A growing number of college students are in dire circumstances because they have lost their part-time jobs due to the ill economic effects of the new coronavirus outbreak.
Some schools have continued to provide free food to these students through donations from graduates and others. But amid the growing fear of a second wave of infections, there are calls for extending support efforts as part-time income for these students is unlikely to increase.
"I can't work and I don't have money," an 18-year-old female student at the Faculty of Health Sciences at Tokyo Metropolitan University in Hachioji, Tokyo, said. Upon receiving 2 kilograms of rice, thin wheat noodles and potatoes for free at a free food outlet on campus on Thursday, she said with a sigh of relief, "It is really helpful."
The food donations include canned food, pasta and juice. Students are allowed to select what they like according to guidelines such as, "Potatoes, as much as you like. Pasta, one pack with one [bottle of] sauce," which are written on the cardboard containers.
Coming from Kanagawa Prefecture, the student has lived by herself near the campus and has to pay for everything she gets from her part-time job except rent and utilities, for which she depends on her mother.
The Japanese-style izakaya where she works as a part-time worker was temporarily closed due to the declaration of a state of emergency. She finally could start working at the end of June, but her income for July is expected to reach only about 40,000 yen.
"I'm from a single-parent family, so I can't bother my mother anymore. I manage to make a livelihood by cooking for myself with free food, but I am worse off," she said.
At Tokyo Metropolitan University, she is not the only one who asks for help, "having nothing to eat." Professors, lecturers, graduates, and eating establishments around the university started offering free food in May, and support for a person in difficulty like her continued into July.
"As true human relationships are growing less due to online classes, the need to pass out food at universities is becoming more apparent. We want to continue to support them," said Hiroyuki Nomoto, a professor of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Meanwhile, Saitama Institute of Technology in Fukaya, Saitama Prefecture, and Seinan Gakuin University in Fukuoka gave away free rice, instant noodles and vegetables in June and July.
On the other hand, a 20-year-old female student at a professional training college in Osaka, saw her income plunge as her part-time job at a French restaurant was suspended. Since her own meals had been provided by the staff at the restaurant, her food expenses soared, leaving her wondering "how to live in the future."
In a multiple answer survey of about 9,000 college students nationwide conducted between July 20 and 30 by the National Federation University Cooperative Associations, "incomes are much lower than they were before the pandemic," and "slightly reduced," 31% of respondents said.
In addition, "I'm looking for a new part-time job amid the outbreak, but I can't find it," and "I want to do a part-time job, but I have never done it," said 35% of respondents.
"Second Harvest Japan" a nonprofit organization working on food banking, started distributing food to students in difficulties in June. It has covered foreign people and orphanages mainly, but a spokespeople of organization explained, "We decided to support the students because their poverty was more serious than we expected."
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
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