JOHOR BAHRU, Oct 1 – A group of tertiary students from Japan, participating in the Summer School Programme organised by the Language Academy, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), visited Johor Area Rehabilitation Organisation (JARO) as part of their cultural and community immersion activities.
The visit was designed to bring the international participants closer to the differently-abled community in Malaysia while also providing Malaysian student buddies with an eye-opening experience. For many of them, this was their first time engaging with JARO and learning about the important work being done to empower individuals with physical, mental, and visual challenges.
Founded in 1952, JARO is a rehabilitation organisation and workshop dedicated to training, supporting, and employing people with disabilities. Its mission is to restore independence and dignity by equipping rehabilitees with skills and providing a sympathetic work environment. The workshop produces high-quality handicrafts such as basketry, bookbinding, and sewing, which are made available to the public through JARO’s showroom in Johor Bahru.
During the visit, the Japanese students interacted with staff and rehabilitees, learning about their training and work processes. The experience not only allowed the international participants to appreciate the resilience and creativity of the disabled community but also helped to increase JARO’s visibility among a new audience.
One of the Japanese participants, Chiyoya Yuta, shared his thoughts after the visit, “I feel really inspired by how JARO gives opportunities to people with disabilities to live with dignity. I want to share this story with my friends in Japan through my social media, so they know that in Malaysia there is such a meaningful place supporting the disabled community.”
For the Malaysian buddies, the visit was equally impactful. Afiq, a UTM student and also one of the Malaysian buddies, admitted this was his first time at JARO, “I didn’t even know such an organisation existed in Johor Bahru until today. Seeing how they create beautiful products with such dedication makes me proud. I can’t wait to share photos and videos on my Instagram and TikTok, so more Malaysians my age know about JARO and hopefully come to support them too.”
“This activity is aligned with the Summer School’s aim of fostering cross-cultural understanding and social awareness. Not only that, by visiting JARO, we hope to inspire both our Japanese participants and Malaysian buddies to view disability through the lens of capability, dignity, and contribution to society.” said the assistant coordinator of Summer School Programme, ‘Atiqah Shaharuddin.
The Language Academy team expressed their gratitude to JARO for welcoming the group and looked forward to future collaborations that could continue to highlight the valuable role of the organisation.
For more information about JARO’s work or to support their initiatives, the public may visit their showroom at Jalan Sungai Chat, Johor Bahru, or contact them via www.jaro.org.my.
Written by: Dr. Nurhidayah Mohd Sharif and ‘Atiqah Shaharuddin
