PETALING JAYA, Oct 6 — A stranger in a strange land, one Japanese expatriate is trying to lift the spirits of refugee children in Malaysia with outdoor trips and excursions.
By 7.30am on Sunday, 35 people had clustered at the entrance of the Bukit Gasing Ecological Park.
From various countries, they chatted among themselves while awaiting for others.
Malay Mail spoke to housewife Akiko Ijitsu, 53, who has brought the refugee children for hikes on Bukit Gasing on Sundays for almost two years now.
“I had a routine even before this of doing runnings on the first and second Sundays of the month, followed by hiking on the third and fourth Sundays,” said the mother of two children aged 19 and 22.
In November 2016, a friend asked for her help after being approached by the principal of an Afghan refugee school, setting her down this path.
“He was asked to take eight children or so on a hiking trip, but his vehicle could not fit everyone hence he ask for my help.
“Since them I have brought over 30 children of various ages for hiking trips, with many who went the first time offering to rejoin the trips as they enjoy it a great deal,” Ijitsu said, adding that they managed to continue even after the school closed down and its students had to study at another location.
She certainly takes it in stride, as she does with her life in Malaysia. Ijitsu first visited the country in 1993, then working as a catalogue editor. Before long, she married a Malaysian and settled down to look after her children full-time.
“My husband believes it would be better to help other Malaysian citizens than foreigners since you can find many poor people, especially in the rural areas.
“I can understand how he feels, yet I am mindful that I am a foreigner as well. So when I met these children, it was as though I felt God wanted me to help look after them,” Ijitsu said, adding that her family nonetheless supported her deeds all the way.
The trips are not limited to hiking excursions; she said the kids have also been brought on other outings including bowling, futsal matches, and even swimming.
“Generally hiking is preferred as I want to encourage them to be more energetic and outgoing. These children have experienced a great deal witnessing conflict and suffering back home, so I want to ease their pain.
“You would be surprised how many volunteers offered to help out with this. It is a mixed group of both Malaysians and expatriates. By my count people from over 20 different countries have joined us for this,” Ijitsu said.
When asked how long she plans on doing this, Ijitsu seems surprised at the question before saying that it will continue “for as long as possible”.
“I cannot change their situation. Some of the children opted to continue studying while others decided not to for various reasons. But I can at least create something for them to look forward to and live for,” she said.
