I'm used to one meal a day

One meal a day, I'm used to it December 22, 20:24

"I'm used to eating one meal a day,"

the student said.

It looks like a very "normal" modern student.

However, I was in an unexpected predicament.

Students who are close to us, for example, passing each other in the city, may actually be in the same situation.

It made me feel that way.

(Network News Department Yasuyo Mabuchi Sendai Broadcasting Station Takashi Omori)

"Students like me are having trouble with food."

As we approach the end of the year, there is a growing movement to support people affected by the new corona.

I (Omori), who works for the Sendai Broadcasting Station, learned that there is an activity to distribute food to students in Sendai City through the representatives of support groups I met through interviews, so I decided to listen to them.

Introduced was a male university student in Sendai who was involved in the support activities.

He said he was worried, even though he refused to talk to only a few college students.

"At first glance, students who look like themselves are having trouble with their daily food."

What is the situation of the students as the effects of the new corona become more serious again?

I thought I had to look it up properly.

When I actually listen to the story ...

Is the situation the same in the metropolitan area?

On the 19th of the weekend, a reporter (Mabuchi) visited the site when he learned that support activities for students would be held in Kawasaki City.

The venue is a large conference room in the city.

Immediately after I entered, I saw a large bag filled with a week's worth of food such as rice and instant food.

Apart from the contents of the bag, I was able to choose what I like, such as bread and canned food, and take it home.

University students, international students, and vocational school students in the city who learned through leaflets and the Internet visited the venue one after another and packed them in carry bags.

There was also a consultation corner in one corner of the venue.

The Kawasaki City Council of Social Welfare, which planned the support activities, connects serious cases to the administrative window and provides part-time job information from local social welfare corporations and companies for those who are in trouble because they do not have a job. Was also introduced.

"Shaving is food expenses, even on days when you don't eat at all"

Shortly after the opening, I noticed a female college student listening enthusiastically at the consultation corner.

A third-year student at a music college with impressive long hair dyed in purple.

It is said that he has left his parents and is living alone.

The rent and utilities are covered by scholarships, and the monthly remittance from parents is 30,000 to 40,000 yen for living expenses.

It seems that the shortage of living expenses and the score used in class have been covered by a part-time job at a udon shop 4 to 5 times a week.

However, the number of part-time jobs has continued to decrease since around March, when the infection of the new corona spread, and it is said that it is almost gone now.

The student, who says, "The only thing I spend on food is food," said he didn't feel inconvenienced when he was working part-time at an udon restaurant, but now he only has one meal a day.

There are days when you can't eat at all.

It is said that he is not spending money on clothes and entertainment now.

"Increase the remittance" is very ...

I asked her if she could rely on her parents, but she laughed and denied.

Female college student

"I don't feel like relying on my parents anymore, and I can't say" increase the remittance ". I'm sorry to ask you to pay more because the tuition fee is very high at Otodai. I had never thought about a part-time job in the welfare field that I heard about, but it seems that there are jobs that can be done without qualifications, so I will seriously look for it so that I can continue my studies. "

I majored in percussion and will be in the 4th grade next year.

When

asked

about the future ...

"I don't know if I can get a job in the first place, so I'm worried that I can live." At

first glance, the bright and fashionable female college students are not eating even their meals satisfactorily. I was really surprised.

But she didn't seem to be the only one.

When I talk to the students who visit the venue, they all say the same thing.

"All the time except part-time job"

The duo of second-year college boys who visited the venue in the afternoon also used their part-time job to cover their living expenses, but the shifts dropped sharply, and they visited the consultation corner to find out about other part-time jobs.

The two are friends who attend the same faculty and both live alone.

I had a younger brother, and the situation was similar, "I can't rely on my parents' remittance anymore, I don't want to rely on it."

Furthermore, as a result of cutting food expenses, both of them are said to have lost about 5 kg compared to a year ago.

Male student A

"I usually eat one meal. I think it was hard at first, but I'm used to it because I can't leave the house. The people living alone around me are quite similar. It feels like. Some people are losing weight and losing weight. "

Male student B

"I don't want to increase the burden because I am borrowing a scholarship. I have experiments because I am a science student, and the tuition fee is high, but I have never experimented. The class is online. I don't have the opportunity to talk to people, and I haven't left home. I've been staying at home all the time except for part-time jobs. I think it would be mentally difficult if this kind of life continued. "

I will support you now, so I will continue my studies

On this day, a total of 75 people, including students and international students, visited the venue.

Hidetoshi Hirabayashi of the Kawasaki City Council of Social Welfare, who sponsored the event, is keenly aware of the need to continue to provide support.

Hirabayashi:

"Since October, we have received a series of information from university officials that" the number of students in need of living is increasing, "and we decided to support the year-end and New Year holidays, which tend to be isolated. Some students said, "I can't go home and I can't ask for help from my parents' home, which is suffering from corona." I think that support is indispensable. Now that we support ourselves, Many people cooperated with me in the hope that I would be able to continue my studies and contribute to society. I think we need continuous support. "

Some say that the remittance has decreased

The fact that the impact on food and daily life is becoming more serious is clear from a questionnaire conducted by an NPO in Yamanashi Prefecture.

"Food Bank Yamanashi" conducted a questionnaire to 109 students from two universities who supported food in October and November, and received responses from 79 people.

● Among students living alone

▽ No remittance… 57%

▽ Remittance… 43%

● Among students with remittance

▽ Reduced

remittance due to the influence of the new corona… 69%

▽ No effect… 31%

● Changes in eating habits ( Multiple answers)

▽ Eat enough meals ... 45%

▽ Reduce the amount of one meal ... 24%

▽ Increase instant foods ... 24%

▽ Reduce the number of meals a day ... 17%

▽ Carbohydrates More meals ... 17%

The NPO that conducted the questionnaire said, "I get the impression that the impact is further expanding due to the third wave. I would like to continue to support students so that they do not deepen their isolation during the year-end and New Year holidays."

What about national and university support?

Of course, the government, universities, and vocational schools continue to provide support.

"Emergency benefits" have been paid by the government since spring.

We provided 100,000 to 200,000 yen per person for people in need.

Due to the prolonged impact, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology will urge students who were originally eligible but could not receive benefits due to school procedure mistakes, etc., and will pay tuition fees for low-income families. We are also calling for the use of a system for exemption.

The company also announced that it will re-offer interest-free scholarships to students whose part-time job income has dropped significantly.

Universities and vocational schools also support.

According to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in November, 71.8% of universities and junior colleges nationwide responded by independently implementing tuition reductions and exemptions for students in financial distress.

In addition, 94% of vocational schools also postponed payment of tuition fees in the second semester.

When poverty is "normal"

Professor Hirokazu Ouchi of Chukyo University, who is familiar with the problem of student distress, points out the following about the environment surrounding students today.

Professor Ouchi of Chukyo University

"The environment surrounding students was originally harsh, and while tuition fees were rising, remittances continued to decline as parents' incomes declined. Without a part-time job, university life could not be continued. When there were a large number of students, I couldn't get a part-time job, which was a lifeline due to the corona sickness. The number of students who are being pushed to the limit is not a minority. In a sense of distress, it is becoming "normal". "

On top of that, although there was some effect on the support of the government and universities, it is still not enough.

Professor Ouchi of Chukyo University

"It may have reached some students, but there are various conditions in the system, and many students who need support may have fallen out of the target. Yes. The range of students in need is wider than the supporters think, and I feel that there is a misunderstanding. The scope of support should be expanded rather than targeting a specific small number of students. "

"I had the image that college students were more glittering."

The degree of distress of the students was beyond my imagination.

However, what I thought was more serious than the economic situation was that I could hardly hear any words that made me feel hopes and expectations for the future.

"To put up with all of now, food and has been living and thinking only living expenses,"

"but has the image of a are you more sparkling I college students, completely different as I thought,"

"knowledge with I don't feel like it. I don't feel like a college student. "

While showing a carefree smile, regret was bleeding into every word.

I also felt.

I strongly wanted to continue the interview so that I could convey this feeling and help as much as possible,

"I shouldn't have been like

this."