My experience as a Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer in three African countries is the starting point of my current business.
In the three countries I spent in, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Malawi, I despaired at the number of people who had to give up their things for economic reasons.
A Malawian friend who started junior high school after 30 because he couldn't go to junior high school.
"I want to be a designer someday."
I remember the day when I was excited by her dream.
When I met her again a few years later and asked her how she was doing, she tended to look down
"I work as a maid at a school teacher's house."
I said.
I didn't listen to her "dream continues."
After returning to Japan, I entered university at the age of 28.
I couldn't even have a good conversation with my classmates who were 10 years apart, and the campus was too bright and I always felt uncomfortable.
In such a situation, the only place I found was the so-called seminar.
In the seminar, we are conducting a support project for Mexican coffee producers, and I stepped on the soil of Mexico for the first time and met coffee producers.
But looking back, whether it was the three African countries or Mexico, I was always on the "supporter's side," and I was just cheering loudly from the safety zone to the local people.
A Mr./Ms. farmer in Japan who noticed the "voice" said:
"Mr./Ms. Sugiyama, do you know what makes farmers happy?"
I spoke passionately about the activities I was doing in the university laboratory.
"That's important, but first of all, you have to make it sell. If I can't sell it, I can't continue to be a farmer and I can't make a living."
He asked:
"Mr./Ms. Sugiyama, are you buying their coffee?"
I couldn't say anything.
I was very frustrated.
"Not a supporter, but a partner who works together."
In 2011, the year I graduated, I established Mamenogi Co., Ltd.