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| Ms. Ikeda Setsuko (fifth, from right) and delegates at the exchange between the Vietnam - Japan Friendship Association (VJFA) and the Japan International Friendship Association (JIFA), in Hanoi . (Photo: Minh Hoa) |
I have always loved Japanese culture and having the opportunity to meet Ms. Setsuko Ikeda - President of the Japan International Friendship Association (JIFA) was even more interesting when I learned that she used to be a famous singer in the "land of the rising sun".
I had the chance to meet Ms. Setsuko Ikeda by chance when I participated in an exchange between the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association (VJFA) and JIFA held in Hanoi recently. Usually, in international exchanges, there are often art performances, which are quite attractive because guests will enjoy unique traditional art performances from other countries.
After a thunderous applause for the traditional Japanese storytelling performance (Kodan), the audience was surprised when Ms. Setsuko Ikeda - President of JIFA was introduced to the stage. The whole audience fell silent when her emotional voice was heard singing the famous song Diem Xua by the late musician Trinh Cong Son: Rain still rains flying on the ancient tower floor...
Artist with a heart full of compassion
Sitting next to me, Ms. Ngo Thi Bich Hanh (Hanh Nigita, Vietnamese living in Japan) shared: “Ms. Setsuko Ikeda is a vocal instructor and a famous singer in Japan. She won a national singing contest. After that, she and a few friends decided to open a company operating in the fields of music , organizing events and opening a training facility for technical interns. The company is headquartered in Tokyo, with branches in Osaka and China.”
In addition to their contributions to artistic and performing activities, for the past 42 years, the Ikeda couple have also worked as labor and social insurance consultants. With their expertise, they have continuously strived to protect workers; implemented many activities to support children in their home country, thereby expanding their activities beyond the borders of Japan. This is also the opportunity for Ms. Ikeda to be in Hanoi on this occasion.
Since 2014, Ms. Ikeda and JIFA have been implementing programs to install water purifiers in Ha Tinh and support poor students and those in difficult circumstances in the province and Hanoi. Ms. Setsuko Ikeda emphasized that through the program, JIFA hopes to equip Vietnamese students and interns with good Japanese language skills, while improving their life skills and understanding of Japanese culture. During their work, interns will gain Japanese learning experiences, working methods, and management, and then return to contribute to their homeland and country.
“We aim to train quality human resources for Vietnam, so that when workers return to their homeland, they will become one of the main factors helping to attract foreign investment, including Japanese enterprises,” Ms. Ikeda confided.
Ms. Ikeda shared that every time she comes to Vietnam, she feels very happy and excited by the warm welcome of the people here. “I really want to join JIFA in making a small contribution to help the children achieve their dreams. There are many students with potential but due to economic conditions, they cannot study properly. I will try my best and work hard so that when I return to Japan, I can immediately carry out activities to actively support the children from afar,” Ms. Ikeda said.
Ms. Bich Hanh said that she truly appreciates and is grateful for the affection that Ms. Ikeda has for Vietnam, and highly appreciates the positive activities that JIFA is implementing here.
After coming to Vietnam and falling in love with Vietnamese culture and people, when she saw poor provinces like Ha Tinh seriously lacking clean water, Ms. Ikeda thought of supporting water purifiers for the people. When she met students with difficult circumstances who did not have the conditions to study, she returned to Vietnam to mobilize friends, organizations, businesses... to award annual scholarships. "Her persistent efforts truly come from her heart and that is also the reason why I decided to accompany JIFA and Ms. Ikeda to support and contribute a small part to fostering the Vietnam - Japan friendship", Ms. Hanh said.
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| Ms. Setsuko Ikeda sang the song "Diem Xua" in Japanese during the exchange. (Photo: Minh Hoa) |
Zero Fees – Wings of Dreams
Sharing on the sidelines of the event, Mr. Hiroaki Ise - JIFA member said: “I know Ms. Ikeda from her activities in countries such as China and India. In the past four years, she has had many activities in Vietnam. I especially admire, impress and am convinced by her meaningful and enthusiastic volunteer activities. I hope to work with JIFA and Ms. Ikeda to create good values for society, especially activities to support education for children”.
Nguyen Thi Thanh Thao, a trainee supported by JIFA, is about to complete her medical training course in Japan. Thao recalled that she lost her mother when she was born and grew up in the loving arms of her maternal family. “I still remember, when I was in eighth grade, Ms. Setsuko Ikeda and members of the JIFA organization came to my school to give scholarships to poor students who overcame difficulties and to install water filters. I was lucky to receive a scholarship from JIFA. After graduating from high school, I received support from the Association to study abroad in Japan for Language and then Medicine.” When she arrived in Japan, Thao studied and worked to pay back the money she borrowed and the young girl said that in Japan, Ms. Ikeda and her husband were like her second family.
Returning to her hometown this time, Thanh Thao took on the role of interpreter for Mrs. Ikeda. It is expected that next April, she will officially start working at a hospital introduced by Mrs. Ikeda.
In 2023, JIFA plans to implement the project "Grassroots-level technical support for the labor export program to Japan at low cost" (Zero Fees) in Ha Tinh province. According to JIFA, Ha Tinh workers are hard-working and diligent, highly appreciated by Japanese enterprises. However, the cost of labor export makes many families hesitant. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce the advantages of Ha Tinh people to Japanese enterprises and implement support programs to reduce costs for workers.
Ms. Setsuko Ikeda hopes that, in addition to language training, JIFA will convey traditional cultural forms, especially Kodan art (traditional storytelling art), thereby helping interns experience Japanese culture as well as lifestyle and working style.
JIFA has discussed and worked with many Japanese enterprises on the Zero Fees program and received their agreement and willingness to accompany the project, reducing the cost of exporting labor to Japan to the lowest level.
Saying goodbye to my kind-hearted Japanese friends, my heart was filled with indescribable emotions. Strangers who did not know each other, but the boundless love of humanity brought them closer together, supported each other, and headed towards a better life. I still remember the soulful song of Mrs. Setsuko Ikeda: …Please let the rain flow over the vast land. In the future, even rocks and stones will need each other…
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