From the Other Side of the Table (Appendix)〜Vol.34〜
Published Sept., 2020
To all of you participating at TABLE FOR TWO(TFT) programs:
Thank you for all your warm support to TFT programs!
TFT activities are two-fold: promoting healthy diet habits in Japan and supporting school meal programs
abroad. Through this newsletter "The other Side of the Table," we would like to share with you our activities
abroad and unique activities made by participating organizations of TFT programs in Japan.
It is our wish that you enjoy and keep supporting our activities. We welcome your comments and opinions so
we can improve our programs further.

Activities in the countries where COVID-19 infections are expanding
The effects of new Coronavirus infectious disease has been spreading in TFT supporting countries. In EastAfrica, Tanzania reopened schools as early as June, while schools remain closed in Kenya and Rwanda at theend of August. Online distance learning was introduced by the government in those countries but having accessto internet access and therefore to online classes is not always easy, especially for rural homes in areas without
electricity or economically disadvantaged families.
TFT explored ways to continue school meal programs by assessing on the ground situation of each country byconsulting and coordinating with local organizations. In some areas, the food prices had increased and more
people became unemployed, thus negatively affecting those our supporting communities. Under thesecircumstances, we strongly feel the importance of maintaining meal and nutritional supports, more than ever.
(Based on information at the end of August 2020)

About our fundraising and awareness building activities＜Donations dated till date＞
Total 7,7376,905 meals（At the end of July, 2020）
Support for school meals, and horticulture and agriculture projects in five countries
in East Africa and Asia.（Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and the Philippines）＜Onigiri Action 2020＞
This year again we are organizing “Onigiri Action 2020” on October 16th, commemorating theWorld Food Day.
The event is a social action that each photo of Onigiri posted, five school meals are donatedto the children in Africa and Asia. We started this initiative to change the world throughWashoku. This is the 6th year. So far, we could provided 4.5million meals.
Event is on from October 1st (Thursday)～ 31st (Saturday). We look forwarding yourparticipation.

Event site： https://onigiri-action.com
Check out our Facebook

www.facebook.com/tft.jp/

This “From the Other Side of the Table” poster and appendix can be downloaded from TFT website（https://jp.tablefor2.org/about/report/) You can post or use this appendix from the second page as desktop POP.
(The articles were written based on information at the end of August 2020)

Expanding COVID-19 in Africa
In early August, the number of new infections withCOVID19 reached 1.1 million in Africa. While theinfection rates in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya
have been declining in late August, countries such as
Rwanda and Ethiopia, the number of infections areincreasing. In those countries, the spread of
infections from capital or large cities to rural areas
where medical systems are weak is a serious
concern.

Above：Vegetables in school
garden are glowing well.
Right：Taking a mask off
when eating.

Tourism and hospitality industries are importantsectors for earning foreign currencies in East Africancountries. However, hotels and tour companies wereserious affected by the spread of coronavirus.
Tanzania reopened its international boarders in
middle of May. Kenya and Rwanda opened theirinternational boarders on August 1st. Restrictions ofmovements between the cities were also relaxed at
the same day in those countries.

Tanzania opened schools while schools in Kenya and Rwanda
continue to be closed
Tanzania and Zanzibar reopened their schools in June. Kenya and
Rwanda are assessing the situation and waiting for the spread ofCOVID 19 to subside before opening their schools.
Education ministries of Kenya and Rwanda encourage distancelearnings via online, TV or radio. But it is not easy for children inrural communities to receive distance lessons because of no orpoor internet coverage or families do not have TVs or computers.
Many children stay homes alone while parents and guardians
are out working during daytime. Also, school closures meanchildren can not be benefitted school feeding programs. Thereare concerns about health and mental cares of those children.
We, TFT continue assessing local situations, provide school
meals where schools are reopened. In countries schools remainclosed, TFT provide food packages to supporting families sochildren can get necessary nutritional support from the program.

Distribution of food material

Continue to Provide Nutritional Porridge in Rwanda
At Banda village in Rwanda, TFT continue to support kindergarten
children even their schools are closed. 557 children receive foodpackages for Igikoma, the local porridge. Igikoma is made of the mixtureof maize, soy and sorghum flours and has high nutritional values. In thevillage, the number of children with malnutrition was 46 in May. In July,
24 more children were identified as malnutrition, bringing the total
number to 70. Economic damages caused by COVID 19 are negatively
affecting some families that some children may not get enough andnecessary nutrition at home.

Rwandan government announced aplan to reduce the number of students
A mother receives a food package forin each class as one of the measures to Igikoma
prevent COVID 19 infection at school.

Lunch is provided after work inthe school yard

Since existing number of classrooms are not enough, communities
including students are engaging in the construction of class rooms.
Students come to schools to work in shift and help construction. TFT
provides porridge or lunch to students who attend the work in theschools.

Hoping for earliest reopening of schools
Long lasting school closures are negatively affecting children in
Banda village. Rwanda government promotes distance learning
to substitute for classes at schools. But getting access for online
lessons are not easy in Banda villages since the electricity has
not reached to the village. Many homes do not have TVs orradios, let alone computers. Even some homes that have radios,they need to buy butteries but their priority is to spend limited
money to buy food not the butteries.
A school teacher at the village feels that it is difficult for students
to learn alone while their parents or family are out for work andwithout any disciplines they get in the school. Distance learnings
in the remote village have too many challenges. This is not only in
Rwanda. International organizations alert that the domestic
violence cases have been on a rise since lockdown started.
Teachers and people in the Banda village are hoping for days
when students can safely learn in schools will come sooner.

Wearing mask is a must in the kitchenKenya：Some voices against school closures till 2021

Students submitting their homework to their teacher

As the number of COVID 19 infections increases, in July,
the Ministry of Education in Kenya announced thecancellation of school year of 2020. All the students
will repeat the same year in January 2021. National
examinations for primary and secondary schools,
normally conducted in every November will also bepostponed. The Education Minister explained that thereason of this decision is based on the safety ofstudents are considered as priority. But he said thereopening of school in January 2021 is not the finaldecision. If the infection curb is flattened for 14 days
continuously, the reopening of schools will beconsidered again.

There are opposing voices against the decision of prolonged school closures. In August,representatives of parents filed a law suits against the Ministry's decision arguing that schools
closures are violating the children’s rights to learn. In addition, some politicians and internationalorganizations called for early reopening of schools. Since the number of infections of COVID 19 has
been declining in Kenya from mid. August, people are paying attention on the news on reopening ofschools.

Kenyan society, returning to normal
In Kenya, movement restrictions between the cities started inmid. March and ended in the end of July. There is no restrictionsof domestic travel except night time curfew.
Still People have to wear masks and restaurants have to close
early, and bars and drinking facilities remain closed.
Nevertheless, the streets in Nairobi are returning to pre-COVIDdays.
Public sanitation rules remain to be enforced. Public minibus,
locally called Matatu, can only carry 8 passengers even though
the bus has 14 seats. As shopping malls and restaurants, andeven at the National parks, temperatures were taken andpeople must wash their hands.
Masks are available at shops and on the streets of Nairobi.
There are masks with Kenyan flags or some restaurant staff
wear masks with the restaurants’ logos. Now, the masks arebecoming a part of fashion among fashion conscious Kenyans.

A mother and daughter washing handsfrom the bucket water