Cambodia Assistance Network 2- Social Actions of the Marubeni Group-
Marubeni Corporation
2010.5.12
Delivering Supplies to Elementary Schools in Cambodia! -To Create a Better Future for Children-
Background
Our desire is to make a contribution to international exchange and cooperation by connecting "people" to "people." Members of "Tanpopo (Dandelion)," the Kanaya seminar at the College of International Relations, Nihon University, experience hands-on international exchange by taking part in cross-cultural exchange and volunteer activities overseas. As we described in the "Cambodia Assistance Network," Marubeni-Itochu Steel Inc. (MISI) has been supporting the activities of "Tanpopo" since 2007, establishing a cooperative framework throughout the company. In FY2009, the students of the "Tanpopo" seminar conducted a training program in Cambodia and Thailand from September 12 to 21. The primary objective of this mission was to deliver supplies to Cambodian elementary schools. After being asked by MISI to lend its support to this activity, the Marubeni Group coordinated several of its group companies to safely and successfully transport supplies.
First, collecting supplies
For this mission, members of the "Tanpopo" seminar enlisted the cooperation of three elementary schools, Sawaji, Tokura, and Nakazato, located in Mishima city in Shizuoka prefecture, where the Kanaya seminar is based. They collected a wide variety of supplies, such as pens and pencils, notebooks, soccer balls, clothes, and shoes, filling a total of 13 cardboard boxes. "Tanpopo" decided to send these supplies to five elementary schools in Cambodia.
Marubeni Corporation Phnom Penh Liaison Office
MISI and Marubeni Logistics Corporation work together to repack and ship supplies
The seminar members collected more supplies than they initially anticipated. Joined by logistics expert Ms. Tomoyo Suyama from the Logistics Team, MISI then sought to determine the best way to ship the supplies to Cambodia. There were a few key points that needed to be taken into account for actually transporting the goods to Cambodia. First of all, what did the students need to do to successfully deliver the packages? Next, how were they supposed to pick up the packages in Cambodia?
Supplies sent by Marubeni Logistics Corporation arrive at Marubeni Corporation Phnom Penh Liaison Office
It was then that Mr. Yaegashi, the General Manager of the General Coordination Department of MISI and a key figure in initiating the collaboration with the "Tanpopo" seminar, came up with an idea. "Why don't we consult Marubeni Corporation and the other companies in the group and ask for their help with this mission?"
First General Manager Yaegashi of the General Coordination Department asked the Corporate Communications Dept. if it would be possible for the students to use Marubeni's network to pick up supply-filled parcels when they reached Cambodia. When the Overseas Strategy & Coordination Dept. asked for assistance from General Manager Hirata of the Marubeni Corporation Phnom Penh Liaison Office, the Manager readily agreed, acknowledging that this mission was a social contribution activity.
Ms.Suyama of MISI holds a meeting to discuss the means for transporting supplies
Next, Ms. Suyama turned to the Marubeni Logistics Corporation for advice on the best way to ship the supplies. The choices they presented were surface mail, which was cheap but took a long time to ship, and air mail, which was fast and safe but much more expensive. With the kind advice of Deputy General Manager Yasushi Kawamura from Global Logistics Dept. 2 in Marubeni Logistics Corporation, who served as the point of contact for this project, the "Tanpopo" seminar chose to send the packages by air mail because it was the fastest and most reliable way. The added bonus for the students was that Marubeni Logistics Corporation was willing to fully cooperate and helped to reduce the transportation costs.
Before leaving for Cambodia, members of the "Tanpopo" seminar visited the Corporate Communications Dept. and Overseas Strategy & Coordination Dept. of Marubeni Corporation
On August 5th, under the supervision of Ms. Suyama of MISI and members of "Tanpopo," the supplies were securely repacked at Marubeni Logistics Corporation. These packages were then air freighted to Cambodia in the end of August, and safely arrived at the Marubeni Corporation Phnom Penh Liaison Office on September 3rd.
Off to Cambodia and Thailand
Led by Professor Hisatomo Kanaya, 17 members of the "Tanpopo" seminar arrived at Phnom Penh via Bangkok on September 12th. After meeting with students from Phnom Penh University at the JICA Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Center (CJCC), they picked up the parcels from General Manager Hirata of the Marubeni Corporation Phnom Penh Liaison Office and then left for the countryside. MISI used its "Walking Mileage Program*" to cover part of their travel expenses.
Lumpuk Elementary School with its newly constructed water tower
Seminar students visited schools at last. As well as presenting the children with the supplies, they inspected the water tower conditions at Aranhrangsey Elementary School, Poom OR Elementary School and Koksrock Elementary School. These schools have already received water towers, which were built as part of the efforts that have continued since 2006. At Lumpuk Elementary School, the construction of a fourth water tower had just been completed, and for a short while the School Principal asked questions about how to manage the water tower. In addition, Tanpopo donated sweatshirts and shoes to Oni Hifumi Japanese School, where Japanese instructors teach Japanese to Cambodian students.
Children gleefully drinking water from the water tower
Participating in media interviews in Bangkok
After leaving Siem Reap and returning to Bangkok, the Nihon University students socialized with students from Ramkhamhaeng University. Then, a group of "Tanpopo" received media coverage about this year’s program for donating supplies and water towers. This media interview was arranged by Mr. Yasuhiro Tamida from the Media Relations Sec. in the Corporate Communications Dept. of Marubeni Corporation. Moving ahead into the future, the Marubeni Group will actively continue to conduct Corporate Social Responsibility activities.
* MISI distributes pedometers to employees interested in the social action program, in which the company donates an amount of money equal to the number of steps employees walk.
| Sep. 12 | Leave Narita for Phnom Penh via Bangkok | |
|---|---|---|
| Sep. 13 | Phnom Penh | Research Cambodian culture/history. Purchase bazaar products at the Russian Market (Psar Toul Tom Pong). |
| Sep. 14 | Phnom Penh | Courtesy call on JICA Cambodia Office. Pick-up packages at Marubeni Corporation Phnom Penh Liaison Office. |
| Sep. 15 | Travel overland from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap | International exchange and volunteer activities at Poom OR Elementary School and Aranhrangsey Elementary School, located in rural Siem Reap Province. |
| Sep. 16 | Siem Reap | International exchange and volunteer activities at Lumpuk Elementary School and Koksrock Elementary School. |
| Sep. 17 | Fly overnight from Siem Reap to Bangkok | Meet with students from Oni Hifumi Japanese School in Siem Reap. |
| Sep. 18 | Bangkok | Visit Ramkhamhaeng University to tour the city with students from the university. Participate in interviews with the newspaper |
| Sep. 19 | Bangkok | Tour Lopburi city. Enjoy international interchange with the students. |
| Sep. 20 | Fly overnight from Bangkok to Narita | Purchase bazaar products at Ramkhamhaeng University and Chatuchak Weekend Market. Go sightseeing around Bangkok. |
| Sep. 21 | Arrive at Narita |
Marubeni Group magazine "M-SPIRIT" VOL.55 (January, 2010)
Job titles listed are as of 2009.
