高校の部 3位
安芸　優人（広島学院高等学校）

Caring about the Poor

 Did you know that there's a large group of people in Japan whom we rarely care about? Look around you ... 1 out of 7 people belong to this group. Did you know that there are over 18 million people who suffer from poverty every day in this country? And many of them are often ignored or cast aside by society, so we tend not to see them at all either. Out of sight, out of mind. However, one experience last spring strongly inspired me to make this group visible to others.
 Last spring, in one of our school's leadership classes, I saw a documentary about poor people in Osaka Prefecture. It showed how the poor people there lived, and how severe the problem was. I was really shocked to know that about 5 people per day continue to fall through the holes of our country's social safety net because of poverty. Poor people don't have permanent residences, so they can't get a steady job; as they have no job, they work on a daily wage basis; working on a daily wage basis means they can't rent an apartment, so they just stay on the streets. I realized that they were suffering from this terrible cycle and started to think about what we could do to help them.
 Last September, my friends and I had an opportunity to spend time with International students from Sophia University. The purpose of it was to discuss what exactly we can do to help solve poverty in Japan. After a group brainstorming activity, we all sat around the same table and came up with some ideas. During the first discussion, we brought up one way to deal with this problem: CASH BENEFITS. This system has already been implemented in Sweden and is contributing to stabilizing its economy. By paying money to the poor, they can use it for their own purposes, like maintaining their household or buying a car, which is useful. I believe this can definitely bring relief and comfort to a family. During the second discussion, we talked about the core problem: Why do poor people exist in this country? There are many people in Japan who cannot get enough education, so they aren't often trained as well as other people, therefore they are not able to play an important role in this society. We shared this idea with others and raised an essential way of handling this issue: EDUCATION VOUCHERS. Coupons for especially poor children that allow them to get a free education at schools or cram schools. This will enable poor kids to be more educated and trained in order to get a job.
 I think these two ideas can help solve poverty in Japan. They have been tested in some regions in this country and they are panning out well. But I want you to consider one more important thing. Will these two ways truly help Japan overcome this serious problem? You might think.... Well... These are great ways to stop a crisis, aren't they? Actually ... I'm not so sure. There is one thing that many of us lack, and this is the thing that we must always be aware of EMPATHY. Think about how you want to be treated when you really need help. No matter what your background is, we always have to keep this in mind and care about others with respect as a fellow member of this society. In the end, who is going to be responsible for Japan's future? It is our generation that must take the first step to build a bright future. By implementing the two key ideas with empathy, I believe we can save people from poverty and make Japan a better place for all of us to live in. Elie Wiesel, an American Jewish writer, and Nobel Laureate, once said, "The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference." So, let's show everyone that we care. Rise up and work together for our future with real ideas and true empathy.