UNICEF House Tokyo

UNICEF (The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) is a United Nations (UN) programme headquartered in New York City that provides humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries. It is a member of the United Nations Development Group.

I am very grateful because I got to experience to visit UNICEF house of representative in Minato ward, Tokyo.

In my visit, first, I entered the multimedia room to hear the explanation about UNICEF Japan. The guide told about the history of UNICEF Japan. She said that in 1945 when Japan bombed by alliance (Especially Hiroshima and Nagasaki) the economic, social, and politics is very bad. Children lose their parent, food, house, education and absolute happiness.

The UN gave an aid to help children by UNICEF. UNICEF gave food, education, and service. So, several years after 1945, the condition is better and Japan growth to be developed country.

By the changing of its status, Japan changed the role from receive donation to be volunteers who give donations to UNICEF itself.

Beside that UNICEF House Tokyo also be representative of successfulness of UNICEF program to help Japan.

After we watch a video profile in multimedia room, we sightseeing around UNICEF House Tokyo building. Every part of the building represents the objective of UNICEF, there are 1. Nutrition, 2. Health, 3. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, 4. Child Protection, 5. Education.

I will tell you every focus in detail and briefly.

1. Nutrition The guide told me that UNICEF also helps emerging children around the world to fulfil their nutrient by spread the vitamin and health program for baby. The guide told that the growth card that we usually use in 'posyandu' is designed by Japanese.

2. Health The guide also showed me about simple health equipment that usually used in crisis countries to help the children in the simple ways like in war condition.

3. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene The guide told me that they also build a water source in crisis countries and teach the children how to washing their hands properly to make sure that their hands do not contain any microorganism that can dangerous their health. They also support to build the sanitation. They build water pump because in many country water source is very difficult to reach, so everyday children need to go far away to get water with metal tube and it is very heavy for children. By this daily activities, children also lose their time to go to school and playing.

4. Child protection The guide told me that in war country, there are many landmines or bombs planted in soil and the form like a toy. So, children will be excited to grab it. And when they touch or step their feet, the bomb will explode. There is two possibility that will happen, the children will die or disabled because maybe they lose their foot or hand. Why in war country choose children to be the target? The guide said that in the war country many children under age prepared by the government to be a soldier, in their very early age they pushed to learn how to use a gun, how to war etc. That is an obligation, even the parents don't have any power to prevent it. What UNICEF try to minimize this accident? UNICEF socialize about bomb too early to children and tells them not to play in the dangerous area and not easy to touch something. For the children who be a soldier in very early age, UNICEF just tries to make diplomatic between the war country because UNICEF can't make a clear action about that due to its very complicated condition. UNICEF also build a tent to be children house in war country. I think We should be grateful to be born here, in Indonesia. Even we are not developed country, but our country is enough safe for our growth.

5. Education UNICEF also helps to growth education system in the crisis country that many of them don't think that education is a basic need for their children. UNICEF make a campaign that every child should get their education time. They support free education for children in crisis area and they build a school.

Finally, I came to the end of the explanation. For usual, I and my friends take a picture with the staff of UNICEF who has dedicated their life to children happiness.

Thanks to The God, my eye looked at this phenomenon. Hope that this knowledge can make us wiser than before, to be grateful for the condition that we got, and not complain too much.