In March 2025, we interviewed Mr. Iwasaki from the Faculty of Business Administration, who volunteered in recovery support activities in the disaster-stricken areas of Noto Peninsula!
What made you decide to participate in the volunteer work to support the disaster-stricken areas of the Noto Peninsula?
I went to high school in Kumamoto Prefecture, and while I was there, the heavy rain disaster occurred in southern Kumamoto, and our family was affected by that disaster.
When the entire school went to Hitoyoshi and other places, it was my first time volunteering, and at that time I felt a bit shaken up, and for the first time I thought, "I'd like to try doing this kind of work," and "It's fun to help others."
That was the trigger, and I had always thought that it would be nice to do some volunteer work at university, so when my teacher invited me to do so at this timing, that's when I got the idea.
What kind of activities did you do there?
I focused on volunteering in areas affected by the heavy rain disaster on the Noto Peninsula.
For example, we did tasks such as sorting soil and stones from fields along the river and removing driftwood and furniture that had washed up on the river.
Please tell us about something that made an impression on you during your activities.
We worked in collaboration with people from several other universities, and while talking to people who had volunteered more than we had, we heard them say, "Just having volunteers come gives hope to the victims, and if we stop participating, they sometimes think they've been forgotten." This made a big impression on me, as it made me realize how important it is to regularly send out the message that "we remember."
Since becoming a university student, I haven't been able to return to Kumamoto very often, so at the same time, I felt that I needed to cherish these kinds of places more.
Please tell us how you have grown through this activity.
We had the opportunity to talk about various things with people from other universities at our dorms, and when we met to jointly share information about our activities, rather than doing the kind of group work that we usually do, we had the opportunity to do it in a more discussion-style format, with roles clearly defined.
When I went there as a volunteer, I learned that the organization was working by reading the names and faces of those affected by the disaster, the kind of lives they had led, and what they were thinking through conversation with them.
After learning this, I began to place even more importance on communicating with disaster victims, of course remembering their names and listening to what they would like me to do.
Please tell us about your future plans.
As a result of this volunteer work, I have become interested in infrastructure development, and I am currently researching companies that provide disaster recovery support.
What would you say to other students who are undecided about whether to participate in volunteer work?
I don't think you'll ever regret volunteering!
I think I grew a lot by going there, and it also helped me to build new relationships.
I once again realized that it's a good idea to try different things, and I think that's what's good about volunteering.
Thank you, Iwasaki-san, for your cooperation!
Click here for the article on actual activities →University volunteers participate in recovery support activities in disaster-stricken areas of Noto Peninsula
