Growing as a PLAS Intern, Believing in Connecting to the Present and Future of Children in Africa | Makoto Uchida

◆ Self-Introduction

Hello! My name is Makoto Uchida. I am studying international development at university, and having become aware of the social issues facing developing countries in Africa during high school, I remain interested in international cooperation and the African region. Since October 2023, I have been working as an intern in charge of charity auctions at PLAS.

◆ Introduction to My Responsibilities

I am in charge of charity auctions aimed at raising funds to carry out our projects. I list items received from celebrities on "Yahoo! Auctions," and the winning bid amounts are used to support AIDS orphans in Africa through PLAS's activities. Furthermore, through these charity auctions, I am working to help more people learn about the issues facing AIDS orphans and children in Africa—topics that are not very familiar in Japan—and to expand the circle of support.

◆ Why I Applied to PLAS

I decided to apply because I resonated with the PLAS philosophy for its activities in Africa: "Support that 'creates' rather than 'gives'." Specifically, I deeply empathized with the vision of walking alongside each child rather than unilaterally providing goods to those left behind, and I felt that I wanted to contribute to that effort, even if only a little.

◆ What is Fun and Challenging About the Internship

At first, there were many things I wasn't used to with remote work, but the staff members taught me carefully, so I feel I have become able to have confidence in my own work. Also, once a month, a "Pole Pole Time" is held in a remote environment as a place for interaction among colleagues. It is a great opportunity to communicate with staff members and other interns I don't usually interact with during daily tasks, and as a university student, I feel it is very grateful to have the opportunity to think about my future, such as career paths.

◆ What I Felt and Learned Through My Activities

Although charity auction work is an indirect way of engaging with developing countries in Africa, I had a major new discovery that there is such a way to be involved in fundraising for PLAS's activities. Through the cooperation of celebrities and the holding of charity auctions, I felt the great power of being able to expand the circle of support in various directions.

◆ Future Career

At this point, I am thinking of finding employment at a private company or similar to gain professional experience, and then actively looking for initiatives where I can be involved in international cooperation or developing countries. To that end, I want to proactively gain new experiences so that I can view things from a broad perspective.

◆ How Would You Describe PLAS in One Word?

I feel that PLAS is a place with a warm atmosphere where I can truly feel that I am needed as a "colleague," even though I have little experience. In my work as well, I want to continue to grow, believing that my daily efforts are greatly connected to the present and future of children in Africa.

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