with

In WITH, as of April 2006, 14 members, 5 paid staffs and volunteers enjoy working together on various tasks every day. These 14 members are graduates of schools for the blind, persons who lost eyesight in the middle of their life, persons with multiple disabilities (visual, intellectual and physical), and persons with intellectual and psychiatric disabilities. Each of them has his/her own abilities and skills and all of these 14 members as fellow workers involve in production processes together, combining what each can do.

WITH has wide range of production from making white canes for persons with visual impairments, and braille printing a public magazine “HAMAMATSU”, business cards and cards for playing, to making small objects such as herb crafts. WITH has a farm land in neighborhood and the members enjoy farming and making bamboo charcoals.

In addition, the staff of WITH visits elementary and junior high schools not only in Hamamatsu City but also in other areas and talks in class about welfare, disabilities, braille, and guide dogs. This is a very important work because we have a direct communication with young people who will lead the future society so that they grow up to be considerate and caring persons to others and to become manpower to support community welfare.

Through above mentioned activities and works at WITH, even persons with severe disabilities become able to work and earn incomes with their own efforts, thus participating in society economically. Also the members, who commute to WITH regularly, encounter many fellow friends with whom to talk, to suffer together, to share the pain and to encourage each other. Some of them have built self-confidence, found what they want to do in their life and graduated from WITH.

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