OKAYAMA -- A group of high school students from Okayama Prefecture is producing a local newspaper with feel-good news and stories to cheer up residents of the Mabicho district of Kurashiki, a city in the prefecture hit by torrential rain in July.
Mabi Paper is produced by about 30 students who are members of a volunteer organization called #OkayamaJKnote, which was launched in January. The students get together after school and have contributed to society by holding events such as flea markets and night markets.
"We want to help the district on its road to recovery, together with residents who have helped us make the newspaper," one member said.
On July 10, after heavy rains flooded parts of Okayama Prefecture, the organization called an emergency meeting. "We wondered if we could do anything to help," one member recalled. It was then that Risa Wakasa, a second-year student at Konko Gakuen High School in Asakuchi, Okayama Prefecture, suggested the group make a newspaper. Wakasa is now the editor in chief.
Soon after the torrential rain and flooding, Wakasa had delivered relief supplies to an evacuation shelter near her school. However, her offer was turned down because the shelter already had enough supplies. Undeterred, Wakasa was sure there must be something that only #OkayamaJKnote could do to help. A flash of inspiration came when she remember the strained atmosphere at the shelter.
"The gloomy news on TV and in newspapers seemed to make people feel even more despondent," Wakasa said. This prompted Wakasa to suggest at a meeting of the group, "Let's deliver cheerful news to people in areas affected by the disaster."
After some discussion, the group decided a newspaper would be the ideal vehicle because it would reach people across a wide range of generations, including people without mobile phones.
Thinking of the needs of sufferers
To make the newspaper, the students split into small groups and interviewed friends and other people directly affected by the disaster and residents staying at Sono Elementary School, which was being used as a shelter. The first edition featured uplifting stories about Mabicho-related activities, including high school student volunteers from other prefectures and a high school student who, despite being a victim of the disaster, remained determined to compete in sumo to secure a spot at the national athletics meet.
The group printed 1,000 copies of the newspaper, which filled both sides of two A4 pages, and hand-delivered them to evacuees staying at places in Mabicho including Okada, Sono and Nima elementary schools.
The group has made four issues so far. Each time, the topics covered in Mabi Paper are chosen after listening to tips and suggestions from people staying in shelters.
"The needs of evacuees change from moment to moment," said group representative Ayumi Mitsuoka, a third-year student at Okayama Korakukan High School in Kita Ward, Okayama. "We write articles that focus on what is needed right now."
The rain flooded the Mabicho home of Shinobu Nibu, 74, up to the second floor. After picking up and reading a copy of the newspaper's first issue, he said: "It had stories about local kids. I felt invigorated after seeing that they were doing their best."
#OkayamaJKnote will publish a newspaper every other week until the end of the year. The group is considering a plan to get high school students from Mabicho to write articles for the newspaper in October.
Wakasa remains determined to keep delivering happy news to Mabicho. "I'll continue listening to the disaster victims and writing articles that lift the spirits of our readers," she said.
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