to meet these creative, brave, and thoughtful children who did not have many chances to express their thoughts. She wanted to let them know that their unheard voices are essential in our society. Academic achievement pressure can often deprive children of original ideas and opportunities to speak up and make a difference in their community.