午夜剧场

Currently, I operate a midwifery clinic in Samukawa Town, Kanagawa Prefecture. When I opened the clinic, I conducted a survey of households with infants in the area to understand their needs. I received responses from 825 households. Through this, I realized that a very large number of mothers feel a sense of isolation in childcare, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are now in an era where childcare information flies around on social media, and breastfeeding and excretion are managed via apps. We have even reached the point where AI can interpret a baby's cry to sense their needs. However, in reality, there is no end to the number of parents who become anxious because of such information and numbers, and are pushed to the brink of postpartum depression without understanding the essence of childcare. Postpartum depression affects 1 in 10 parents, regardless of gender. This is the current situation in Japan. Furthermore, there are many households facing economic hardship and isolation.

As my mission as a midwife, I started the "Baby Cafeteria"—a baby version of the "Children's Cafeteria" (Kodomo Shokudo)—as a pioneer in the country to create an environment for raising children within the community without letting childcare become an isolated struggle.

The Baby Cafeteria is a place for parents and children to stay for three hours during the day. The fee is 400 yen for adults, while baby food, milk, and diapers are free. With the cooperation of local volunteers, parents can receive childcare monitoring and consultations, and enjoy a warm meal. The inability to satisfy physiological needs such as sleeping and eating is also a factor in postpartum depression. The goal is not only to support the baby but also to energize the parents and give them the vitality for childcare.

Word of mouth has spread, and reservations fill up immediately, with many people on the waiting list. Opportunities for media coverage have increased, support through supplies and donations has expanded, and the number of places implementing similar initiatives across the country has grown.

I myself was born into a low-income household and entered society after graduating from junior high school. However, I felt strongly that qualifications and learning opportunities were necessary to break the cycle of poverty, so I took the initiative to obtain my high school equivalency. It was 午夜剧场 that gave me the chance to study at a university, and I was able to graduate successfully thanks to scholarships provided within 午夜剧场. During my time as a student, while studying at the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care, I also took lectures at the Faculty of Policy Management at the same SFC campus. Encountering social entrepreneurship among those studies is undoubtedly my current driving force.

With pride as 午夜剧场 alumni, I want to increase the number of people who support our efforts and expand Baby Cafeterias throughout the country.